Did you ever imagine you would one day wake up and be living in a world where the leader of the free country would be shady as hell?
If anyone has been watching (or reviewing the history) Republican politics from the candidacy of Barry Goldwater (he lost) down to Trump, the trend was visible at the time, and it is unmistakable in hindsight.The demands of anti-war activists, Blacks, women, the elderly, and Native Americans were met with “Law and Order,” which proceeded in many coordinated efforts, for example, “The War on Drugs,” and bussing (drained the education budget).It culminated in the Great Gerrymander, following the 2010 Census, rampant voter suppression following the striking down of Title V, and the recognition of corporations having civil rights for essentially unlimited political funding.My theory is that Trump either did not intend to be elected or did not understand the reality of the presidency (or both). However, he arrived in the campaign at a time of economic stress and his voice resonated with a significant block of citizens. His candidacy is a logical extension of the Republican effort to reduce the effectiveness of government (except for military and police power). They express it is reducing government until it is small enough to drown it in a bathtub.The Republicans and their corporate backers are working to undermine the constitution with a Constitutional Convention, with corporate-friendly laws (ALEC), with packing legislatures with unending Republican majorities, and with packing the judiciary with judges of like mind.Trump mounted this wave, and rode it to victory. The Republicans had been waging their campaign largely by distracting the voters with divisive issues, and they made great progress. As they near their goal, Trump represents a giant over-reach. Without meaning to, they took too much, too soon.It is now clear what their goal is. And Trump is even more corrupt than the rest of the Republicans. It is likely that our institutions will hold, and Trump will be thrown out. It remains to be seen if the Republican destruction of democratic institutions can be rolled back. Time will tell.You ask if I can imagine the Republicans and Trump. Yes I can. I’ve been watching for a long time. Do you remember what they did to Jimmy Carter, Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton? Have you been watching their tactics? Their goal is total power.
What is your opinion of the American political system?
I think when the Unted States won the American revolution, it was the next evolutionary step for human equality from ancient Greece, Magna Carta and from English parlimentary system. People didn't have to belong to royalty or the upper-class to have some rights. We had many great men, such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and a few others who helped the U.S. become the beacon of freedom for all. Through our political system from the 18th century until now, we as a people have also had some bad along with the good, such as slavery. But still most Americans from all social classes still respected the rights of all to a certain degree. I think now things are starting to crumble. I think the values and morals most people had in the past gave all the people in the U.S. some degree of freedom. The people of the past put their country first before themselves. It seems now the U.S. government has become very corrupt. Their are five lobbyists for every Senator and person in Congress. A good example is the 2008 recession. These Wall Street investment bankers committed mass fraud and cost millions of Americans their life savings, homes and jobs. Instead of these people being put in jail, they were bailed out with American taxpayer money. Even given high positions in our treasury department, instead of being locked-up for their greed. I think the U.S. political system at one time was the best in the world, but now it has become a casualty of why it was conceived for in the first place!!! Hopefully enough honest and moral Americans can eliminate these greedy and corrupt people who have defiled the halls of Washington D.C. and make the U.S. a great nation again!!!
Will I be ok? (insulin-overdose suicide attempt)?
I honestly do not think the pain and weakness you felt after overdosing on insulin, has to do with it. Insulin should not have those side effects on your body, although out of control sugar levels can. I can’t even imagine how you recovered from 100 units of insulin with out medical attention!! That should have made your blood sugar crash quicker than you could stuff any food in your mouth. In any case, it sounds like you are moving forward in a positive direction. Leaving your school and ex love behind will help heal the emotional damage. While you are continuing at another school I would also advise you take up some healthy activities like a sport or new hobby. Maybe just regular trips to the gym when you can. This can improve your overall health GREATLY and also give you new positive things to focus on other than the past. Set up some new goals and focus on those. Being a diabetic can be tricky and throw out some obstacles, but the more positive and healthy you are the easier they are to overcome. Previously when you were feeling “less intelligent” and weaker, you could have been just experiencing effects of depression or anxiety which can definitely make you feel the way you did. EVERYONE experiences that to some degree at one point in their life. If there is a serious medical issue going on, make the sacrifice and see a dr, even if it costs a pretty penny. You should have family that could help you out with that. If you don’t feel like it’s a serious issue, then work on lil healthy changes to help in the mean time like surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people, focusing on school and new goals, as well as a healthy diet and some activity. I guarantee you these things will make a huge difference, not only in how you feel about yourself, but also in brining you out of your shell. Hopefully you will eventually land a job which offers benefits and you can see your Dr on a regular basis, which every diabetic should do. In the meantime there should be government assisted programs for medical care, or through your school. Also depending on how old you are, you can be eligible for benefits from your parents if they receive insurance through their work. Health is physical as well as mental. You can heal both. Best of luck to you and make the most of this next chapter in your life!!!!
If you had 30 minutes to talk with Barack Obama today, what would you tell him?
I’d talk to him about free trade. Its a subject both of us cherish and support. Him a Democrat, me a Republican, are among the few in our parties that seem to support free trade. Trump, Sanders, Clinton all railed against free trade and the TPP, which I support.I’d bemoan the state of both parties. I’d express my fear of Sanders populist revolution griping Democrats and Trump’s alt-right movement gripping Republicans. I’d bemoan the lack of parties supporting a combination of deregulation, free trade, no tax cuts except corporate taxes, and balanced budgets. Trump doesn’t care for them clearly. I’d thank him for trying to work a deal to balance our budget with John Boehner. Although it ultimately collapsed, a deal was in works that would’ve cut spending $10 for every $1 tax increase. I don’t like increasing taxes, but that is the closest we ever got to balancing our budget and we threw it away. Furthermore, how could Republicans elect Trump? We could’ve choose the kind and experienced Kasich, the energetic and passionate Rubio, but we choose the bloviating, offensive, divisive, demagogue from New York. And in the chance that Sanders and Trump succeed in remaking their neoliberal parties into populist ones, then I can only sit back and miss Obama. Who ever thought I might be doing that?I’d talk NBA and NCAA basketball. I wonder what he thinks of Purdue’s chances this year. Ranked #15, we have Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas, and we almost felled Villanova this year even with our early foul trouble. The Pacers suck, which I’d like to complain about. We have Paul George, the best 2-way player in the game, and we still lose to the 76′ers. Jeff Teague, Miles Turner, and Thad Young and we still suck.Then before it ended I’d see if we could grab a quick beer and talk more politics. We could talk Obamacare, gay marriage, religious freedom, trade, debt reduction, deregulation, etc. Many of those topics we would disagree but it would be a good discussion. I’d likely end the meeting at some point, part ways, but of left with more respect for him after seeing his perspective and sharing mine. If only all politics was done this way on a national stage. How much better things might be…
Why is Trump destroying President Obama's legacy?
Thanks for the A2A.Trump is not in a position to destroy Obama’s legacy — Such is out of his control, even with all the powers of the president of the United States. He no longer controls both the house and the senate, and even when he did he was unable to come up with anything better than Obamacare…Even if he had, though, he still wouldn’t have destroyed Obama’s legacy — Obama took us from the depths of a Great Recession to huge economic prosperity. He made condemning people to death because they had a genetic defect illegal (“pre-existing conditions” was the insurance companies term for this practice). Obama got us out of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that Bush unnecessarily got us into, just to make money for Halliburton so Cheney could be a little richer. (if anyone has another theory on why we went to war with Iraq I’d love to hear a better explanation, that’s been the best motive I could piece together).Obama improved the US’s International reputation drastically over Bush Junior… He also helped the economic situation of the country by huge proportions.Obama had his faults - I don’t agree with his use of drones, and I don’t like the way he treated whistle blowers (not very well), but overall his legacy was very positive and nothing Trump can do will make it go away. He will go down in history as the first (half) black president, and one of the most successful presidents in our country’s history. No matter how hard Trump tries to change history, that is not and will not be within his power. He’s small, weak, and cowardly, as most bully’s are, and history will write about Trump as an embarrassment to the US installed by Russia.Trump will be gone before you know it, and America will go back to being great again once he’s gone.