Here is a fascinating interview of Donald Trump by George Stephanopoulos. The Washington Post called it his “best/worst” interview. I think it shows him thinking out loud.
And if you read this article about Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, you will have a better understanding of Trump’s thinking about Russia and Ukraine. Manafort advised the anti-Western government and party in Ukraine. He also did big business deals with Russian oligarchs. This is a world that few of us are acquainted with.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
My take on the Trump candidacy: Dont waste your time and energy being distracted by Trump, he is nothing more than a figurehead. It’s time for the lame stream media and everyone else to start focusing on the toxic ideas in the GOP platform, to start talking about what it actually contains. That’s where the real danger lies. That is what the debate and the election should be about in the first place, not all this asinine personality cult nonsense. Trump’s continued frothing at the mouth is not relevant to examining the GOP platform, it’s a click bait diversion away from it. The danger isn’t that Trump may be elected, it’s the GOP insiders and cronies that have chosen to back him along with their insane ideologies that are the actual danger as those “usual suspects” quietly seek to ride his coat tails into power.
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Absolutely.
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Nice idea, Jon, as long as that same media focuses honestly on what usual suspects are riding Hillary’s pantsuit legs. Zbiggy Brzezinski, perhaps?
You’ve got one thing absolutely right: most of the yelling recently about Trump is a waste of time and energy, an intentional distraction from the real game being played. And much as I despise the various aspects of the typical GOP social agenda, I think those are distractions, too. The real action is, as always, in the military/industrial complex. Follow THAT money and you have a much better idea of the next 4 to 8 years. And most of it seems to be betting on the Armani-wearing “liberal.” I wonder why?
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This year the Neoliberal Dems absolutely take the prize for suaveness of distraction and diversion, it isn’t even close. Trump is like a 7 year old with a brand new box of magic tricks performing for their family. The only tiny saving grace, which may in fact be functionally illusory, is that the Berniecrats are not going away and will remain vigilant. I hope they can and will do a far better job at insurgency than the ludicrous efforts of the Teafarty base. I have no hope whatsoever that the lame stream media will do an even mediocre job in objectively covering all this, they are at least as corrupted by the quest for ratings as the reformers would have teachers become. It’s up to the messiness of social and alternative media to get the job done by getting there first which serves at times to hold the lame stream media’s feet to the fire. That has worked well at times up till now. The left and right wings of the vulture that’s feeding on the corpse of American democracy had and still have good reason to fear Sanders and his like minded allies. Let’s keep them afraid, shall we?
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Only 3.5% of our GDP according to Dean Baker this morning , is spent on the military. About 1.5% of the Federal budget is spent on Foreign aid, including foreign military aid. that would translate to a hell of a lot less than another 1.5% of GDP. But I will give you 5% of GDP . That leaves 95% of the economy that is other than military. I am afraid the
corporatocracy is dominating in far more than military spending, exerting their influence through out the economy where possible. Its is not about the military, nor education ,nor trade , nor workers rights ,nor the social safety net,.nor Wall Street or Health Care… .
Corporate America is exerting their influence in as large a part of the economy as possible . You can not blame them for seeking to do so. The Princeton study revealed that if 80% of public opinion favored an issue. It would be legislated 45% of the time. If the plutocracy ,oligarchy if you prefer favored something it would most likely become law. So the one percent is acting in their self interests . Politicians are doing exactly what their job is picking winners and losers . Both political parties have been part of the game. One much more so than the other for a long time. That party now has an abusive Oligarch at its head who will decimate working class Americans, with right wing policy and budgets and a court. Make no mistake the question is not who will do no harm. It is who will do less harm and how long will it last. The problem is that the 99% (85%) are asleep. Usually they are not pursuing their politicians in their self interest. Its Ebola or Terrorism or Gay marriage ,guns….. When they wake up to realize “its the economy stupid” it is usually as Nick Hanauer has said with pitch forks .
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Describing the military budget as a percentage of GDP is entirely disingenuous. The only valid breakdown is quantifying it as a percentage of the actual budget. It’s a much larger percentage of that, and why Baker would distract from this is a good question. Perhaps the chants of “No more war!” during the convention have something to do with this.
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Jon,
Baker’s article only mentioned the figure in reference to another argument . There was nothing disingenuous about my point . Politics is who decides the distribution of goods and service in society .Picking winners and losers .
Therefor there is far more involved than the entire federal budget which is only 36% of GDP.
As an example , what does Trade policy have to do with Federal spending . Immigration policy have to do with Federal spending .
Labor law have to do with the Federal budget . Foreign policy as in Latin American coups have to do with spending . Yet each one of these items and many more are immensely important so as to determine who gets what when and how or economics .
Some see the attack on public education as just a money making scheme . I would say the broader goal by the Billionaires club and Business RoundTable. is the destruction of a “Public Good ” in a general attack on Governments ability to function, to regulate and tax. The destruction of Teachers unions another grand prize .
Somewhere in there, I guess there is some faux concern for children. Or a profit to be had. But are the Walton’s or Paul Singer … … in it for either.
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Joel,
Agreed.
I think we are seeing the revival of an individualist ideology that has always been part of the national character. It was full-blown pre-New Deal, where everyone was expected to fend for themselves or starve. Business was unregulated. In this ideology, unions are Communist, as is any effort to protect the helpless.
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Joel, not about your point, about Bakers.
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Jon
Oops got ya, Dean Baker was comparing the size of a proposed tax cut as equivalent to 4% of GDP. He compared it to the military Budget at 3.5% of GDP to show how significant it was. Using it to put the number in prospective.
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Thank you Dr. Ravitch for the link. I just read and post my 1500 characters comment as follows:
Please, all conscientious voters should remind you that frustration and revengeful emotion will result in harmful actions and thoughts.
All talent-less, but mouthful politicians surely are con men and women who get to where they are because their invisible masters put them up.
If voters do not educate to understand American legislative system in Presidential Election, then media should explain in a plain language to cultivate voters with a conscience.
Please watch documentary in all concentrated camps in the WW II. Please try to understand how cruel and brutal Fascist and Communist treat people of all walks of lives, intelligent or illiterate, rich or poor, noble or snobbish.
Fascist and Communist instill fear and distrust among all people in order to easily control people within family, community and its own party.
The charismatic, but ignorant and coward leader will cause damage to his/her country beyond repair. Not only them, but us, all of us will succumb into the world war and sufferance.
There are only two OBVIOUS choices in November 2016: the decent and relentlessly hard working Secretary Hillary Clinton who is always there to work with all parties; OR the con artist, NO KNOWLEDGE and experience in both American domestic and foreign policies.
This is the obvious choice to vote for Secretary Hillary Clinton so that she will choose the BEST and BALANCED Supreme Court Judges for all parties’ followers like Republicans, Democrats, Green and Libertarian. Back2basic
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“Please, all conscientious voters should remind you that frustration and revengeful emotion will result in harmful actions and thoughts.”
And yet, that’s the entire approach to Trump.
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So Trump acts like a bully because he didn’t get enough praise from the public?
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Diane, I can’t wait till he finally implodes. I get sick and feel like throwing up when I hear read or see anything about this Bozo of Bozo’s. Ugh!
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Nicolas,
It will happen. The hot air will levitate him.
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There is the persistent idea, one where a tin foil hat is often recommended before exposure, that Trump intends to make America great again by leading the worst parts of the right wing off a cliff. I used to think he would pull up short and let them run right past him, but I now suspect he plans to use some kind of parachute. There are some parts of his past, his campaign, and his actions and speech that support this idea. It’s also quite possible that he is just as evil as he seems, or is simply on a basic version of auto pilot, having lost interest while having a tiger by the tail. Expecting to lose would explain why he did not release his tax returns, they are likely not what he wants future business partners/victims to see. Years ago, he said that if he were ever to run for president, he’d do it as a republican because their voters would believe anything. He is too smart I think to believe he can win with a campaign based on dissembling, hate and fear. I do find joy in the possibility that he has given Paul Ryan an ulcer. That’s justice.
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I appreciate that he is serving as an unforgiving mirror for outspoken right wing obstructionists and blind Shut Down Government tea partiers.
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I promised this link yesterday, not a you tube. Hope it works
http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/national-security-expert-trump-is-a-coward-735592515905
Quite an effective take down.
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Yes…good take down…and learned more from your comments above, Joel.
And Jon…made me laugh thinking about Ryan’s ulcer. But I do worry that tRump must not win. Part of my grad school training was in Industrial Relations, specializing in Group Dynamics. As I see it, this election is a case study, from Body Language to PoliticSpeak, I believe we are drawing too close to a Constitutional crisis with tRump’s out of bounds behavior. More later on this.
Chris Mathews did a surprisingly good interview this evening of the Kahn parents who spoke with passion, but the father Khizer Kahn, was so articulate and sophisticated that I googled him and found his got his Master’s degree from Harvard, and has long been a well respected legal expert. He was so interesting he could have his own show. I imagine the Hillary campaign knew how valuable a speaker he would be when they invited him to the Convention, but some of his best remarks re tRump and the Constitution he claims were adlib.
As more and more Reps of note come forward to repudiate tRump, and now also Ann Coulter, it will wake up many sleeping voters. This political drama is unique and hard to avoid witnessing. I do NOT agree that it should be overlooked, Jon…it is amazing history.
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Way to kind Professor . I am out of my league . Perhaps if I completed that grad program at Diane’s University in 73 instead of taking a withdrawal in my first semester . I would be able to teach you a thing or two (LOL). I would be happy for the five minute edit button for the errors I never see till after the post .
Hopefully Trump implodes on a regular basis till election day and we can spend the next four years pushing on Clinton to make the change America wants and needs.The courts alone should make some change.
The Kahn’s for anyone with a soul are everything wonderful about American immigrants . Today Pence was confronted by another Military mother who called him out for not confronting Trump . The site of another military mother being booed by the crowd. While holding up the picture of her Military son should further demonstrate how devoid of “moral compass ” Trump and his supporters are.
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sight
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Not overlooked by any means, just not allowed to become a distraction from the actual power dynamics taking place. There are dangerous men and more dangerous ideas behind the moth eaten curtain that is tRump, and yes, if I can remember, I’m stealing your spelling!
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How Donald Trump Answers A Question – YouTube
To get a measure of Donald Trump, read about his meetings with Republican members of the Senate and the House.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/7/7/1546058/-Trump-w-Republican-Senators-must-read-just-up-Wash-Post-article
He insulted those who had not supported him. He threatened retaliation. He expressed ignorance of the Constitution. He was rude and crude. He was Donald Trump.
a hucksters knack
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Thanks Suzie Lee…this is a very good breakdown of linguistic twists and how hucksters manipulate us with words. Appreciate your talent in finding these things and educating us.
And Jon, feel free to use my spelling…promise I won’t accuse you of plagiarism.
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The most compelling evidence that Hillary is not a liar, is her unwillingness to tell the middle class and poor, what they want to hear. for her to be elected. I presume, she doesn’t want to say something that the public would perceive as a truth/promise, upon which, they would expect her to act.
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Paul Manafort has worked for many dictators in the past, including Ferdinand Marcos. His wife was Imelda Marcos. The one with all the shoes.
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Manafort is a very scary guy. Every time he is interviewed I think of Iago.
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Hope his poll numbers plummet soon so we can safely begin to usher in a realistically viable third party.
The thing about Trump that goes beyond the platform and what he may or may not do to the country is that his election would be a moral calamity and world spectacle to it.
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Of it. To it, if you want to be poetic I suppose.
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