We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
We live in such strange times that the media ignored the most blatant examples of presidential campaign-cycle collusion in memory, while seeking to invent it where it never existed. Remember, Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign was in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. Should Trump ever be caught making the same “deal” in 2020, he would probably be impeached.
Scientists seek a single description of reality. But modern physics allows for many different descriptions, many equivalent to one another, connected through a vast landscape of mathematical possibility.
Is it possible that the notion of physical "laws" is anthropomorphizing nature?
New York State elections are determined by New York City, which is a lefty city. Still, many have confided to me their unfashionable Trump vote. Not all toothless ignorant rednecks by any means.
However, the wealthy tend to vote Dem, as do those dependent on the government whether with jobs or largesse.
My guess is that Trump will win in a landslide in his next election, if he is still willing to do this nasty job. This fairly ignorant and sometimes vulgar fellow is in tune with lots of Americans of all sorts. Just not with the self-anointed elites. Kanye and Kim like him, for heaven's sake. I do not like the guy, but I like what he has been doing so I will vote for him with enthusiasm even though my vote will not matter at all.
“His advantage is he’s unencumbered by values and unencumbered by a conscience. It’s an enormous advantage when you’re willing to make the end justify the means always. He’s willing to do anything as we know including lie repeatedly. It’s very disarming literally If you’re up against that- it’s very hard for people because they’re scared of his emotion. They’re frightened by his emotion. They don’t recognize that he’s throwing them off their game. They don’t necessarily recognize that he’s pushing them into their own emotion as opposed to the capacity to think more reflectively and as a result they’re not coming forward with their best.”
"Back when Trump came down the escalator and started talking like Pat Buchanan, I recall thinking, “I can’t imagine a scenario where I vote for him, but I never imagined anyone saying these things again either.” Trump is turning out to be the most consequential president in our lifetime, which is not something any sane person could have imagined two years ago. I think we have to withhold judgement on him until these great events of this age unfold."
Trump is the Honey Badger. That's why he was elected. He was not elected to be a role model:
One continues to wonder why, if they wanted to "protect" Trump, they didn't offer him a "defensive briefing," as it's called, to alert him to suspicions about believed bad actors infiltrating his campaign.
They actually decided not to brief a presidential candidate that their were people possibly compromised by Russia at or around his campaign, choosing instead to... spy on him.
Yes, that is some "protection" they were offering.