Should Donald Trump be President of the United States again?

It depends on what you want from a President...a thoughtful, measured and fair-minded person or a ringmaster.
He was dodgy the moment he put his family into office. When he refused to disclose his tax returns. When his family rented out roms to dignitaries. The moment he said he didn't see Russia as a problem (when he owned hotels there). He was dodgy when he made fool of himself as he dealt with Covid, ignored environmental issues such as wanting an oil pipeline from Alaska and his supporting coal mining. He was dodgy as one by one his team around him were questioned and in some case, jailed. He was dodgy when he defended Steve Bannon and his advice. He was supremely dodgy in his behaviour in Europe.
Now for Trump lovers, what do you think he should be applauded for?

 

What should Trump be applauded for...? Not a great deal, really... and I say that even though I did vote for Trump twice (mostly because the Democrat Party's candidates were/are so gut-bucket AWFUL).

Trump was way too cavalier about too many things, and he didn't take actions with the required thoroughness that they deserved. The situation with the Mexican border comes immediately to mind! His executive order called for an end-to-end border wall, from the tip of Texas to the Pacific Ocean -- 1,550 miles of an impenetrable "wall" -- through hundreds of miles of the most remote, forbidding desert-mountain country in the North American continent. But he could have solved the problem effectively by declaring a moratorium on ALL immigration for a minimum of several years, and using armed aerial reconnaissance drones in combination with strips of lethal and non-lethal anti-personnel devices at congested crossing-points.

Oh, but you wanted to know what he should be applauded for? Some would say that he should be given a laurel wreath for the performance of the economy, and although there's some truth in that (especially compared with today's wretched situation), Trump did everything he could to 'juice' the stock market casinos to insanely overvalued levels -- ultimately producing a national debt-to-GDP ratio of well over 120%... (economists generally agree that 77% is the 'tipping point'). But it's interesting to note that the stock markets continue their fantasy-ride into the stratosphere under Biden -- because it's the Federal Reserve System that continues to protect the almighty-god stock markets, no matter what!

I'm not doing a very good job of applauding Trump, am I.... Still, and it's not a 'joyful' experience to say it, I'd vote for Trump again if all that Democrats have to throw up as candidates in 2024 are a mentally-deficient, ancient machine-politician like 'Geriatric Joe' Biden, and 'woke' creatures like Kamala-la-la Harris.

By the way, welcome to the Forum... life here is never dull....

 

Trump's only policy was tax cuts for the rich and loyalty to Trump above all else

 

Even his tax cuts were completely inconsistent. His tariffs were, collectively, the biggest tax hike we've had since the 90s.

 

Oh stop!

 

Not in a million years.

He should be prevented from running again.

 

If both parties would stop scraping the bottom of the barrel, we might be able to get this country back on track.

Trump ain't it, and Biden ain't it. For the sake of us all, find someone with two braincells to rub together, who doesn't have the personality of a pissed off 12 year old, or someone who should be quietly sitting out their remaining years in a calm quiet place.

I'd rather see someone that's not from the duopoly, but that's a pipe dream at this point.

 

Too old and too controversial. The GOP need to find a fresh young candidate whom Trump would endorse.

 

Okay, that is SCARY thinking, that is Iranian theocracy thinking, that if you don't like a candidate you should stop them running?

 

Trump tried to cheat multiple times, sorry, that should exempt him from ever running again

 

I don't think Nazis, Fascists, Communists, devil-worshippers, Islamic extremists, and other crazy people should be allowed to run for office.

 

That certainly narrows down the field.

Hobbes for President!

 

We've got people who could do a much better job than Trump, Biden, or many others in both parties!

I've been interested in Andrew Yang (former Democrat), Tom Cotton (current senator and Republican), Tulsi Gabbard (current House Rep., and Democrat), and Marco Rubio (current senator and Republican).

One other thought -- IMHO, nobody over the age of 70 should be President of the United States -- and I say that even though I'm a 'senior citizen' myself. We need healthy, vigorous new blood, new thinking, current real-life experience, and not a bunch of tottery old farts who are pushing eighty years old!

Afterthought: Joe Biden will be 80 years old this year! Donald Trump will be 76 years old this year!

. "Uh... does anybody remember where the bathroom is...?!"

 

Immigration and border security, better trade agreements, reducing tension with North Korea, defeating ISIS, no new wars, prison sentencing reform, encouraging NATO countries to do more for their own defense, high employment, low inflation, wage improvement, support for law enforcement.

And isn't it blue states that are pushing for tax relief now that they can only use limited or no property tax deductions and no state income tax deductions on their federal taxes? Who pays the most in property taxes and state income taxes? It isn't the poor; it's the upper middle class and higher, especially higher. But Democrats are pushing to repeal those measures. Who benefits the most from that?

And it's a fact that college graduates make more money than non-college grads. Who is pushing for college student loan forgiveness? Democrats are. And who does that benefit? It doesn't benefit the poor; it benefits the people who are destined to make the most money in their lifetimes. Isn't this really "welfare for the rich"?

And now that the Democrats control the House, the Presidency, and the Senate, where is a proposal to raise income taxes on the rich ... the rich like Nancy Pelosi?

Hmm?

Strangely, since the election, I haven't heard squat from the Democrats about making the rich and the filthy rich pay their fair share. Strange, huh?

 

I seem to have found someone who not only answers a question directly but also offers realtime examples in support. Nice to meet you!
BTW Biden is only four or five years older than Trump who will be older than Biden was when elected, at the next election. I place more value on experience than age and Biden can show far more years of that then Trump's years manipulating the Internal Revenue system.

 

So I ask again...behind the personality cult that seems for some to raise Trump to some Messianic heights , please let this European know what Trump tried to do for the USA to make America Great Again and what he achieved for America in general...other than cataclysmic division, the possibility of party political violent revolution and the scorn of most of the rest of the world.

 

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I vote G○○ GLE 2024!

 

Removing regulations and restrictions that helps create an environment conducive to the growth and expansion of businesses, which in turn increases employment, wage competition and overall improvement of the economy and consumer confidence wasn't a bad start.

Trump has some major flaws that goes without saying, but your opening gambit needs work, unless you really want to lead with your partisanship. If that's your goal, then conversation is pointless.

 

Without trying to be intrusive, may I ask only which country in Europe you are in? I've been in Germany, and have good friends there.

It's interesting to me that in many countries in Europe, judges and magistrates are forced to retire at age 70 -- an excellent idea, as far as I'm concerned. Unlike a lot of other retired, 'senior-citizens', I'm not one of these who thinks that we 'old people' have some exclusive 'font-of-knowledge' that should empower us to make all the important decisions in the world. Sure, we have a great deal of experience, especially in fields of endeavor we worked in, but what so many of us forget is that if the world itself changes greatly (and it has!) then our experiences and knowledge may not be exactly applicable anymore!

It is true, however, that I believe our standards for public education have gone badly 'into the ditch' during the last 30 years especially, though.... It's hard for younger people to make good decisions about anything if they have such sadly inadequate educational levels.

But for a president? My gut-feel is that the better age for a national leader of a representative republic like the United States is somewhere between about 45 - 60 years. Clearly, both Trump and Biden are way in excess of those age parameters!

 

One "restriction" Trump removed was by the back door of putting tariffs on goods the US imports from other places...ie the Steel tariff war with China. It is economics 101...if you want to increase domestic production you find way to make imports of the same more expensive.
Looking back I can't help but see Trump making difficulties with most high profile regions of the world... China, Europe, North Korea, Canada and Mexico (messing with the NAFTA) ...as if picking fights with other places means making American great again, and damn the consequences. Throwing his weight around instead of reconfiguring agreements in a diplomatic way...not so flashy but actually expresses strength more clearly (though I suspect many Americans don't agree since it is not high in their cultural nature). Outside America, the USA has lost a great deal of respect...you may say it doesn't matter but history has made it the leader of the western world and his antics have left a large empty seat around the table...the EU is in line to fill it. As for North Korea, he was seriously duped. NK hasn't stopped its nuclear programmes and only blew up some old facilities. The ROW quietly laughed at Trump.
However in terms of taxation, I am not familiar with the details there. If you are "to the right" you don't want the relatively affluent to pay more tax, because you think it impedes progressive development. If you are of the left, you want them to lend a hand and provide a better form of equality of opportunity, so Trump's successes in this area depend on your own preferences.
With a year's hindsight I really don't see any changes for the better during his years as POTUS. I see a constant driving of wedges between people, both domestically and internationally, either in order to divide and conquer or just because he likes to play games where he thinks he can be in control and where headlines will set him up as some hero.
I suppose all that impresses some of the population who are also looking for some loud, overt messianic figure and for whom that is enough. That is why they dislike Biden, an altogether more quiet, thoughtful man.
Strength doesn't have to be loud. Or always on display. Or arrogant. Or wealthy. Or full of toxic masculinity. It always has to be subtle, sensitive and have bigger ears than a mouth. Let's hope a majority of Americans know this in 2024. At least for the sake of the ROW.

 

Taxation as a weapon, as some have some bizarre version of noblesse oblige in their heads, is not appropriate. Some are also overly concerned with what other people have as income, without consideration of effort, time, or risk of investment. Many low income groups actually receive more money back from the taxpayers than they pay in in all taxes combined.

The wealthy already pay more into the system that funds programs that they will likely never use.... unemployment, assistance programs et al, then those who pay less and are more likely to use. Dollar for dollar, they usually pay in more in various taxes then some people gross in a year.

This 'fair share' cry is out of line because of it. I've yet to see someone who is in the low income group invest millions in hospitals, libraries, the fine arts, groups of doctors traveling to third world countries. Yet they feel a 'fair share' is more, and more, and more.

I am far from that 'wealthy' line, and I benefitted from the tax cut. I actually got to keep a little bit more of what I earned. I did not qualify for the cash giveaways of the recent pandemic, yet those that did, and those who received excess amounts for their unemployment still managed to NOT pay their rent or mortgages. Those are the self same people who feel the wealthy should pay more to support them.

I don't have a problem with the wealthy paying a flat tax, the exact same flat tax on income that would be applied to every single other working stiff, with a base exclusion applicable to all. No credits for having children, no credits for being a 'head of house hold', no credits for taking care of parents.

I am not a Trump supporter, but you seemed to have erased the Obama years, where a person was treated specifically like a Messiah, actually actively promoted as such, and unfortunately people actually made his skin color the predominate characteristic of his administration. Not his intellect, experience, or wisdom, but his skin color. The number of people who actually treat Trump as some sort of idol is not anywhere near what you portray it as. For many, he was, quite literally, the lesser of evils. Clinton would have been an even worse version of Obama, and Biden, well, he isn't actually running the show, which you would know if you actually followed what's been going on here.

Of course Biden is a quiet person, he doesn't have to think, if he's having a good day, and is strictly a figurehead. That doesn't make him either a good or bad person, but a poor POTUS. Trump is rude, crude and socially unacceptable a majority of the time. But financially, the citizens of this country prospered until COVID hit.

 

If he wins the vote and is eligible to run (which he is) ...then ya.

 

good thing you excluded pedophiles or you would have to come to terms with the fact you elected one to office...

 

That is about the Trump/anti-Trump distribution here. A meaningless statistic.
The democrats are scared spitless of Trump because he got things done and impolitely called out by name the empty suits that run our government.

 

Impolitely? That's like saying Hoover dam is comparable to a branch blockage in the local creek....