SIGforum.com Main Page What's Your Deal! Just a rant: disappointing phone conversation with friend of > 50 years about Trump
Main Page What's Your Deal! Just a rant: disappointing phone conversation with friend of > 50 years about TrumpPage 1 2
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goodheart |
I have known Walt since 1966--that's close to 60 years. I've admired him; we were Peace Corps volunteers together in a tiny town in Mauritania in the Sahara Desert. He went on to get a Vet degree when I went to med school--both of us wanting to have useful skills to help people. He can't get over Trump's mannerisms when speaking off the cuff; thinks he sounds "wooden" when reading from the teleprompter. Walt said nothing--nothing negative about the whole Biden fiasco. When I said electing Harris would have meant "the end", he said nothing. He thinks Trump is enriching himself in office. I said he's lost a fortune. But what about his sons? Well, I said, at least they're getting rich legally, unlike the Bidens. Silence. This is a very, very smart guy. As my wife says, though, he's married to a Leftist, so he's trying to swim upstream if he disagrees with the Left. What really disappoints me is that he can't--never has been able to--get past Trump's NYC braggadocio. I told him I'm not wild about it, but everything's a tradeoff, and this is a really, really easy one to accept given all that Trump has done. Walt asked what I think about ending NIH research grants (I said they were given out by a cabal of insiders who give grants to each other; he admitted this was the case. And regarding USAID--we long ago agreed that it probably does more harm than good. I didn't tell him I think Trump is by far the best president of my lifetime, and that he ranks with the greatest. He clearly needs to broaden his sources of information. In 2016--or was it 2020--I sent him VDH's book The Case for Trump, but he didn't read it. I'll bet he's just as disappointed in me. Well, sorry but not sorry. _________________________ “Remember, remember the fifth of November!" | ||
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| Page late and a dollar short |
Well about three months ago I cut all ties with my late friend’s sister. Known the family since the late 60’s. Extremely liberal, FEMA employee, her late husband was a USPS employee and also just as liberal. We were also friends on FB, she is very opinionated and knows all, just ask her. She was good for posting things like “women couldn’t get credit until 1974” and when I told her that was factually wrong, that my mother had credit cards, got an auto loan and a loan for my motorcycle in 1968 after the death of my father she argued that she had to have had a male co-signer and that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Well, I was there, I think I know what went on. So when the Jake Tapper book about Biden was announced I posted a link from Amazon which I commented “this could be an interesting read” and almost immediately she jumped in and started spouting off. She said that she had tried to educate me, to enlighten me (her exact words) and how I would not open my mind. Then her personal insults started, she questioned my life choices, education, my family life, my personal finances, etc. At this point I said “enough” and responded to her saying that I was going block her in, unfriend her and block her phone number in my contacts in two hours, that should be sufficient for her to see the response. I politely told her (and in so many words to the few liberal friends I have) that I will debate and even argue politics until hell freezes over. But once the discussion turns into personal attacks that is crossing a line that cannot be tolerated. Her response, if it wasn’t so pathetic was hilarious. She couldn’t understand why I’d cut off all contact with her. I’m at the point in life that once the bridge has been burned there’s no going back. -------------------------------------—————— ————————--Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even, usually, surpassing knowledge(E.J.Potter, A.K.A. The Michigan Madman) | |||
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| No, not like Bill Clinton  |
Consider yourself lucky that your friend will discuss it with you My half brother, niece and a few lifelong friends just flat out blocked and disowned me for trying to discuss politics. I try not to get in to it with people but I will call them out over a non truth. I refuse to discuss with my Mother, she's full on TDS | |||
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| No More Mr. Nice Guy |
I grew up in NJ, so I saw Trump in the news and on talk shows periodically. I also knew a number of businessmen with similar street-fighter personalities when it came to business. Talk big, really big, and play a ruthless game. And, I never, not once, watched his tv Apprentice tv show. Which is why his mannerisms don't bother me. One hypothesis of mine is that his masculine brashness triggers damaged people. Women who were abused, and weak men. Other people just have no experience with that business personality and find it odd. Trump is reported to be very gracious and personable in private non-business settings, which I've also seen in other such NY business types. Another hypothesis is that since TDS is an emotional reaction rather than rational, confirmation bias is an understatement. Only the confirming source is deemed valid. | |||
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quarter MOA visionary |
Sadly, for so many it is just a personality contest. The first time around it was the texting an now it's his "authoritarianism". I think we have a majority of voters that are truly politically ignorant, voting like it is for a high-school prom king/queen. | |||
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| goodheart |
Lots of good points above. My brother’s family—-all what I call extreme left—we just agree not to discuss politics. My friend Walt above—yes, I am fortunate he asks my opinion and discusses it rationally. Hey, I used to be in his shoes. Took me a while to be able to overlook Trump’s personality. I avoid looking at family FB posts. _________________________ “Remember, remember the fifth of November!" | |||
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| Eschew Obfuscation |
This is pretty much exactly how I feel. I sometimes cringe at Trump's lack of decorum, but a second later I remember him getting up on that platform in Butler, raising his fist and shouting "Fight!". With Trump you get the real deal, warts and all. But, I'll take Trump over any of the glib, blow-dried phonies (Biden, Obama, GWBush, etc.) who have occupied the office for the last 60+ years. And, I think history will eventually show him to be one of our best presidents. _____________________________________________________________________ “One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.” – Thomas Sowell | |||
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| Member |
That's because he's not a politician. He doesn't play politics. The others you reference are nothing but grifters, pimps and whores. They are politicians.
Again, that's because he is not now, nor ever has been, a politician. Donald Trump is what happens when a patriot, not a pimp, is POTUS. Carter, Clinton, both Bushes, O'Dummy, pedo joe...et al, nothing but pimps. | |||
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Member |
My Dad has, or rather had, been a staunch conservative all his life. Mom on the other hand, well, Mom and I just don't talk about politics. Dad told me once that for as long as they've been married, they've always canceled out each other's votes. But then in 2020 he told me he was going to vote for Biden. I asked why, and he said "I just think Trump is kind of a jerk. He's not a nice guy." I wanted to say something like "Dad, we're not electing a golfing buddy here!" But it was clear that his mind was set. A little later I found out that he also voted for Obama. Twice. I think the AARP propoganda got to him. I didn't ask who he voted for in 2016, I didn't want to know <shudder>. | |||
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| No More Mr. Nice Guy |
The more I read history, the more exceptional I realize DJT is. Even John Adams and Thomas Jefferson succumbed to their egos with the desire to be President. Only a rare few Presidents didn't. I think even Trump 2016 was quite a bit about his ego. His ideas were excellent, but he tried hard to gain acceptance and respect from DC and world leaders, which was to feed his ego. This time around he couldn't care less what anybody thinks of him. He's got a vision for the country, and a mission to see it happen. That's patriotism not self-serving ego. | |||
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| Member |
I have three older brothers. One is conservative like me, one liberal but mild, and the oldest has full blown TDS. Told him several times don't try to talk politics with me, he is a genius, but I think he's gone loco. I know he despises me, but he's my oldest brother I never knew. Told my mother the same. Try to talk religion to me I'll hang up. I did a few times. I love them and persuaded them to talk about other things. | |||
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Oriental Redneck |
I’m glad I don’t have any leftist friends. And if I do, we’ll never discuss politics. Life is too short to waste your mental energy unnecessarily. Q | |||
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| Member |
You should never let politics get in the way of friendship. My sister is a Democrat and lives in Illinois. Need I say more? | |||
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| Thank you Very little  |
Yes in the first term Trump felt his personality, likeability (hey he was a TV Star, on all the talk shows, in demand by people) would win over people into doing what he wanted. Found out quick DC is a smarmy knife in the back place , full of pretty people with smiles and handshakes that have knives in their other hands, I think he was shocked at how people talked about him and the impending Impeachments, Nasty Nancy et al. The off years during the Biden Presidency they continued with lawfare, even rifling through his personal estate and wife's private room, and it's pissed him off, as well many Americans. DC showed it's fangs, thinking the world would side with them, never once thinking he'd survive, much less get re-elected. Now he's got the office, and with it comes retribution, probably part of the reason he was upset with the continued Epstein questions, and why Tulsi is coming out with her mission to get the people who went after Trump. I hope he gets them all, and the people behind them, the money and power that pushed this... Keep the house and Senate and it's going to be Mr. Trumps Wild Ride... | |||
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His Royal Hiney |
I find that I don't like talking about Trump with people I know who are either his supporters or his detractors. You already know the problem with the people who hate Trump. But I also don't like the views of the people I know who like Trump. There's nothing balanced from either side and, by that, I mean they view Democrats in as much evil light at Democrats view Trump. "It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946. | |||
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| Member |
A Republican will hate your opinion, but a Democrat will hate you for your opinion. | |||
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| Green grass and high tides  |
Good for you saying what is in your heart. As he did. The good ole days of keeping your mouth shut are over for both sides. Duke it out it if necessary  . Trying to be nice to these folks is mostly a lost cause."Practice like you want to play in the game" | |||
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| Member |
I'm 73 years old. I don't recall a time when people were as vehemently divided as now, even during the Vietnam War era. I try not to talk about politics with so-called "progressives" (that term seems inappropriate to describe liberal socialists) because it seems to me they are all unwilling to discuss the issues in any intelligent and logical way. In fact, the democrats I know generally refuse to discuss the actual issues at all and quickly resort to name calling. The conversation inevitably turns hostile and once friendly relationships turn into animosity. It is almost like we are from different planets and each have thought processes that are totally foreign and evil to the other. The more this happens, the further apart we become. I have to admit, I am starting to view the left in the same vein as I would view a foreign enemy, and they feel the same. I think we are headed in a very dangerous direction. | |||
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| Member |
Truth and an excellent post that mirrors my thoughts as well. Why do people insist on calling these misfits " progressives"? They are anything but. They in actuality are "regressives". How or what do they do that can be called progress? What do they do that will make this country a better place or improve the quality of life for its people unless you are a traitor, a criminal or a foreign invader? If anything they will hinder our growth and prosperity. They are not in any way,shape or form progressive. | |||
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| The success of a solution usually depends upon your point of view |
My oldest friend is a liberal, but I love her anyways. She is not an "in your face¿ type we don’t talk politics very often. It helps that she lives in CA so we don’t see each other everyday. When we do talk politics, the conversation is usually about a specific issue, not general Orange Man good/bad. We also don’t beat up topics, at some point we'll get to the point where we understand each other’s view, and change the topic. I don’t have any liberal friends in my daily life. Life is too short to waste on that type of shit. “We truly live in a wondrous age of stupid.” - 83v45magna "I think it's important that people understand free speech doesn't mean free from consequences societally or politically or culturally." -Pranjit Kalita, founder and CIO of Birkoa Capital Management | |||
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SIGforum.com Main Page What's Your Deal! Just a rant: disappointing phone conversation with friend of > 50 years about Trump
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