Just How Scary Is Donald Drumpf?

[KamaAina]

http://www.progressive.org/news/2016/03/188628/just-how-scary-donald-trump

Barring a convention coup, Donald Trump is now the almost certain Republican nominee. And Hillary Clinton’s victories across the industrial Midwest in the March 16 primaries put the brakes on the momentum Bernie Sanders had gained with his upset win among working-class voters in Michigan.

For better or worse, Trump is now the dominant populist candidate for President. His scary brand of popular rightwing outrage, featuring racial antagonism and explicit calls to violence, is overshadowing the friendly democratic socialism of Bernie Sanders....

“Is there potentially a mass base for Trump’s brand of bigoted nationalism? I would say yes, absolutely,” Ramos says. “Many think Trump could not prevail in a general election. I’m not convinced,” he added....

“If you can be the nominee of the Republican Party as you call for deporting 11 million brown-skinned people—that really opens up the possibility for far-right organizing,” Ramos says.

[In_The_Wind]

1. Very!

[backscatter712]

3. Daaaamn that's some coyote ugly right there.

Wake up with Drumpf sleeping on your arm in the bed next to you, and you'll gnaw your own arm off to escape without waking him.

[In_The_Wind]

5. That was exactly my thought

back in '72 when my best friend and I spent an evening drinking and dancing with Donald.

[Downwinder]

2. He might sink the TPP.

[KamaAina]

8. Oh, boy! And maybe he'll make the trains run on time, too!

[Wellstone ruled]

4. This Dufus will do himself in a couple months.

After the name calling in Utah over this weekend,the anti money will take this POS right off the stage. Count on it Baby. Another nail in his Coffin over in Tuscan with his Campaign Manager being Videoed roughing up a protester .

[Skittles]

6. what exactly can he do to "do himself in"?

his disgusting fanbase APPROVES of his neurotic behavior

[Wellstone ruled]

9. Like another Stage act,the material has to change

in order to keep his Stupids interested. Trump is not the sharpest tool in the drawer. His stick is the same and all he does is just repeat what he has said time and time again,and people only cheer just so long. With his Campaign Manager going Stupid today,tells me he is about to fall flat on his face. The Guy thinks he is still on a Reality TV Show and his ratings are about to tank.

[StraightRazor]

13. That's kind of what I've been thinking -

I've tuned in to his rallies on MSNBC and such and I've quickly realized that if you've seen one you've seen them all. In fact (much like a football game), it's actually better to watch on television than being there live. At some point, even his most loyal supporters have got to get bored hearing the same meandering nonsense over and over and over.

You have an apt metaphor with the reality TV show angle - if there isn't something to liven things up now and again people start to tune out. Unfortunately, I think the recent uptick in violence is that 'something' - hopefully it will be short-lived. I 'still' can't believe that he actually wants to be President, I think he just likes the attention and is more surprised than anyone that his campaign has snowballed into what it's become.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

7. Less so than just about any other Republican would be as nominee.

I really don't get the panic over Trump. We knew that the Republicans were going to nominate *someone*; Trump is both less likely to win and less far right on most issues than just about any of the other major candidates.

Yes, he's a populist rabble-rouser when most of the rest are polished elitists. But I'm not convinced that makes him scarier.

[NCLefty]

15. He's scary because he comes wrapped in a GOP flag and he seems to be off his fucking rocker*

It's impossible to tell what he would actually do but for a lot of people (those he's been directly maligning), true fear is well justified.





(*to normal folk)

[pampango]

16. He is a RW economic populist (who's anti-union) wrapped in a racial resentment flag.

Of course, basing his economic populism on racism and nationalism rather than on support for unions and going after our 1% is what makes his RW populism phony but dangerous.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Extremely

[Rex]

11. I think both Trump and Cruz could bring around WWIII. Trump would fuck something up and start it.

Cruz would push the button then tell everyone to bow their heads and pray while he slips down a rat hole.

[nruthie]

12. Exactly. Either is capable. And they would enjoy it.

[pampango]

14. “Is there potentially a mass base for Trump’s brand of bigoted nationalism? I would say yes ..."

absolutely,” Ramos says. “Many think Trump could not prevail in a general election. I’m not convinced,” he added.

Trump’s campaign has been a magnet for organized white supremacist groups, which have been actively recruiting members at his rallies. But more importantly, Trump is attracting large numbers of new voters with a classic rightwing populist message. His rightwing populism draws from that of George Wallace and Pat Buchanan, in which “real Americans” are assailed by enemies both above and below, Ramos explains.

“Below are dark-skinned parasites, sexual deviants, welfare moms, and immigrants,” he says. “The same class of ‘real Americans’ is being squeezed by elites who are seen as pandering to these dangerous and undeserving classes through social programs. Rightwing populism can confuse folks on the left,” Ramos adds. “They hear the critique of wealthy elite and think maybe we can make common cause. The problem is it’s a package deal. The bigoted scapegoating isn’t just window dressing”.

True, Trump’s economic populism and rejection of free trade deals sometimes sound progressive. He has not been a big critic of government supports like unemployment insurance and health care. He has not been attacking unions, and while he is now anti-choice, Trump has even pointed out that millions of women rely on Planned Parenthood for basic health care.

But don’t be fooled, says Ramos: “Whether people are attracted to his white nationalism or his economic populism, his message synthesizes those two elements.”

Trump's 'package deal' of economic populism and racial resentment politics will be a formidable opponent in November; much more than it was for George Wallace and Pat Buchanan.

[B Calm]

17. If I was a republican I would be scared of Trump getting the nomination. I think Trump

is the best thing that has happened for the Democratic party.

[KamaAina]

18. Many of them are.

But don't be too sure about that. Remember, Drumpf was supposed to have flamed out in the primaries by now.