you should give us a book review when you finish it, Xenok

Hello khalling,
Trump's record is quite distressing. It would be nice to believe he has truly seen the light and is sincere in his newly expressed positions on these matters since he is ranking so high in the polls.
I know people can change, but they seldom do. There are a few examples like David Mamet, David Horowitz and a few others that come to change their philosophy. Here is an interesting list: http://www.conservapedia.com/List_of_...

It can happen, but I do not trust words until I see deeds.
Regards,
O.A.

sjatkins,

I am reading a book called "Quite" which I highly recommend to anyone. One section of it talked about a study where they were trying to determine if group think happened because:

a) People really new the correct answer but lied
b) People did not know the correct answer and went along with the group without knowing
c) people believed they had the correct answer.

They did this by watching brain activity in specific areas of the brain that would indicate which of the three it was.

First when asked the focus questions individually 70+ percent got them right.

When asked in a group less than 30% got them right.

Brain activity showed that for most of those (over 40%) who gave a different answer they overwhelmingly (90+%) thought they were right.

It is the worst of the 3 scenarios. People who answered differently were largely not lying, and not going along with the group in order to fit in. Thier minds processed the answer as if it were the correct answer.

The takeaway to me. Watch yourself because your brain will attempt, if not guarded and guided to fit in without you even realizing what your doing.

Cool book so far, I am a bit past half way through it.

Need look no further than his business history.

It basically goes like this.

1) find something that I can get a huge government grant, or subsidy for.
2) Go into business in that something.
3) When I can no longer generate enough pull to continue subsidies profiteering continue as long as I can while I look for #1.
4) Found new area ready for subsidy, pull out a bankruptcy after changing all the loot I have over to others, LLCs or Trusts to protect them from the collectors,
5) Go back to step one and start over.

He is in the 5th cycle of this now.

Those that say he is a great businessman need to look a bit closer. He is the ultimate looter; James Taggert in the flesh.

Frankly I would be shocked utterly if the vast majority of people suddenly started giving evidence of using reason. Sad but true. The vast majority have been thoroughly schooled/socialized to be meek little sheep that regurgitate what they have been told/taught. They have not been taught to reason or rewarded for doing so - particularly if reason leads them to question and oppose the way things are done.

The vast majority have no opinion on anything that is truly their own. They have regurgitations and approximations to what they think others think that they think they should align with. Although I do think some of the Trump popularity is people just viscerally liking someone who speaks his mind for a change rather than the normal mealy-mouthed political spew.

The harsh reality is that without The Donald the GOP wouldn't have promoted a candidate who had a chance in the first place. No way, no how that Jeb could beat Hillary. Never ever.

I'm not watching any other debates. Not following this on the news. I'm already done. I think the country is so finished and the voters so far mentally gone that why bother? Even if a candidate arrived who spoke sound fiscal, monetary policy almost nobody would recognize it. It'd be like talking to the public about forced convection, or Von Misses stress...

Something will trip him up eventually. Until then he is entertaining and tapping into an anti government sentiment. As the field narrows I think the support will gravitate to anyone but Trump. Interesting to see how he reacts as the poll numbers change.

I think a lot of his support is coming from the frustrated. People that have worked in the system to correct our course, only to see it do absolutely no good.

Trump is at least forcing all the others to confront issues they would just as soon pretend don't even exist. That I support.

I don't think he has long term staying power, but if he can force some backbone into the other candidates, it would be a big improvement.

Pragmatists supporting pragmatists in blind 'a la carte' fashion.

To paraphrase H.L. Mencken: Nobody ever went broke underestimating the stupidity of the American voters.

I keep thinking Trump will implode sooner or later, but then, this is a country that:

1) Put the incompetent Barack Obama in the Imperial Mansion not once, but twice, and
2) Takes the fundamentally corrupt Hillary Clinton seriously as a candidate.

Mrs. Animal and I are stepping up our house search in southern Alaska. Time to bail may be drawing near.

If the Kelo decision is brought up during a debate, it would be easy to finish off Trump.