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At the first presidential debate Joe Biden and Chris Wallace started interrupting President Trump soon after the initial round of two-minute answers. Trump then went into beast mode, like any self-respecting man might do who was being attacked from both directions. He verbally smashed Biden like an action hero smashing henchmen in order to reach the big villain. "Biden as henchman" is an apt analogy, I think, because he is just a little man with little ideas. He's a weak human shield for the pack of thirsty socialists peeking over his shoulder.

Listening to Biden debate was like watching a robot whose battery is running down. As Trump vigorously interrupted him, Biden might have called the president "disrespectful" or even "rude"--and made it stick! Instead he called Trump a "clown" and immediately retreated from his own word, changing the insult to "person." Even Biden's invective arrives dead in the water. He's practically lifeless. If he wins, what vitality will help him fend off the rabid socialists in his own political party?

I smile when Trump treats these people with due disrespect. I nod when he gives them appropriate nicknames like "Sleepy" Joe. (It's hard to distinguish one human shield from another without such colorful monikers.) And I clap when Trump points across the battlefield and calls them all "socialists." It's time to draw a political line in the sand. Trump's line will do for now. It's not the best or clearest line, but it's better than nothing. It helps rally forces against the more devoted socialists in this country--and some of their support networks.

Politically the battle is between various types of socialists and various types of capitalists. Over the years much mixing has taken place, which makes it difficult to sort out the different sides. But the sorting must happen if we are to ever rid ourselves of socialism. Trump is the candidate actively attempting the division.

On a more personal level, I recall that in 2016 Trump told USA Today that he was an "Ayn Rand fan." He even identified with Howard Roark. This makes me happy--that someone running for president would admit to liking Rand, and even connecting with her protagonist in The Fountainhead. Trump doesn't represent the core of Rand's philosophy, but it's a good sign that he shares some of the ideas and the sense of life found in her novel.

Has Biden ever said a kind word about Rand? I challenge you to find one.

Trump believes in "the power of positive thinking," which he picked up from pastor Norman Vincent Peale. Whether this power comes from God or from one's self, it results in a psychological orientation towards "positive thinking." Further, it apparently helps Trump focus on finding solutions to problems. But even if this idea offers little philosophical value, the name still contains the words "positive" and "thinking," which is something to go on. Trump's speeches are often full of off-script remarks, indicating an actively engaged mind. Unlike Biden, Trump holds his own at regular press conferences and interviews. He entertains large audiences at his rallies, usually for an hour or more. He has a bold sense of humor and rarely fails to communicate his freshest thoughts--sometimes to a fault. Given his positivity and mental output, I'm not surprised that our president appreciates Rand's fiction, which celebrates rational thought and achievement.

Primarily for the above political and personal reasons, I'm voting for Trump. In the end, I hope you consider what you want in a president that is of political and personal value to yourself, and vote according to your values.

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8 minutes ago, MisterSwig said:

On a more personal level, I recall that in 2016 Trump told USA Today that he was an "Ayn Rand fan." He even identified with Howard Roark.

He's not a person who reads, and we know this. He has major narcissistic tendencies, and one of those is exaggerating about the truth of things habitually. Plus identifying with Roark isn't even a quote, so we don't even know if he identified Roark by name. For reference: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/04/11/donald-trump-interview-elections-2016-ayn-rand-vp-pick-politics-column/82899566/

20 minutes ago, MisterSwig said:

Trump then went into beast mode, like any self-respecting man might do who was being attacked from both directions.

I thought that Trump failed to display any wit or ingenuity in his responses. The whole thing was mostly interruptions, and proceeded to get worse. So, I wouldn't call it beast mode at all, and I don't see how you would either.

My only real concern politically right now is foreign-policy against China, and the US government spying on its own citizens. I don't think the debate displays any strength that would work against Xi Jinping. Fine if you think Trump destroyed Biden, but all I see is that Trump in turn would be wrecked by Xi's political maneuvering. I don't see good strategic thinking necessary to stand up to a man who right now is the most powerful person in the world. I don't think his performance at the debate  shows that he even thinks about the US government spying on its own citizens. Whoever vows to pardon Snowden, I would vote for in a heartbeat, no matter who it is. But Trump could say something, and should say something, because Biden was completely complicit in all of this, under the very administration that expanded all the spying. 

Right now, I wouldn't care who won, I don't think either of them would make a difference domestically on the issues they talk about. 

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1 hour ago, Eiuol said:

He's not a person who reads, and we know this.

Trump’s obviously biased detractors think they know it.  Even if true he could have seen the movie, screenplay by Rand.  

Trump’s handling of Biden in the debate has another articulate defender in Ilana Mercer.  See
Trump Floated Like A Butterfly and Stung Like A Bee
 

 

Edited by Dupin
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On 10/19/2020 at 7:51 AM, Eiuol said:

He's not a person who reads, and we know this.

If he read the novel it was probably in college. I believe he's a Rand fan though. In addition to saying so, he brought several other Rand fans into his administration, including Tillerson and Pompeo. He also apparently considered John Allison for the Fed chairman position.

 

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5 hours ago, Oscar Fernandez said:

Yes, that's my biggest problem with Trump: the religious pandering. He probably can't win without it though. When you think about it, both sides do this frequently, even Biden. Though Biden has to separate his Catholic view on abortion from his political position, otherwise he'd probably lose half his support.

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There is no way that Trump can identify with objectivism, reason, or even capitalism.  His insistence upon levying tariffs on China and Mexico has not in any way helped the American economy.  His "tax reform" is a joke- who has really experienced tax saving from this sham except the extremely rich (who know how to deal with the tax system anyhow)? His awful response to the pandemic will most certainly doom his chances for a second term.  So how should have he responded to the oncoming pandemic?  He should have mobilized the pandemic response team.....oh, wait, he disbanded this?  Isn't the President- government supposed to protect our right to our lives?  Doesn't that include protecting us from those who carry infectious diseases?  On that basis, once the source was identified, America should have set up the personnel needed to first shut the flow of those who came to America from Wuhan province, and those who did come in should have been tested, then immediately remanded to quarantine.  This is how America responded to potential pandemics in the past.  With such response, we could have controlled the flow of covid-19 on to our shores.  Instead, we had Trump and his cronies in government lie and deny how serious this pandemic is- and, as a consequence, Americans find themselves trying to go about our daily lives 1) not seeing loved ones  2)wearing face masks in public  3)social distancing  4)limiting travel  5) forbidden to go to concerts, sporting events  6)disruptions in classroom education at all levels.  Many on the New Right complain about this violating their individual rights- what does that mean?  I mean, no individual has the right to initiate infection upon another- OK, I'm paraphrasing that no individual has a right to initiate violence or force upon another.  But I think you get my point.  If that is not enough, Trump is waging war against his political rivals by threatening to seek indictments against them.  This wreaks of the autocratic governments in Russia and China.  There is no way I can support a president who had been this negligent, this dishonest, this autocratic, and this corrupt.  Biden offers to continue American policy and the mixed economy with its virtues and its few vices.  His team will get my vote.

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On 10/19/2020 at 7:51 AM, Eiuol said:

My only real concern politically right now is foreign-policy against China, and the US government spying on its own citizens.

The debate commission did Biden quite a service by dropping foreign policy as the focus of the final debate. Trump wanted to talk about it, no doubt to hammer Biden about his corrupt dealings. But maybe there would have been some more policy talk too.

If Biden is president, can you imagine him doing anything against China? I think they have him by the balls.

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20 hours ago, Yes said:

I mean, no individual has the right to initiate infection upon another- OK, I'm paraphrasing that no individual has a right to initiate violence or force upon another.

What if infecting others is simply an effect of sustaining your own life? If I'm sick, I still need to breathe and speak and eat and drink and take care of my family. I probably need to continue trading with friends and associates merely to keep working and earning money. Etc. Do I still have a right to live if I'm sick?

If it's possible to mitigate the risk of spreading the disease, I should do so. And in real public emergencies (a pandemic), perhaps the laws should compel me to do so. But that's not because of a violation of rights on my part, it's because of an existential condition inimical to the basis of rights, which is human life in a social context.

Edited by MisterSwig
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21 hours ago, Yes said:

... Biden offers to continue American policy and the mixed economy with its virtues and its few vices.  ...

There are important areas where Biden and his team are bad news under the sun.

Biden and Kamala each have been asked repeatedly if they plan to “pack” the Supreme Court, that is, increase the number of judges from 9 to 11, and they refuse to answer the question – which of course answers the question.

Biden or Kamala, and their extreme leftist backers – The Squad (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley) – would choose the two new judges.  Why do they want to do this if not to drastically change American policy?

China has Biden by the short hairs.  You can be sure this would American policy towards China.  (Whether or not you agree with the change in policy it is a change.)

Biden has promised that before his first hundred days in office are over he will amnesty all illegal aliens.  (Legally that would require Congressional approval which he might or might not get but in any case increasingly the law is a dead letter.)  Another drastic change in American policy.

You can go on and on.  There are huge differences between Biden and Trump.

 

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