Politics

[MR2 Fan]

Not arguing with you, but doesn't everyone, including Trump fans, know all that already?

His supporters don't seem to give a damn about all his faults, sins, and alleged crimes.

I don't know. A lot of supporters are tuned into right wing news media who either don't even report on the bad things, or try to sugar coat/gloss over the things he says and does.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Yeah, I agree with George, I'm sure most Trump supporters either already know or deniers of facts anyway.

It's the same on both sides IMHO. I don't really care about my candidate's faults, because regardless of how faulty my candidate may be, your candidate is faultier! So negative campaigns are really waste of money. You need candidates with more positive messages that might be able to attract more of the moderate people from the other side.

If I have a lot of money, I wouldn't waste it on attacking Trump. I'd use it to promote mayor Pete. Since I don't got a lotta money, I can just promote him for free here.

Anyway, we have to be careful not to adopt this anybody but Trump attitude. Yes, we need to get rid of Trump, but we also have to try to give that job to the right person. No more lesser of the 2 evils. Vote for somebody YOU truly believe in. Dems gotta get their own house in order 1st and pick out the right guy/gal to kick Trump's ass.

[neanderthal]

the 2020 election will need to be like when a team is prepping for a game with crooked refs. You try to score as many points as possible to overcome the expected bad calls that won't go your way.

To overcome interference we really need to get a LOT of people out to vote. I also hope we get some very strong, very damning campaign ads against Trump....just lay out the facts...his reckless and dangerous tweets (like the one he just posted today about Elijah Cummings house getting robbed...what a sick individual), the fact that a LOT of government positions are still completely VACANT leaving our country less safe.

I wish I was incredibly wealthy so I could set up ads to play on TV/youtube, etc. The average campaign ads won't work.

I couldn't agree more. I think my ads would show all of Trumps campaign promises, vs reality.
That second sentence hits home so hard.

Not arguing with you, but doesn't everyone, including Trump fans, know all that already?

His supporters don't seem to give a damn about all his faults, sins, and alleged crimes.

Therein lies the conundrum.

I don't know. A lot of supporters are tuned into right wing news media who either don't even report on the bad things, or try to sugar coat/gloss over the things he says and does.

Then again, there is that.

I'd try to target the people who didn't bother to vote more than the Trump voters. Deplorable definitely fits at this point. And that's at the nicer more kind end of the spectrum of words we could use.

Then again, i'm less concerned about the White House than I am the Senate. Where Moscow Mitch has held up everything but Trump's Tax Paul Ryan's the Koch brothers tax plan.
And state races, where gerrymandering and voter suppression takes place.

It's a political clusterfuck because resources (read; $$$) have to be allocated in so many different ways but the pie is only so big. And most of this wouldn't be a concern if some selfish people hadn't put themselves and their fee fees over their country at the last election.

[Dicknose]

Whats the need to knowing a candidates tax returns?
Its not like there is some min/max amount of income you need to be President.
Seems a very odd thing.

[Tom Servo]

I think the main thing is that it would a) verify whether or not he's full of shit when he talks about how much money he makes and b) where those sources of income are coming from. It'd also let us know how much in debt he is in and to whom.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Yeah, mostly (b). I think it’s clear he’s full of shit!

They probably need to come up with some sort of standard conflict of interest form and if you can’t show you’re free from such conflict of interests, then you can’t run or be thrown out of office if you lie about them.

I can understand candidates may want some privacy and not want to disclose your tax returns publicly. However, I think Trump clearly has lots of conflict of interest issues.

Or maybe a simple credit check.

If no US banks would loan you money, you probably shouldn’t be allowed to be in the Oval Office.

[The359]

There has also been the question over whether or not he or his businesses are profiting from his decisions as President.

[neanderthal]

There has also been the question over whether or not he or his businesses are profiting from his decisions as President.

The secret service went through it's annual budget in a few months because of his golf trips to his golf clubs. There hasn't been a question for years if he's profiteering from his presidency. There's just been no one saying "impeach him on emoluments" with any kinda vigor. Except maybe me, but no one listens to me.

And to think of the outrage the GOP had over a blowjob.

[Dicknose]

I see business interests as important - our policians have to declare them, this could be as little as owning shares (maybe even immediate family as well) or a direct involvement in owning or running a business.
But that may not even show on a tax return (shares that dont pay dividends and you didnt sell - wouldnt be income and hence not show)
Maybe the US is different, but here debts wouldnt on your tax return (unless you can claim it against income). In general the sorts of people running for high position would not have personal debt (and certainly not personal assets). It would be through companies or trusts, assets would be in your partners name. This helps protect them. The "no debt" is usually because they cant get a loan due to no assets and hidden income.

And it seems odd to have the law to cover Trumps claims of how rich he is - politicians can lie, why get caught up with a rule about one specific type of lie that isnt really that important.

[Tom Servo]

Per that last point, I think there's some hope that if it comes out that he has a fraction of the net worth he's claimed, then at least the people who voted for him because "he's a good businessman" or what have you might suddenly lose faith in him. I doubt that'd happen. As is, it's been a few-decades long tradition for presidential candidates to at least give that bare minimum of transparency into their finances, and I think there are a few people that are irritated that he kept saying he was going to and now still hasn't and would like to force the issue, especially considering it seems like he's hiding something.