Wayne Parham Messages: 18786 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
I remember the 2016 primaries. I really expected Ted Cruz to win and was shocked when Trump pulled it off. Then I was even more shocked when he beat Clinton for the presidency, with a really big lead. While he had tons of name recognition, it wasn't in politics. He wasn't a political insider.
And for me, that was the thing I liked best. Certainly, his narcissism put people off. He was the opposite of a media darling. All the attention he got seemed negative. Still is.
But I did like how he was a political outsider and seemed to have no qualms disagreeing with other politicians. Even though he loved to make deals in business, he didn't appear to feel the need to do that in politics. He had no need to network with other politicians as a career choice.
It's like his ego was more of a driving influence than acquiring money and power. He already had it and didn't seem to need to add more through political connections. So he would just as likely burn a bridge as he would build one.
Looks to me like the presidency - or perhaps how he reacted to it - hurt him much more than it helped him. I can think of no other president that hasn't benefitted quite substantially. Trump definitely hasn't.
In a political world that looks so incestuous, he was definitely a different breed.
johnnycamp5 Messages: 354 Registered: June 2015 Location: NJ
Grand Master
Agreed Wayne, but your post does not emit any real loathing or white hot hatred towards the previous president.
Therefore we must gather that you are likely a "domestic terrorist"
gofar99 Messages: 1949 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, There are days when I think that we should not allow anyone over 30 to run for an elected office. Only one term as well. It might be chaotic but it could not be much worse than now and at least we would get new ideas.
Rusty Messages: 1188 Registered: May 2018 Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (3rd Degree)
More so than age because there's one out there at least that has some fire in his belly and good ideas, hint, (in the senate). But for me, it's the influx of monied influence from a small segment of society supporting their special interests and the legalized bribery of lobbying. And our economy being planned for and by Wall Street. Short term vision. Our society has become polarized and too expensive for the bulk of it's working class to thrive. The result of finance capitalism. So we fuss over cultural issues obscuring the real problem's hidden right in plain view. But, that's the intent.
Thank goodness the mid-term deluge of idiotic political ads are soon over.
Wayne Parham Messages: 18786 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Just out of curiosity, can senators and congressmen (and women) be impeached?
I know we can elect new ones, but we can elect new members of the executive branch too.
So I'm wondering if members of the legislative branch can be impeached for treasonous, illegal or unethical behavior.
'Cause there's more than one I think should be thrown out of office and never allowed to work for the government in any capacity ever again. When they're not representing your state, you can't even vote for them but sometimes they do horrible things that affect the whole country.
Rusty Messages: 1188 Registered: May 2018 Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (3rd Degree)
From Robert Reich, (serving under both Ford & Clinton Admin.). Quoting from a 19th century provision in the constitution. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars anyone from office who has been found to have "engaged in insurrection" against the United States. The key word, "anyone".
In the past people have stepped down from office, like Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota did because of some petty sexual innuendo leveled at him. In retrospect that seems absurd to the behavior of some of his colleagues have gotten tangled in. Without even censure.
Though I will say, the former temporary governor of Missouri Eric Greitens, stepped down from office from overwhelming heat from his crazy personal behavior. Didn't keep him from running for a federal office seat in the senate though.
The political climate is too hyped up now. There is no parliamentarian will to do justice for abhorrent behavior. Just throw stones at one another.
And look what happened to the whole country from the 2008 crash. Out & out banking fraud and nary anyone punished. Other than, "now now children, play nice".