Thursday, June 16, 2016

Looking everywhere, except in the mirror

I'm not at all sure that it was a good idea for a couple of conservatives to write an article in the WSJ entitled The Mystery of Jewish and Asian-American Democratic Loyalty if they weren't going to look at their own side of politics.   (It's all the fault of liberal professors at universities and colleges, is their theory.)  They should have expected this comment:
So, very well-educated people tend to be more liberal.  Full stop.  Think about it.
Or this comment from a college professor (an Asian one, too):
I am a college professor. In order to have my vote, a candidate must pass two preliminary tests: respect for science, and respect for separation of church and state. The first test usually kills about 80% of the republican candidates, and the second kills about half. Very few republicans can pass both; those few who do pass cannot get the party nomination. It is a sad situation. But who can help but the republicans themselves? 
So, I am tempted to say that the current cluelessness of the bulk of the American Right continues.  Except - I do have to give them some credit for baulking at Trump.  On the other hand, as many have said, it is the leadership of the Republicans who really have themselves to blame for his rise in the first place. 

6 comments:

Jason Soon said...

actually as far I can tell Trump's true beliefs would allow him to pass the second test (proposed by the professor). he is basically New Jersey Republican - big on law and order but no so fussed about culture war issues (that stuff about transgender bathrooms is the real him). As for respect for science you may rank him down on the climate change stuff but my feeling this is just his gut feeling and he can be educated and has no strong views either way on this on either.

Steve said...

You may be right about the church/state stuff - AFAIK there is no sign that religion has ever been important to him. (If Republicans liked to mock Obama for only pretending to be Christian, they have a much greater challenge in convincing themselves that Trump is seriously influenced by it.)

But as for science - you are overlooking that he has been sympathetic to the anti-vaxxers for years, and is still pandering to them.

While some dumb people are malleable if they surround themselves with good advisers, I think that the Trump reaction to the Orlando shooting just illustrates that he has no inclination to not trust his own, ill-informed, gut-feeling political judgement on anything.

There is no reason to trust he will improve on science, or anything.

Steve said...

I might also add - he continually shows either a belief in, or a willingness to entertain - all sorts of conspiracies (that climate change concern was invented by the Chinese to advantage themselves; the "birther" movement; etc etc.) CNN listed some:
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/05/25/media-turns-trump-listing-conspiracy-theories.html
Again, this is not a sign of someone who is to be trusted to improve and make good judgements if only he surrounds himself by good advisers.

I'm surprised it seems to be taking you so long to reach the same conclusion.

Jason Soon said...

he is most probably going to be the next president of the US, steve, I'm just looking for a silver lining

Steve said...

I hope your just trolling me.

Trump is teetering on losing the candidacy, let alone the Presidency.

not trampis said...

what is that belief based on Soony