Donald Trump may run for President...

Nothing surprises me anymore.

By the way, his recent comments about the U.S. are enough for me to disregard anything he has to say. So, he made $millions and lost $millions; it takes more than luck and money resources to run a nation.

He said we are the laughingstock of the world. If that is the case, it didn't happen in the last two years. However, I don't believe that is the case; and I am insulted by his remarks. We certainly are an imperfect nation; but no one is laughing at our opportunities, even in 21% unemployment. No one is laughing at the quality of life that is possible here. No one is laughing at what this country has accomplished. No one is laughing at the jobs we have created for people in the undeveloped world. No one is laughing at our university system. And, in spite of all its flaws, public education is a universal right.

And best of all, no one is laughing at our freedom to express our disappointments in our nation and our ability to participate in positive change. We are free. We are a nation of free people. Our freedoms are at last open to us again. We speak freely; we congregate; we debate; we make individual choices. I love this nation with all its flaws. I do not believe we are the laughingstock of the world. We are still a beacon of light to many.

I can still cry, remembering many years ago as a Republican, political intern in Washington, D.C., spending my lunch hour listening to the military bands playing God Bless America and Star Spangled Banner on special holidays. I was so moved even as a young person that I swelled with pride and cried. I wish that experience for every citizen of the United States. I cried with joy that I had the good fortune to be born in the U.S.

He won 't run. It's all for show.

3/2/2011

I always considered the Donald a " JOKE."
He needs a new hairstylist... My cat Dusty
has a better chance in running for President...


Cheers..Joe

He won't get my vote.

Trouble is, he'll run as an "anti" candidate and the "anti" folks will vote for anything that tears down progress. I agree, he'll likely not run (what fun the press would have with his bio, both personal and professional); I was just insulted by his remarks, insulted as a patriotic U. S. Citizen who believes in the hopes and aspirations of my country.

I think Joe should stand and Alice should be vice president.

I think we already had our slate picked at another thread - but I don't remember who they were. Guess their political committee didn't make it stick in the minds of the voters.

Well I think maybe Dusty would be good.
The UK is run by loonies and it won't be long before we have another election.

I could stand him if it weren't for his antichoice stand. That's a dealbreaker for me.

Strip him of his money and see what you've got.

Another street person desperately in need of a hair reddo!

Well, I don't know that it's as simple as "strip him of his money," because he made that money due to his business acumen. Or so he says. I know that he came from privilege and thus had a big leg up, and all his bankruptcies aren't too impressive, either. But generally, people who earned their money did so because they were smart. So if you stripped their money, they'd likely earn it again.

LC wrote:

Well, I don't know that it's as simple as "strip him of his money," because he made that money due to his business acumen. Or so he says. I know that he came from privilege and thus had a big leg up, and all his bankruptcies aren't too impressive, either. But generally, people who earned their money did so because they were smart. So if you stripped their money, they'd likely earn it again.

Probably true!

Most people do not make their money because they are smart. Money acquisition is not a sign of intelligence. It is not a sign of talent or gifts. Wealth is not the measure of a man or a woman. Wealth provides the opportunity to buy additional opportunities to make more money and buy power. Period.

The lack of wealth is also not a sign of less intelligence. It is not a sign of less talent or gifts. Lack of wealth does not indicate a person's worth. Lack of wealth does diminish the ability to expand wealth and limits power.

The measure of a man or woman is how their existence in this world fulfills whatever reason they are here.

In Korea, a few select people received the designation of "national treasure" and a stipend from the government for life to pursue their purpose. Their unique contributions to the human race provided their measure.

Disagree. In general, in this country, poor people are poor because they're stupid. I'm talking about the chronically poor, not the short-term. Lifetimes of poor choices and bad judgment.

This book was required reading for the teachers at the night school where I taught for eight years. We found it invaluable for understanding the concept of generational poverty and how to help students get out of it. It's mostly about not knowing the "hidden rules" that higher income people follow, and what to do to teach them how to succeed.

http://www.amazon.com/Framework-Understanding-Poverty-Ruby-Payne/dp/1929229143

This PDF give the highlights:

http://homepages.wmich.edu/~ljohnson/Payne.pdf

Ann

I'm sure a lot of what that book says is accurate. It also has a lot of very eloquent bad reviews, enough to discourage me from buying it.

Anyhow, so poverty has nothing to do with intelligence and wealth has nothing to do with intelligence, is that what you and DK are saying? It's all just luck, then? Rich people get rich because they got really lucky, it has nothing to do with their ambition, smarts, goals, talents, etc.?

Yes, Ms. Payne has her detractors, but we found her information helpful. That PDF in the second link is only 8 pages, is free, and gives basic answers to your question. This statement from the PDF sums the situation up succinctly:

Quote :

The hidden rules of the middle class govern schools and work; students from generational poverty come with a completely different set of hidden rules and do not know the hidden rules of the middle class.

The idea is that once you teach them the hidden rules, they can, and are willing, to do what it takes to get out of the situation.

Ann

Many refugees across the world sought refuge from poverty and came to the UK. They took low paid jobs and concentrated on helping their children. They were smart but did not have the advantages of being part of the social set up (a very class ridden one!) in the UK. However, their children were eager to learn, passed exams and attended universities. They had two sets of rules instilled into them: one from their parents (work hard and don't waste time) and the other from their new environment (learn to network and meet the right people who can help you further your career).

The children of these refugees became doctors, lawyers, politicians, businessmen, entrepreneurs. If their parents had failed to escape, they would have remained in poverty and would not have been given the oppportunity to reach their full potential.

So they weren't stupid. And? I didn't say all poor people were stupid, I said that generally, chronically poor people are. Or lazy.

The bit about some Korean poor people being recognized as national treasures was irrelevant because not all smart people choose to amass wealth. I'm talking about the people who AREN'T "treasures" and would take wealth if it were given to them.

Most people would take wealth if it were given to them; that's why they do the lottery.

Donald Trump was born into extreme wealth.

Donald Trump is a disaster. I don't want him for president.

He would favor the wealthy. No one needs anymore of that in this country.

I have had occasion to collect canned foods for the needy and the swank house dwellers gave less than the regular house dwellers.

I went to visit my sweet stepmother and looked in her cupboards to fix something for lunch - and they were bare. I found out the church had a food drive and she gave them all her food and was subsisting on slim fast, her fall back food when her medicine left insufficient funds for groceries.

I know what you mean, Alice, Money in itself is not the issue, but rather the character and nature of the person who has the fortunate circumstances to have more than others and does not see and desire to fulfill their obligation to help others less fortunate.

alice wrote:

Donald Trump is a disaster. I don't want him for president.

He would favor the wealthy. No one needs anymore of that in this country.

I have had occasion to collect canned foods for the needy and the swank house dwellers give less than the regular house dwellers.

We would have a holiday food drive every year in the school district where I taught. Our night high school always won. These were kids whose families needed the food donations themselves. Several of our grocery stores and supermarkets would pack up paper bags full of various staples and canned goods and sell them at a reduced price during the holidays. When you bought one, you added it to their donation stock, and they would see to it that the bags were delivered to the proper places.

Our kids would get together in groups and go around to the store managers and talk them into donating several of their bags, free of charge. They knew where to go and how to go about getting donations from other stores and services.

Our average enrollment was about 300 students. There was a magnet school in the district of about 600, and 4 5-A high schools, with several thousand students each.

And as I said, we always won that contest.

Ann