The Good that Men do - Donald Trump?

It’s one of the few speeches from childhood that I remember! Remember when we had to learn stuff like that off by heart! It always makes me wonder how Shakespearean actors learn whole plays! But I digress. It was a good question Bertha, the sort of thing I ponder upon. Especially when I see so many comments against the Democrats on social media: the very people that need medical care etc.

Thank you for all the responses on here its been very interesting. I really was just musing over breakfast with DH wondering why so many people voted for him. I'd go with narcissism theory I think rather than his being evil. The swapped Julius Caesar line came to me when we were talking about it - its a favourite of mine. Thanks all.

Urmstongran’s points are from here I believe if anyone’s interested:

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/the-things-trump-got-right/617424/

The tax stuff is a quote, anyway.

Ironic

Corruption pretty much Lucca. People in power taking backhanders. Misappropriation of taxpayers dollars. Money collected that didn’t produce results.

Good point GagaJo.
Do you think that could be because they see their Commander in Chief losing power?

Custer’s last stand and all that.

Well I know I’m ignorant but what did he mean by drain the swamp? Serious question

But it is ironic UG, that Trump's most fervent supporters (the ones that attacked the Capital) are FROM the swamp.

I agree with everything you post about him. I’m not blinkered.

I loved listening to Barack Obama. What an orator! I bought Michelle Obama’s book two years ago (hardback - very unusual for me to spend £20+ on a book I can tell you!) when it first came out, because I admire her.

But my point is, I don’t live in America. I don’t know what it’s really like (only went to Florida once & loved Key West I could live there!). However for all the Obama caring and sharing, the people didn’t want another Democrat. Hell, they didn’t even really want another politician! Smooth talkers, delivering not enough. Blue collar workers especially felt disenfranchised. THEY wanted to drain the swamp. THEY were sick of being neglected. They weren’t on welfare, they were working but not making ends meet. If a washing machine broke they’d have to go into debt to repair it. So much for the Land of the Free.

They yearned for change. Yes, even after 8 lovely years of listening to soothing orations by Obama. They wanted ACTION not words.

They started to listen intently to Trump. Sure he was an embarrassment but heck, he wasn’t a politician. He wants to Make America Great Again. It resonated with millions. They decided to take a punt on him. They trusted him. Even more than saintly Obama. They WANTED to be behind Trump and see him drain that swamp.

Sadly, it seems he too has feet of clay and it turned to shit. But I can still understand why he won that election.

Reducing tax for lower paid workers sounds good on paper. In would, however, question his motivation for doing so. Not because he cared about them but because he realised it would get them on side. Which probably is why I see so many negative (raptor put it mildly) comments on Facebook about the Democrats. He did criticise the WHO at the start of the pandemic: can’t remember what he criticised them for. Did he stop/withhold funding for them? They did deserve criticism for their initial response to the pandemic. Again, given his subsequent record regarding combatting the virus, I’d question his motives. Everything Trump did was for Trump and his and plans to create a dynasty. He may not have started any wars outside of America but he has caused rifts within America that will take a long time to heal.

Trump was a demagogue. People followed him because he promised everything - and delivered little. He wanted to be President to pove he was as great as he thought he was and was prepared to offer a platform that suited him and soundd good to others.

He delivered very little - where is that wall that the Mexicans were going to pay for, his record on Coronavirus is abysmal. he is narcissist and a thug who sent 10 criminals to the gallows (metaphorically) in his last three months in the job. Why? Essentially because he could, the ultimate power - the power of life and death and he chose deaths; 1, 2, 3 ,4 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 - in three months

Obamacare may not have been all Obama wanted it to be, but that is not to condemn it. To have fine ideals and try to deliver them, even if they were not all you hoped, is common in life and not a reason for not trying.
Obamacare brought medical care to millions who could not otherwise afford it.

I have seen tv programmes of British doctors holding charity funded health clinics in sports stadiums in the US with people queuing for hours to see them. Some had advanced cancer that could have been cured; mothers with young children, but they did not have the money - this was before Obamacare. Average lifespan in the US is 4 years lower than comparative nations. This is because of the lack of free or affordable health care. Trump didn't give damn what happened to the poor if Obamacare was junked.

He did on at least one occasion actually say something that was true. Talking about his supporters who he called "my people" before the 2016 election he boasted "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any votes - it's incredible" .

Just watch him say it if you think that could not possibly be true.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTACH1eVIaA

BlueBelle to me he looked and behaved like a 2 year old who has tantrums if he doesn't get his own way!

He started off by saying it was ok to grab women sexually because of who he was. He has never been well intentioned. When someone describes how they treat 50 % of the population you should take heed of the red flag they are waving.

Well I’ve just seen the polar opposite predictions on SKY news varian.

Pollsters eh!
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Trump's support among self-identified Republicans fell to 70% in the new Reuters/Ipsos polling, conducted Jan. 8-12 in the wake of the Capitol riot, down from a peak of 88% in mid-August. That is the lowest level of his presidency. His approval also sank to just 34% among all Americans, the lowest since December 2017, after he signaled support for far-right extremists at a deadly rally in Virginia.

(For a graphic of poll results, click tmsnrt.rs/3oJ8N9R )

www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-supporters-insight/republican-party-faces-rage-from-both-pro-and-anti-trump-voters-idUSKBN29J08S

I just think, pre pandemic, Trump was a breath of fresh air as far as blue collar workers were concerned.

Like most people of power, he started off good and well intentioned. Then he hit his stride. Got the feel of being ‘Mr. President’. After that I guess his tenure revealed the cracks.

That said, a huge poll yesterday (sorry genuinely can’t recall the source) less than 1 in 5 of Republicans have gone off him. Biden will have to factor that huge groundswell of support into his decision making. If he’s savvy he will do, especially in these first few months.

Love that Lucca !! Really clever.
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And M0nica is right about coal.

Urmstongran

And drugs. Not the illegal stuff. The good ones. For the American people. He kept telling them that Big Pharma was ripping them off. He had a fight there on his hands ...

In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration approved 73 new generic medications. That figure rose year by year through the Trump administration, reaching 107 in 2019.

That same year, Congress passed new legislation that will bring more generics to market even faster in the future. The Creates Act will allow generic drug makers to sue drug developers that withhold information needed to manufacture generics in a timely way once patent protection expires.

Generics = less expensive to buy.
Like buying ibuprofen instead of Neurofen.

So, in my opinion, nope. He wasn’t evil. Or bad.
Stupid yes. He made some bigly mistakes. But he did do some good things.

A Marmite character indeed.

Anyway, the world has turned.
He’s out.
Biden’s in.

The CREATES Act was drafted under Obama in 2016. I think Trump just didn’t block it to be honest.

Oh, and he donated his salary to charity.

Didn’t he allow bump-stocks to be banned?
That’s surely a good thing.

'It is what it is': Trump in interview on COVID-19 death toll in U.S.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/it-what-it-trump-interview-covid-19-death-toll-u-n1235734

These were not the words of someone who cares!

This

Well I don’t think he ‘cares little for American lives’ so we come to the question from opposite ends of the spectrum to begin with varian!