Trump at Black Journalists Convention was the disaster you’d expect

Im not one that believes that Trump is an overt racist. I think he’s probably just racially insensitive, like most 80 year old American dudes.

But I don’t think we can excuse all his behavior by appealing to a lack of policies specifically directed at impairing minorities. For one, presidents aren’t even supposed to be in charge of creating policy. They are just executors. Of course, this hasn’t stopped the last few presidents from trying.

More importantly, however, words matter. When Trump says we need to close the border because Mexicans in the US are predominantly criminals and rapists, it’s a totally different message than saying, we should control our border even though Mexicans are great people. This kind of rhetoric can lodge as an ethos, regardless of whether really means it deep in his heart. These are dangerous words. Trump’s central message is about identity clashes and can never rise above a zero sum game. One American’s winning must be another American’s loss. This is true regardless of our definition of racism.

 

A reply is worthy of this - the other replies are the usual pablum with no substance.

Yes, Trump pushed the birther narrative. He was probably the most visible to do so. At the conclusion, Obama produced the evidence being requested by Trump and others for a long time. Why didn't Obama simply end the suspense much earlier? Trump accepted the evidence immediately once produced. So, why the delay? Because, for Obama and the Left it was more beneficial to continue the "debate" and play "innocent" rather than just set the record straight. What if Obama couldn't produce the evidence - would Trump and others have been wrong then?

Interesting that you know the thinking of the New York elite, then and now, and that Trump resents them. He was one of them until he wasn't, I guess. Or, he's the one who is willing to suffer the jibes by not maintaining the leftist facade. Who should have a feeling of resentment is up for debate.

Again, saying there are "decades of racist actions and statements" is pretty easy. He's clearly not politically correct and thankfully so. That leaves us with what he actually did that you believe is racist. Giving opportunities to and promoting minorities in his industry? Racist or not? Supporting HBCU? Racist or not?

Finally, I'm not aware of Trump curtailing legal immigration. I may be wrong or missed that, but pretty sure Trump has consistently advocated for legal immigration - ala Kennedy, Roosevelt, etc. Now, illegal immigration is something Trump is against along with most Americans. So are the laws of the USA for more than a century and supported (until recently) by both Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats used to be border hawks in order to garner votes/support of the middle working/manufacturing class, but these days they don't seem to think that voting bloc is nearly as important as coastal liberals and the now-exploding immigrant class. I guess the Democrats decision was made. How else can one explain that a Republican has any chance of even competing for votes in OH, MI, PA, WI, etc? You spin that to allege "cut[ting] legal immigration, especially from countries that are primarily non-white" but allowing immigration from white countries. What the heck are you talking about? Legal immigration standards remain the same for anyone - a very good friend from Germany just went through the process. He got zero/nada preference - often told there were delays because the staff had to process more applications from the so-called "non-white" immigrants. That's anecdotal, but I challenge you to find any policy or practice of the federal government that favors immigration applicants from "white" countries.

Just more race baiting that is sadly the crutch of the left these days.

 

Trump cut legal immigration in half during his first term. And it came at an awful time. Post COVID, we had a huge labor supply shortage. And while having 1 million immigrants wouldn't have solved all the problems, they would have helped.

And while Trump cut legal immigration, he did nothing to stop undocumented immigration. In fact, he made things worse by cutting aid to places like the N. Triangle C. American countries. As a result, 2019 saw a massive surge in undocumented immigrants. Only the pandemic slowed this down.

 

Trump is the victim...everything else builds from that..

 

You can educate yourself by clicking on the link below:
Donald Trump’s long history of racism, from the 1970s to 2020

 

This goes back decades
It is how he was raised and what he still believes
‘No Vacancies’ for Blacks: How Donald Trump Got His Start, and Was First Accused of Bias (Published 2016)

https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/02/trump-fbi-files-discrimination-case-235067

 

I don't know that he has any core values other than promoting himself. So it's hard to know whether he's expressing genuine, deep-seated bigotry or just trying to exploit it for his personal ends. He knew what he was doing with the birther stuff, with telling American members of Congress to go back to where they came from, etc. I'm not sure how much it matters whether his bigoted and xenophobic statements are genuine or whether he's simply pandering to the fears and worst instincts of others.

 

That history has multiple falsehoods. Here is the history of what happened:

Trump on Birtherism: Wrong, and Wrong - FactCheck.org

So Trump did not immediately accept the evidence nor did he accept the massive amount of evidence released prior to that. So both of those claims were false, which tears apart your entire argument here.

There is a substantial amount of reporting on this relationship with "New York elite." Here is one that links a variety of others:

https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/...ld-trump-raised-and-rejected-by-new-york-city

Basically, he was viewed as a clown by the people in the true elite circles. That is one of the sources of his massive resentments.

"Not politically correct" is just a way to reframe racism.

You are wrong.

Trump Supports Plan to Cut Legal Immigration by Half (Published 2017)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...igration-in-half-advocates-say-idUSKCN1V219N/

He was unsuccessful, but that was his stated goal.

Trump: Why allow immigrants from 'shithole countries'?

I brought the receipts. You are largely just factually incorrect.

 

There's no way Trump hung out with Obama. Trump was busy saying the election was rigged after Obama defeated Romney, just like Trump said the election was rigged when Cruz defeated him in a primary and when he said the Emmy's were rigged when the Apprentice didn't win

 

He also promoted the argument that Nikki Haley is not eligible to be President or Vice President.

Trump Promotes False Birther Conspiracy About Nikki Haley

 

Well said.

 

Unlike you, we see and hear what he actually says and does. That's enough to know who he is.

 

Anyone surprised by the poster on this thread downplaying what Trump did this time or rewriting what he had done in the past. Racists love Trump because he is one of them.

 

So please tell us why Obama was the only president who had to produce his birth certificate and that too as soon as Trump demanded to see it? Why can’t Trump produce his tax returns and college transcripts?

and yes, Trump did cut down on legal immigration too
The Story Of How Trump Officials Tried To End H-1B Visas

 

He's really weird.

 

You could have just kept it to this and saved yourself some time.

 

Look who you’re talking about.

 

“So weird.” Stick to the theme … “weird.”

 

Just hoping she doesn’t peak to soon. But it is borderline incomprehensible how MAGA has managed to lose the massive lead handed to it with the assassination attempt (and the “fight, fight, fight” bloody photo), before the Dems even have their Convention, before they even name the VP.

Election campaigns always ebb and flow, but holy Batman!! Trump blew what many of us thought was an uncatchable lead.

 

Welp, you actually do seem to understand his strategy. (if he had any true interest in unity, he would’ve selected a different VP)