Donald Trump, convicted felon

[John Clark]

I guess Republicans are now planning to move the oval office from the White House to a penitentiary. 

John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis

wxx

[Brent Meeker]

I don't see how his sentence can be less than that of Michael Cohen who was sentenced to 2yrs for what he did on behalf of Trump.   The problem is that is that  Trump will appeal any sentence which will then take at least a year to get up to his "supremes".  If he's elected in Nov. they wll rule he can't be removed from office and so put off his incarceration at least till Jan 2028.

The only path of avoiding a crisis is reelection of Biden.  Even that will result in some violence by MAGAts in some locales.

Brent

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[PGC]

Don't underestimate feelings/perceptions, no matter how false or distorted they appear.

Facts matter less. Even if economy is growing, unemployment is low, inflation is falling, and Trump is convicted, purchasing power of the average household, due to the inflation/greedflation of the last 4 years, will feel like it has decreased; particularly for the large segment making less than 100-200k. Biden has consistently low approval ratings, barely manages to tie Trump in national head-to-head polls, and is weaker in swing states. The age issue and his being a Washington Insider for so long is also problematic as he appears like an apologist for dysfunction, when Trump gets to play insurrectionist against all the systemic issues the US faces for years: a questionable response to the deadliest pandemic in a century, rising prices and interest rates, growing levels of public and private debt, rising rates of homelessness and the spread of tent encampments in US cities, migrants on the southern border,  gun violence, mental illness, depression, addiction, suicide, chronic illness and obesity, coupled with a decline in life expectancy. I'm not arguing facts here, but this is the perception and tone of the media I see being over-consumed in the US. 

And then the stupidity of the folks running PR and strategy for Biden's campaign to ignore all of it and try to reframe everything in terms of legislative successes, student loan forgiveness, how well the economy is ACTUALLY doing etc. All irrelevant when most citizens walk into a store and find nothing under 5$ anymore... remembering very well that it wasn't like this not too long ago. Why should/would they care about actual macroeconomic growth or whatever? The chipper "Everything is fine" way in which the voter is supposed to feel that Biden is their energetic, great choice, in face of the lunacy of the other guy... It's disingenuous as it doesn't remotely feel like it addresses anything folks seem to care about. It's as if the whole Biden PR Team is happy to earn their salary and pop anti-anxiety meds until after the election.

This way, Dems are handing it to Trump. Aside from actually choosing a more charismatic candidate, the tone should shift to reflect the actual mood of the US. According to one of the recent Gallup surveys on the "Are you satisfied the way things are going in the U.S.?" question: 3 out of 4 Americans aren't. Plus, we live in a time in which incumbents rarely recover initial popularity. This narrative has to be turned on its head: Biden shouldn't be stuck with the out-of-touch defender of status quo card. He should listen to the national mood, take a step back from being an insider, and go for/announce effective reforms based on the real perceptions of the most relevant demographics. Stage listening and talking to them non-stop. Admit that shit is broken when it is, instead of trying to sell voters a Ferrari that looks like the old chevy. It's not about truth, but perception for most people. And in this department, barring something huge happening in between, Biden is leading democracy into the darkness he is condemning. Authoritarians around the world cannot wait for the count to come in after 5th November.  

[John Clark]

On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 5:20 PM PGC <multipl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Don't underestimate feelings/perceptions, no matter how false or distorted they appear.

If you're correct (and I sure hope you're not) and the people are not interested in the facts or in the honesty or competency of their president then the only thing Biden could do to increase his odds of winning is to become just as incompetent and lie with the same machine gun rate that Convicted Felon Donald Trump has done throughout his entire life. Or Biden could simply do what the Convicted Felon In Chief tried to do in 2020 and declare that the results of the 2024 election were rigged and threaten or bribe 270 of the 538 members of the Electoral College to vote for Biden. And if that failed Biden could try to get the military to stage a coup d'état on his behalf and decree that the US Constitution is now null and void and Biden is therefore president for life. 

In other words you seem to be saying the only way Biden could win is if he starts behaving exactly like convicted felon Donald Trump; but then it really wouldn't matter who won the election because the country would be doomed either way.  

 John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis

 

[PGC]

On Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at 1:22:04 PM UTC+2 John Clark wrote:

On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 5:20 PM PGC <m...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Don't underestimate feelings/perceptions, no matter how false or distorted they appear.

If you're correct (and I sure hope you're not) and the people are not interested in the facts or in the honesty or competency of their president then the only thing Biden could do to increase his odds of winning is to become just as incompetent and lie with the same machine gun rate that Convicted Felon Donald Trump has done throughout his entire life. Or Biden could simply do what the Convicted Felon In Chief tried to do in 2020 and declare that the results of the 2024 election were rigged and threaten or bribe 270 of the 538 members of the Electoral College to vote for Biden. And if that failed Biden could try to get the military to stage a coup d'état on his behalf and decree that the US Constitution is now null and void and Biden is therefore president for life. 

In other words you seem to be saying the only way Biden could win is if he starts behaving exactly like convicted felon Donald Trump; but then it really wouldn't matter who won the election because the country would be doomed either way.  

John, the idea is not for Biden to "become Trump" by emulating his behavior, but rather to understand and leverage the appeal of outsider narratives, mavericks, and reformers which resonate deeply with many Americans. Biden's extensive institutional background restricts him from adopting this posture effectively. If he continues to focus solely on reframing the discussion around actual facts and legislative successes, his campaign risks coming across as elitist, overly institutionalist, complicated, and apologetic.

In game theoretic terms, Biden is ceding the initiative to Trump by allowing him to define what America means. Trump, with his powerful media presence, satisfies a collective yearning for identity, even if through falsehoods. Americans seem to prefer someone who can boldly define a narrative, however flawed.

Biden could reclaim the Narrative of American Greatness. Biden should boldly counter Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan by asserting that America has always been great. Emphasize that the accomplishments and resilience of the American people are proof of this and that Trump and his ilk were not a part of that. Steal the cap. 

He could directly challenge whether Trump actually managed to "drain the swamp" as he promised and use specific examples where Trump failed to deliver on his promises, thereby questioning his credibility as a reformer. Keep the discourse focused on the legislative measures that would have benefited voters, had opponents not gridlocked them in congress etc.

He could also adopt a more aggressive stance in general, without resorting to dishonesty: Call out Trump’s failures and present a clear contrast between the chaos under Trump and the steady progress under Biden. Or he could challenge Trump's values head-on. Hint: there isn’t much to attack. He is who he is, so the Biden campaign should make Trump their trump. Just describe what he does. He sits around with his bucket of KFC and get's angry at the news, screaming at the TV- kind of thing.

Biden should Town Hall as much as he can. Emphasize America's role as a global leader and a beacon of hope and democracy. Contrast this with the isolationist and divisive rhetoric of Trump. There are so many roads/opportunities not taken even along these shallow lines I’m only sketching here. That, or they aren’t powerfully enough represented in the media. His media/PR is not managing to get these things across, even if they are trying.

[John Clark]

On Tue, Jun 4, 2024 at 8:34 PM PGC <multipl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> John, the idea is not for Biden to "become Trump" by emulating his behavior, but rather to understand and leverage the appeal of outsider narratives, mavericks, [...] He could directly challenge whether Trump actually managed to "drain the swamp" as he promised and use specific examples where Trump failed to deliver on his promises, 

By now it should be clear to everybody that Convicted Felon Trump never built a wall and never made Mexico pay for it, and he never wanted to drain the swamp, he wanted to own the swamp. And about 1.1 million Americans died during Trump's watch due to his INCREDIBLE bungling of Covid, a pandemic he publicly belittled, claiming the Democrats were over blowing the crucial importance of itjust to make him unpopular, while at the exact same time privately expressing very deep concern about the epidemic. The convicted felon also dispensed quack medical advice about how to deal with the pandemic, advice that was LETHAL. Even Donald Trump's most avid followers know all this but they just don't care, I don't pretend to have a theory to explain this phenomenon, but the evidence is overwhelming that the phenomenon exists.

 > Biden should Town Hall as much as he can

If you want to win a Town Hall debate logic will not help you very much, you need to appeal to base emotions, perhaps that's why Biden is not very good at them.   

>Emphasize America's role as a global leader and a beacon of hope and democracy. Contrast this with the isolationist and divisive rhetoric of Trump.

There is one thing that Biden should've done on the first day of his administration, something that would not only have helped him politically it would also have been the right thing to do, and that is legalize marijuana. And I say that despite the fact that I have never smoked even one marijuana cigarette.

  John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis 

mws

[PGC]

On Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 1:06:31 PM UTC+2 John Clark wrote:

On Tue, Jun 4, 2024 at 8:34 PM PGC <multipl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> John, the idea is not for Biden to "become Trump" by emulating his behavior, but rather to understand and leverage the appeal of outsider narratives, mavericks, [...] He could directly challenge whether Trump actually managed to "drain the swamp" as he promised and use specific examples where Trump failed to deliver on his promises, 

By now it should be clear to everybody that Convicted Felon Trump never built a wall and never made Mexico pay for it, and he never wanted to drain the swamp, he wanted to own the swamp. And about 1.1 million Americans died during Trump's watch due to his INCREDIBLE bungling of Covid, a pandemic he publicly belittled, claiming the Democrats were over blowing the crucial importance of itjust to make him unpopular, while at the exact same time privately expressing very deep concern about the epidemic. The convicted felon also dispensed quack medical advice about how to deal with the pandemic, advice that was LETHAL. Even Donald Trump's most avid followers know all this but they just don't care, I don't pretend to have a theory to explain this phenomenon, but the evidence is overwhelming that the phenomenon exists.

That's what I'm talking about! Your directness here is what the Biden PR Team could benefit from. If only his PR team had someone like you to liven things up a bit! 

 

 > Biden should Town Hall as much as he can

If you want to win a Town Hall debate logic will not help you very much, you need to appeal to base emotions, perhaps that's why Biden is not very good at them.

I think embracing more direct, brutal honesty could really help. Biden should adopt a more straightforward tone, directly addressing issues with candor. This could resonate deeply with voters who crave authenticity. And, as you point out, logic alone doesn’t win Town Halls. Biden needs to appeal to base emotions—speak about hope, fear, pride, resilience, and expose the child princess KFC toddler for what he is. A guy alleging deep state conspiracies with Justice Department etc. while stating the ambition to retaliate using it. And although sharing personal stories and real-life impacts of his policies can create a more emotional connection, we need a scene in a debate where Biden throws some ketchup or dip onto Trump's suit, stating "your welcome. You're gonna need it later for when you're back on the couch." Bring him a Big Mac and ask how dare he question American greatness. 

 

   

>Emphasize America's role as a global leader and a beacon of hope and democracy. Contrast this with the isolationist and divisive rhetoric of Trump.

There is one thing that Biden should've done on the first day of his administration, something that would not only have helped him politically it would also have been the right thing to do, and that is legalize marijuana. And I say that despite the fact that I have never smoked even one marijuana cigarette.

Regarding the marijuana legalization timing, the delay does make the administration seem more focused on election cycles rather than principle. Biden should address this head-on, perhaps with a bit of humor: “I know it took us a while to light up this issue, but better late than never, right?” Acknowledging this mistake with humility can go a long way: “We should have acted on this sooner. Legalizing marijuana is not just about politics—it’s about justice, health, and economic opportunity.”

Biden could use positive patriotism to counter Trump’s divisive rhetoric. Biden can say e.g., “Patriotism isn’t about hate—it’s about love for our country and all its people and not just some of its people. Facing the threats of today's world, we cannot afford dvision.” He should articulate a bold vision for the future that includes economic opportunity, social justice, global leadership and how many times he's been hindered to do his job by gridlock. Paint himself as the rebel and outsider here. Acknowledge the dissatisfaction and show and name every congressperson and/or senator standing in the way of everything his administration tried to acheive. 

And we should draft you into his PR team to keep things interesting and less bland. Fire his PR Team heads and get some Holywood folks and comedians to craft some black ops top secret PR moves. And Brent recognizes the potential for post-election violence, which is a significant consideration for election security and stability. With team red armed to the teeth, team blue needs mortars, tanks, air support; and it would still be ok because Dems are noobs with weapons. So Team red couldn't scream "no fair". Dems could build machine guns with vaccine in the ammunition. 

If the everything list crew could direct PR for his campaign, boxer shorts princess waiting for Stormy in his bed with KFC bucket throwing ketchup at the wall he didn't get Mexico to pay for, would be dropping in the polls. 

[John Clark]

On Wed, Jun 5, 2024 at 12:17 PM PGC <multipl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I think embracing more direct, brutal honesty could really help.

I think it's a lot more complicated than that. Although no previous American politician has lied virtually every time he opens his mouth as Trump has, all politicians lie and they do it for one simple reason, it works. I realize that way back in 1976 when Jimmy Carter was running for president. Carter said in a Playboy interview that although he had never cheated on his wife, "I've looked at many women with lust and thus committed adultery many times in my heart.” The conservative religious right was OUTRAGED by his statement. They wanted him to say "I've never had the slightest urge to even look at any woman other than my wife regardless of how beautiful she was" even though if he had done so they would have known he was lying through his teeth. Carter made the mistake of telling the truth and was severely punished for it, he almost lost the election as a result. Convicted felon Donald Trump is amoral and monumentally stupid but he never made Carter's mistake.

A mob of mindless Trump accolades like it when their leader lies to them even when they know for a fact that he's lying, provided it's a pretty lie that reinforces their prejudices and illogical reasoning. If Trump ever shut off the spew of lies emanating from his mouth like water through a fire hose his movement would collapse in a matter of days.

John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis

tjd

[PGC]

On Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 1:50:26 PM UTC+2 John Clark wrote:

On Wed, Jun 5, 2024 at 12:17 PM PGC <multipl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I think embracing more direct, brutal honesty could really help.

I think it's a lot more complicated than that. Although no previous American politician has lied virtually every time he opens his mouth as Trump has, all politicians lie and they do it for one simple reason, it works. I realize that way back in 1976 when Jimmy Carter was running for president. Carter said in a Playboy interview that although he had never cheated on his wife, "I've looked at many women with lust and thus committed adultery many times in my heart.” The conservative religious right was OUTRAGED by his statement. They wanted him to say "I've never had the slightest urge to even look at any woman other than my wife regardless of how beautiful she was" even though if he had done so they would have known he was lying through his teeth. Carter made the mistake of telling the truth and was severely punished for it, he almost lost the election as a result. Convicted felon Donald Trump is amoral and monumentally stupid but he never made Carter's mistake.

A mob of mindless Trump accolades like it when their leader lies to them even when they know for a fact that he's lying, provided it's a pretty lie that reinforces their prejudices and illogical reasoning. If Trump ever shut off the spew of lies emanating from his mouth like water through a fire hose his movement would collapse in a matter of days.

Trivially, the sweet lie is more digestible than the uncomfortable truth. Trump, on the other hand, has mastered the art of the appealing lie, reinforcing the biases of his supporters, and it's a tough act to counter. Trump framing himself as the “Crypto President” puts Biden in another tricky spot. Should he imitate Trump and endorse something as ambiguous as cryptocurrencies? Advocates hail crypto as the future, while skeptics see it as a Ponzi scheme. Biden can address this by highlighting the importance of stability and regulation in financial systems, subtly questioning the wisdom of jumping on every trendy bandwagon. Again his PR team fails to score points with nuance: Does Donald have the slightest idea what Blockchain is?

In the end, Biden can maintain integrity and still counter Trump by being direct, empathetic, and solution-oriented. And yes, I agree it's complicated, which is why I said "a bit more": it's also why any politician speaking in "all CAPS" every day will approach the real world task of changing a lightbulb with a CHAINSAW. And yes, the chainsaw is indeed cool... But it won't stabilize prices or make them drop. It won't give us stable crypto returns. His PR team should work towards projecting a more genuine image and addressing these concerns, without falling into the trap of deceitful populism. In a way, it's also not so complicated: if I saw more media headlines in style of your last 2 sentences, I'd be less concerned. Instead I see all this "2 sides to the story" bullshit, where hatred is given a seat at the table of democratic discourse. 

That's why he declares proudly that he will pull out of treaties etc. With the emotional maturity of a nine year old (it insults the nine year olds, sorry), he wonders why other non-authoritarian leaders don't follow his bleech chainsaw style proposals. It works with the crowds and on television, so why not here? And all of these discursive efforts to publish enough about Trumpism to give it the appearance of a doctrine...  Media and naive assumptions about digitalization are at fault here too. And I want my money back from most of my news subscriptions, for some years now. Both team blue and red. Same if, as mentioned above, a news outlet feeds "2 sides of the story", it makes money but wreaks havoc in moving all the reference points in the zealot, isolationist, and finally military direction. Let's all build more weapons and force the economic growth that way... I mean, what did we all expect? That THAT kind of discourse just evaporates due to its absurdity? No, we've seen that expectation proven wrong too many times. Mastering the art of the appealing lie... and slowly believing it yourself. It's ethically fascinating... Is he "responsible" or did we all somehow fail to get to such a position?   

[John Clark]

On Fri, Jun 7, 2024 at 6:21 PM PGC <multipl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I see all this "2 sides to the story" bullshit

I agree. Some issues do have 2 sides (Is string theory correct?, Should the federal reserve try to raise or lower interest rates?) but some clearly do not (is the world getting warmer?, did Joe Biden win the 2020 election?). The news media needs to tell the difference.  

 > Should he imitate Trump and endorse something as ambiguous as cryptocurrencies?

No, endorsing Bitcoin will not win Biden any votes.  And it's hard to make the case that the world would've been worse off if cryptocurrencies had never been invented.  Cryptocurrencies have been a huge disappointment for me, I thought they were going to replace dollars, euros and pounds but it's now clear I was wrong and that isn't going to happen. You can't use cryptocurrency if you actually wanna buy a car or a house or just about anything, you must first convert it to one of those national currencies. The only thing that Bitcoin has ended up doing is wasting an enormous amount of electricity, and the only thing it's good for is financial speculation and paying off ransomware criminals.

Some might argue that cryptocurrencies just need a little more time for them to become important and useful, I might've made that argument myself 18 months ago, but I can't today, AI is advancing far too fast for that. It's now or never.  And it sure looks like never. 

 > Does Donald have the slightest idea what Blockchain is?

No, but most voters don't know what a Blockchain is either. Given the fact that if he wins it will be by far the dominant issue facing his administration during the next 4 years, a more relevant question to ask is "does convicted felon Donald Trump even know how to spell AI?"

 

> Biden can address this by highlighting the importance of stability and regulation in financial systems, subtly questioning the wisdom of jumping on every trendy bandwagon.

The stability and regulation of financial systems is of enormous importance, but a speech about that is not going to whip a mob into an orgasm like a Trump speech about whale killing cancer producing windmills or low flow toilets can. Hmm... perhaps if Biden can find a way to link the intricacies of the world's financial system to transsexual bathrooms or drag queen storytime  ......

  John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis 

dqs