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We Asked an Expert What Would Happen if Donald Trump Actually Became President
Vice ^ | July 22, 2015 | Mike Pearl, staff writer

Posted on 07/21/2015 11:09:16 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

It's the morning of Friday, January 20, 2017, and it's Inauguration Day. Donald John Trump Sr. has his hand on a Bible, and America looks on, agape, as he swears to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

How we got to this point isn't important. The question now is, what the [expletive] is about to happen?

To come up with even the vaguest answer, we have to look back at history. Because as British TV science guy James Burke once said, "Why should we look to the past in order to prepare for the future? Because there is nowhere else to look." If that sounds a little ominous, that's because we're talking about the presidential administration of the "You're fired" guy from TV.

University of Virginia historian Brian Balogh was game to talk to us about whether a Trump presidency is really the doomsday scenario it sounds like. Why should you listen to Balogh? Well, for one thing he's an expert in 20th-century American politics, and hosts a pretty popular radio show about history called Backstory With the American History Guys. And when I emailed him to set up an interview, he made a prediction about Trump that has already come true.

In an email on Friday, Balogh wrote that while the Donald's tendency to shoot his mouth off seemed to be working for him so far, "Trump would soon use it on a person or organization that the broad majority of the public admires, respects, [or] pities, and it would work against Trump."

The very next day, Trump went off the rails, disparaging Senator John McCain's war record during a speech at a Republican candidates forum in Iowa. "He's a war hero 'cause he was captured," Trump said of the former POW....

(Excerpt) Read more at vice.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: 2016election; arizona; brianbalogh; demagogicparty; election2016; iowa; jamesburke; johnmccain; mccain; memebuilding; mikepearl; newyork; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; senatorjohnmccain; senatormccain; trump; uva; vice; virginia
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To: oblomov

Trump would soon use it on a person or organization that the broad majority of the public admires, respects, [or] pities, and it would work against Trump.”

Such garbage. All this from an expert? I think this so-called expert needs another field of expertise. Respects? Oh my, my sides are splitting from laughter.


41 posted on 07/22/2015 1:47:55 AM PDT by Catsrus (WWWW)
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To: sf4dubya

Fight with unity in the GOP? Surely, you jest. It isn’t going to happen, because fortunately, or unfortunately, we don’t walk goose step like the DEMS.


42 posted on 07/22/2015 1:49:56 AM PDT by Catsrus (WWWW)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'm enjoying The Donald Show immensely, though I'm still not in a camp yet. That said, there's one thing that bothers me about Trump. He's a very wealthy businessman, who didn't get that way by being a wuss or taking "no" for an answer. If he became president, he's very unlikely to take "no" for an answer then as well. He could easily become a dictator through his forceful personality and git'r done attitude. I hope he remembers how the Constitution is supposed to work in regards to executive powers. Yes, King Louie doesn't obey those laws, we know this. That doesn't mean Donald should continue in his shadow.

That's my whispered warning, flame or ponder, FRiends.

43 posted on 07/22/2015 1:59:33 AM PDT by thescourged1
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To: Democrat_media

Trump won’t have to listen to advice, but that’s not a good thing. Trump is as narcisstic as Obama and as unhinged as McCain; how is that a good personality mix in a President? Especially one.unconstrained by political realities?

Do you think Trump respects the Constitution and will govern within its mandates?

Trump for President supporters are looking more and more like buffoons.


44 posted on 07/22/2015 2:52:36 AM PDT by John Valentine (Deep in the Heart of Texas)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
If Trump, became President, a few things that will happen:

1. Hillary won't be president. A good thing.

2. Iran leaders will be wetting themselves in their robes.

3. Sanctuary cities will soon be a thing of the past.

45 posted on 07/22/2015 2:55:10 AM PDT by john mirse
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Comment #46 Removed by Moderator

To: Blue Jays
Donald Trump is a totally clean sheet of paper. We know his history, his education, his business, and his associations. He is direct and forthright.

*****

I like Trump, but I don't agree with everything he says. Still, he seems like he is an easy person to talk to, a hand-shaking, back-slapping type of person.

I am amazed at all the energy he seems to have even at his age, because he is not a young man anymore.

For instance, he appears on a tv show in the morning and then he appears on anther show at night, while, at the same time, making appearances all over the country. I don't know how he does it.

I think he was a pretty good athlete in high school, so maybe all that training in his youth has helped him to develop the physical strength and stamina in his later years that he needs to tackle such a grueling schedule at his age.

Answering questions: He also seems to take the time to respond calmly and patiently to most of the questions that media people ask him. I like that.

47 posted on 07/22/2015 3:16:15 AM PDT by john mirse
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I notice that the biggest plus they give McCain is that he refused early release from the POW camp. Not only punishable under UCMJ, if he had accepted and become a propaganda tool, but would have put him on a whole different career path - he would have had to run honestly as a Democrat...


48 posted on 07/22/2015 3:45:23 AM PDT by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

For those who actually read the article, it is interesting that this guy said the best comparison from recent times is Harry Truman—if 70 years is recent. In essence a guy who did not give a $hit what anyone on the other side (or the extreme side of his own party) thought about him.

He also said that there was a comparison with the type of “cult of personality” with Washington and Reagan.

An interesting analysis.

Thanks for posting that.


49 posted on 07/22/2015 4:13:29 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: TigersEye

I’d rather see Charlie Sheen in the White House than Barry & Michelle, John Ellis & Columba or Hillary & Bill. But that’s just me.


That is funny.

Can you imagine the mess THAT would put us in. It would be fun to watch....from really, really far away.


50 posted on 07/22/2015 4:14:41 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Our current president is shredding the Constitution, handing apocalyptic mullahs nukes, and utterly destroying U.S. prestige and influence worldwide — but this Vice assclown is worried about “Doomsday”...with Trump?


51 posted on 07/22/2015 4:40:58 AM PDT by montag813 (Bring Back Tar and Feathers)
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To: thescourged1

Trump is an American. He is for America. The rest of them bitches are not. I do, however, heed your warning.


52 posted on 07/22/2015 5:47:40 AM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: going hot

It would be spectacularly wonderful to see him stroll through the various agencies of the US Govt. pointing to people left and right, yelling, “You’re fired!”
**********************
He’d be thinking in terms of how many class “A” office buildings he could empty and sell off... I like it.


53 posted on 07/22/2015 5:53:29 AM PDT by Neidermeyer ("Our courts should not be collection agencies for crooks." — John Waihee, Governor of Hawaii, 1986-)
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To: Vermont Lt

I’ve been waiting for someone to compare Trump to Truman. The elite still hate Truman. He wasn’t one of them.


54 posted on 07/22/2015 5:57:13 AM PDT by Oratam
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To: Democrat_media

Trump just might turn things around—all the hit pieces and speculation pieces will not harm him. I trust Trump—that being said, I think he will be knocked out like Bucannon was a few years back. Win a few states and be gone. He might be VP? BUT—he is changing the tone of the debate. This is a good thing for the body politic. Barring an unforeseen event—I do not see Trump in the White House. Event? El Chapo tries to shoot him and only wings him! He continues on wounded—unafraid. America would rally behind him.


55 posted on 07/22/2015 6:52:22 AM PDT by Forward the Light Brigade (Into the Jaws of H*ll Onward! Ride to the sound of the guns!)
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To: Deagle
"Not sure what would happen after but would be exciting and probably better for America than what we have experienced the last 20 years or so..."

I ask you this seriously. Does that seem like a reasoned, well thought-out basis for electing a man to lead the country to you?

Not sure, exciting, probably better (which is an abysmally low bar to set, BTW)....yeah, let's put him in there.

That's exactly what Obamabots did in 2008.

56 posted on 07/22/2015 8:21:17 AM PDT by CatherineofAragon (("This is a Laztatorship. You don't like it, get a day's rations and get out of this office."))
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To: sf4dubya

How has voting GOPe been working out for you?


57 posted on 07/22/2015 8:34:27 AM PDT by Pelham (Deo Vindice)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I read the article. Its a bunch of drivel.


58 posted on 07/22/2015 8:55:29 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: CatherineofAragon
That's what I'm saying.

Enjoy the fires Trump is setting under the establishment, but use logic and reason before you vote. The Germans were wild for an obscure Austrian corporal and his nationalist rhetoric back in the 30's. See how well that worked out? Stay amused, but stay frosty.

59 posted on 07/22/2015 9:57:27 AM PDT by thescourged1
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To: thescourged1

Donald Trump is anything but obscure. He has been a known quantity in American life for 30 plus years. Trying to compare Donald Trump to Hitler is just imbecilic.

Try to come up with something original and credible if you want to affect public opinion. Otherwise STFU!


60 posted on 07/22/2015 10:06:06 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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