Politics

You just have to be fascinated by someone like Donald Trump.  Successful, ambitious, and a total demagogue.  More dangerous than Sen McCarthy, of Communist-Baiting infamy in the 1950s.

Italics, mine...

Who else could say or believe these things and not utterly humiliated and attacked?

1. Trump accused the Mexican government of sending its criminals and rapists across the border.

No evidence exists that illegal immigrants are more criminal in other ways than average.  In fact, the history of immigrants to the US has been those of the bravest, most ambitious, and willing to learn a new way of life. 

2.  Trump knocked Sen John McCain of doing too little to help veterans, knocked the senator in July, first disputing that he was a hero, then declaring: "He's a war hero 'cause he was captured. I like people that weren't captured, OK?"

This is utterly disgusting.   Senator McCain is a hero by means of his general military service and by fighting his captivity.  The idea that one is a failure by being captured in warfare is depraved and UnAmerican.  Some of the bravest fighters have been captured sometimes.  When you push the envelope, you accept greater risk.  Trump disses all captured soldiers.

3.  Trump repeatedly has questioned Kelly's professionalism and went as far as to tell CNN that she had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever".

For Trump to "blame" women for "bleeding uncleanliness" is harking back to primitive superstitions and general non-understanding of routine human bodily processes.

4.  Flip-flopping is trouble for most politicians, but Trump has done it merrily and with apparent impunity. He has shrugged off his old support for abortion rights and a single-payer health care system, and his former identification with the Democratic Party, with that-was-then-this-is-now nonchalance.

Trump has his wet finger in the wind of change.  He criticizes others for changing their minds when new facts are learned, but never admits to his frequent changes in views himself.

5.  To Donald Trump, there are two kinds of people in the world: good negotiators and bad negotiators. Basically everyone except Donald Trump and his "guys" fall into the latter category.

Trumps has often failed at businesses at public and investor expense.  But unlike the Wizard Of Oz, he has kept the curtain shut.   Trump know fakes.  It takes one to know one.

6.  He'll build a wall between the U.S.-Mexico border to keep undocumented immigrants out — and make Mexico pay for it (somehow).

Trump is proposing that Mexico build a wall to keep it's people in.   Something that the USA would never tolerate itself.  A rule of civilized nations is that anyone has the right to leave.

7.  About China:  "Listen, you mother(bleep), we're going to tax you 25 percent."

Demagoguery, pure and simple...  Bad economics...  18th century mercantilism...  Not how a serious leader deals with international economics.

8.  Denigrates the USA at every chance:  "I have great respect for Mexico — their leaders are too smart — they’re killing us at the border and they’re killing us with trade. You know, Mexico in a certain way, is the new China.  "When did we beat Japan at anything?"

Mexico is a 2nd tier economy and tstruggling and their politics are generally barely moderately democratic at best (but improving) .  Japan's economy has been stagnant for 20 years.  Trump apparently does not know this.  He is thinking 30 years ago.  That kind of out-of-date thinking is not what the US needs in a President.

9.   "Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure, it's not your fault."

This is how Trump talks to people who really are stupider than he is.   He is smart in a limited way.  He has really learned how to browbeat less talented people in commercial negotiations.  But that doesn't mean he has any specific intelligence.  What he HAS is a talent, and there is a difference.  But  his general IQ doesn't seem higher than average.  As a typical real estate shuskster, he makes claims he can't prove.

10.  "Hillary Clinton is the "worst secretary of state in the history of our country."

Ranker listed the best-to-worst Secretaries Of State. Hilary Clinton is ranked 17th best of 66.

11.  "I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me."

Never mind that the Great Wall of the Chinese (to which he alludes) failed completely most times...  Walls to keep people out or keep people in are both bad failures.  But, claiming to have built walls, what walls has he actually built either way anywhere?

12.   "I build great buildings all over the world. I would have Mexico pay for it. Believe me, they will pay for it."

Specify your plan.  Mexico doesn't seem to be impressed.