President Trump Delivers Great SOTU Speech

[Decanus]

No. But we should weigh the social costs of dealing with crime vs. the social costs of fostering xenophobia and the price we would pay to our Christian and humanist ideals.

Right, because wanting to protect your homeland from possible threats is "xenophobia"

I don't think the Bible speaks about taking in migrants despite knowing the risks involved. To just take certain passages and applying them to any situation is reckless.

 

[Landon Caeli]

America as a "good" country is not a Christian notion. We might pray that "God shed his grace" on us, as our national anthems word it, but God's grace is not properly our own, and never will be.

It is right for Trump to praise the good deeds of his countrymen. It is not right for Trump to turn the good deeds of his countrymen into incense for the cult of empire, to proclaim the inherent goodness of America. He does not truly honor God in doing so, he honors an idol of God, no matter how many times "God" is on his lips. As Isaiah 29:13 plainly puts it, merely offering sacrifices to God is not enough to worship him in spirit and truth. We cannot truly worship God if we do not confess our sins first.

At this point I'd rather have a competent atheist as president who never mentions God, than a "baby Christian". At least the atheist has no pretense of piety.

Again, I think you make judgement in another free area. Flamboyance is not evil. Whether it is wise is another topic. Whether it is 'Christian' in the traditional sense, is another topic.

But evil, it is not.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Meh... this is Trump, therefore he obviously gets a free pass from his most devout Christian evangelical supporters. It's astonishing how quickly so many evangelical Christians changed their moral tune from condemning Bill Clinton for his sexual scandals to literally dismissing the sexual scandals of Donald Trump. You know, even evangelical leaders like James Dobson changed his tune when it came to his endorsement of Donald Trump versus his condemnation of Bill Clinton. It's astonishing how quickly these evangelicals changed what moral issues they want to be morally indignant and very upset over when it concerns someone they support politically.

And since Trump obviously gets a free pass from his right wing evangelical supporters, that means ignoring the fact that he's in his third marriage to a woman he cheated on his second wife with, who just happened to be his mistress he cheated on his first wife with. It also means ignoring the fact that he fathered five children with three different women or the fact that he bragged about groping women and forced himself on them or the fact that he bragged about watching young teenage beauty pageant contestants getting undressed or the fact that he joked about dating his daughter Ivanka if she wasn't his daughter or the fact that he agreed with Howard Stern that Ivanka is a "piece of ...." or the fact that he bragged about his sexual exploits to a group of Boy Scouts or the fact that he uses profanity to insult people he doesn't like or the fact that he repeatedly used a racial slur to insult a political opponent or the fact he cheated people out of money through his Trump University scam.

I could go on, but I think I've given enough examples of how his most devout Christian evangelical supporters have continuously ignored and dismissed Trump's disturbing, even lewd, behavior. I suppose it gives them comfort to think that he's a man of faith now and he actually cares about their Christian faith. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if these supporters of his get a very rude awakening once he is out of office and he finally drops his Christian facade. As the saying goes, a leopard doesn't change its spots. It seems that even Christian evangelicals aren't immune to the lure of political power and once they have had a taste of having a president who panders to their every whim, they're not going to let go without a fight. It's been interesting to watch, to say the least.

Is he currently involved in an affair? While in office, like Bill? And lie about it as president? No.

Let him without sin cast the first stone... That's what the Evangelicals say.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Let's face it, the Dems are on the defense. They're going to be even more on the defense after their horrendous performance last night, which is disrespectful and downright embarrassing.

Or they have no respect for him. I dont. I never even watched his speach. Last Time, I seen Trump Make A speach. He copied some of It elsewhere. I wonder who did his homework for him.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Is he currently involved in an affair? While in office, like Bill? And lie about it as president? No.

I wasn't aware that sexual sins were considered irrelevant if the person who committed the sins was in public office or not. And as far as lying while being the president, well, Trump has been caught and exposed for his dishonesty quite a few times himself and he's only been in office for little over a year.

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Let him without sin cast the first stone... That's what the Evangelicals say.

Yeah, that's what they say, but that's not what they do. If only the evangelicals I've met who spout that practiced what they preached, then I might be able to take their preaching more seriously.

 

[Liza B.]

Is Trump the one who had sex with a inappropriate content star when his third wife was pregnant?

I would say I'm trying to figure out what so agitates foreigners about a fairly benign US leader....but I already know.

 

[Liza B.]

We get these threads every time Trump manages to make a public appearance and read someone else's words without screwing things up. The feeling never lasts. Typically it'll only take a day or two before his normal behavior shows through again. Not sure what the over-under is this time but if history is any guide, anyone thinking this means he's pivoted to being presidential is in for disappointment.

He passed a great tax plan and is bringing back jobs and the economy. That's awesomely presidential in my book.

 

[Liza B.]

Don't make too much of the poll; you do realize Obama had a 78% approval rating for his first SOTU speech. In fact, CNN is saying it is the worst polling SOTU address since 1998 (back when Clinton was being impeached).

The reason the numbers are so high, for all SOTU addresses is "the president's supporters watched the speech in disproportionately high numbers relative to the U.S. electorate as a whole." So, the poll was 52% Republican (as you post above) that had a 97% positive response -- which leads to the strong poll numbers. And, as a comparison, Obama had a 78% approval rating for his first SOTU address.

Despite presidents getting very high approval ratings for SOTU addresses, it typically does not improve their poll numbers, much less make a difference in the fall elections.

CNN totally cooked those numbers. Who's surprised?

 

[Liza B.]

Surely that bothers Atheists quite a bit.

Secular Leftists adore their role as the veriest Puritans who ever scowled and pointed fingers, I will tell you that. They bring to it a certain totalitarian flair, shall we say.....

 

[Liza B.]

None of that has anything to do with "nationalism". If you want to divide the States into 50 seperate countries, then that's not going to help. Because of this anti-Nationalist sentiment, we now have people in California pushing for a seperate California Republic.

...Sometimes I think people want this country to divide up and dissolve.

There is a faction in this country that wants to see this nation ground into dust. Do not doubt it, though it's hard to face head on.

 

[Liza B.]

In the big cities where the migrant population is growing rapidly? Okay then. The city I grew up in is almost half non white british with most brits now moving to the suburbs since the areas they once lived in are now cesspits with no go zones. And before you try telling me they don't exist, visit these areas then come back to me. Telling me to grow up doesn't help your argument. In fact I expect nothing less from Labour.

Also, please address my other points. Like the mainstream media in europe, you literally just ignored them.

Nearly ten years ago, my family was traveling in middle America, and ran into a lovely British couple in the dining area of our hotel. We struck up a conversation. Their one child had already moved to Wisconsin and the couple themselves were looking to move soon. I shared with them that I had traveled around the UK in the late 80s. They said I would barely recognize the nation now...and why. Just as you say.

They reminded me so much of the really wonderful British people I met when I traveled there. I don't like to see people like that run through the muck. They're not racist; they just want Britain to remain Britain, in the same way people in Saudi Arabia want it to remain Saudi Arabia. And by the way, they are both right.

 

[Liza B.]

...so one of them shouted "LIAR!" at some point in President Trumps speech?
tulc(is just curious)

Did I defend that? No. And I wouldn't.

But the Dems did NOT have a good showing. And I see that so far, in my reading through this thread, no one is really defending them.

 

[Gadarene]

Nearly ten years ago, my family was traveling in middle America, and ran into a lovely British couple in the dining area of our hotel. We struck up a conversation. Their one child had already moved to Wisconsin and the couple themselves were looking to move soon. I shared with them that I had traveled around the UK in the late 80s. They said I would barely recognize the nation now...and why. Just as you say.

They reminded me so much of the really wonderful British people I met when I traveled there. I don't like to see people like that run through the muck. They're not racist; they just want Britain to remain Britain, in the same way people in Saudi Arabia want it to remain Saudi Arabia. And by the way, they are both right.

Can confirm, it's still Britain. And yes, that's textbook dogwhistling. Glad they aren't here anymore, although it is unfortunate they have proceeded to misinforming naive Americans.

Britain is a good country, and for that reason I don't want it to imitate Saudi Arabia

 

[Gadarene]

I would say I'm trying to figure out what so agitates foreigners about a fairly benign US leader....but I already know.

Hint - the fact he isn't fairly benign

 

[Liza B.]

Meh... this is Trump, therefore he obviously gets a free pass from his most devout Christian evangelical supporters. It's astonishing how quickly so many evangelical Christians changed their moral tune from condemning Bill Clinton for his sexual scandals to literally dismissing the sexual scandals of Donald Trump. You know, even evangelical leaders like James Dobson changed his tune when it came to his endorsement of Donald Trump versus his condemnation of Bill Clinton. It's astonishing how quickly these evangelicals changed what moral issues they want to be morally indignant and very upset over when it concerns someone they support politically.

And since Trump obviously gets a free pass from his right wing evangelical supporters, that means ignoring the fact that he's in his third marriage to a woman he cheated on his second wife with, who just happened to be his mistress he cheated on his first wife with. It also means ignoring the fact that he fathered five children with three different women or the fact that he bragged about groping women and forced himself on them or the fact that he bragged about watching young teenage beauty pageant contestants getting undressed or the fact that he joked about dating his daughter Ivanka if she wasn't his daughter or the fact that he agreed with Howard Stern that Ivanka is a "piece of ...." or the fact that he bragged about his sexual exploits to a group of Boy Scouts or the fact that he uses profanity to insult people he doesn't like or the fact that he repeatedly used a racial slur to insult a political opponent or the fact he cheated people out of money through his Trump University scam.

I could go on, but I think I've given enough examples of how his most devout Christian evangelical supporters have continuously ignored and dismissed Trump's disturbing, even lewd, behavior. I suppose it gives them comfort to think that he's a man of faith now and he actually cares about their Christian faith. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if these supporters of his get a very rude awakening once he is out of office and he finally drops his Christian facade. As the saying goes, a leopard doesn't change its spots. It seems that even Christian evangelicals aren't immune to the lure of political power and once they have had a taste of having a president who panders to their every whim, they're not going to let go without a fight. It's been interesting to watch, to say the least.

I'm sorry. What is it to Secular Leftists if Christians want to vote purely for political reasons? Isn't that what liberals do?

You're not holding us to standards you would never expect to meet yourself.....are you?

Whyever would you do that?

 

[Gadarene]

I'm sorry. What is it to Secular Leftists if Christians want to vote purely for political reasons? Isn't that what liberals do?

You're not holding us to standards you would never expect to meet yourself.....are you?

Whyever would you do that?

We're holding you to your standards, and you're failing at them.

 

[Decanus]

Can confirm, it's still Britain. And yes, that's textbook dogwhistling. Glad they aren't here anymore, although it is unfortunate they have proceeded to misinforming naive Americans.

Britain is a good country, and for that reason I don't want it to imitate Saudi Arabia

It's still Britain, but if Labour and the left wingers have their way, it will just be a mish mash of whatever. Traditional morris dancers can even paint their faces dark now because it's considered racist even though the story behind it completely predated slavery LOL. This country is becoming a joke.

"Glad they aren't here anymore"....I bet, you prefer having more migrants from the third world as opposed to your own people it seems.

You don't want it to imitate Saudi Arabia, yet you don't see how Saudi Arabia is being imitated within certain communities. Lord have mercy.

 

[Gadarene]

It's still Britain, but if Labour and the left wingers have their way, it will just be a mish mash of whatever. Traditional morris dancers can even paint their faces dark now because it's considered racist even though the story behind it completely predated slavery LOL. This country is becoming a joke.

You're assuming I'm for that. Pc is nonsense, but that doesn't mean that every claim of racial bias is.

"Glad they aren't here anymore"....I bet, you prefer having more migrants from the third world as opposed to your own people it seems.

My own people aren't racists, thanks. This "waaaaah the country isn't British anymore" argument is tortuous now, it was even more nonsensical in the 80s.

You don't want it to imitate Saudi Arabia, yet you don't see how Saudi Arabia is being imitated within certain communities.

Oh, I'm fine with getting rid of Islam the idea, just not Muslims the people. It is a religion and thus nonsense. It needs challenging as Christianity was challenged and pushed back.

Lord have mercy.

Tedious piety, reward received in full.

 

[tulc]

Did I defend that? No. And I wouldn't.

I didn't actually say you defended that, but if they weren't doing that I can't really see they were doing anything wrong.

But the Dems did NOT have a good showing.

To you perhaps, but others might see it different.

And I see that so far, in my reading through this thread, no one is really defending them.

...or they didn't actually do anything that needed defending?
tulc(didn't watch but if they weren't screaming or throwing things what was the problem?)

 

[Shiloh Raven]

We're holding you to your standards, and you're failing at them.

Exactly! All this preaching about holiness, avoiding sin, and railing against and condemning other people, including liberal politicians, for their alleged sins... and here they are politically supporting a man who is the epitome of most of the sins condemned in the bible - adulterer, sexually immoral, hateful, jealous, throws fits of rage, selfish ambition, envy, lying, and repeatedly uses profanity. It's no wonder I can't possibly take their preaching or their moral convictions seriously anymore.