Whelp. Looks like I’m going to have to keep it going.
If you haven't read this yet:
Chris O'Leary's answer to Why are people so hostile towards President Donald Trump? [ https://qr.ae/TUnB7G ]
You might want to before you continue.
On the suggestion of a few commenters on my most popular answer on Quora, I’ll just have to go all Excel on this and start with the Double Alphabet
AA - The Dunning -Kruger Effect. Trump knows more about the Dunning-Kruger effect than either Dunning or Kruger. The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with little expertise or ability assume they have superior expertise or ability.
Donald Trump Is The Dunning — Kruger Effect Personified [ https://medium.com/@martiesirois/donald-trump-is-the-dunning-kruger-effect-personified-60f8b0160005 ]
The best example I can think of on this is the following quote from November 2015:
"I know more about ISIS [the Islamic State militant group] than the generals do. Believe me." — Donald Trump
When Trump was asked to rate his presidency so far, he gave himself an A+. I could go on about that but I’ve already covered it.
Chris O'Leary's answer to Trump gives his presidency an A+ so far. How would you rate him? [ https://www.quora.com/Trump-gives-his-presidency-an-A-so-far-How-would-you-rate-him/answer/Chris-OLeary-19 ]
Look. There’s nothing wrong with being incompetent, lacking experience, having little ability or frankly, even being stupid. But to combine that with actually believing you are the most competent, have the greatest ability and as Trump himself said: “I consult myself on foreign policy, 'because I have a very good brain” — it’s just flat out dangerous in someone sitting in the seat of perhaps the greatest responsibility in the world.
AB- He’s a TERRIBLE leader. Leader, boss, HMFIC, whatever. He’s TERRIBLE at it.
Before being promoted to E-4, (Corporal) A Marine has to take a course on leadership and part of that course involves the study of the Marine Corps Non-Commissioned Officer’s Handbook. I learned the most important lesson on leadership from that manual. “The primary responsibility of any leader is the welfare of the troops at their command.” Note that didn't say “The welfare of SOME of the troops at their command.”
There’s a lot to leadership from an elected official, especially the President.
Let’s focus for a minute on his internal team. What’s it like to work in the White House these days? I think the best I can come up with a gauge on that is a quote from one of his direct reports, Gen. Kelly — “This is the worst job I’ve ever had.”
He can’t keep a team around him, because he treats everyone around him like absolute crap, fodder for the cannons, and he can’t attract new good people because anyone with half a brain wouldn’t take a job in the White House these days if you gave them half the money Trump owes Russia.
Now he’s not just the boss over the executive branch of the government. He’s the President of the United States. Which is leadership on a whole nother level.
“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” — Uncle Ben.
A leader is there to support, defend and take care of everyone he’s responsible for. Not just the rich, not just the guys who have an affinity for red hats with white writing, not just the people who kiss his ass, everyone. Trump hasn’t learned that lesson.
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln
AC - He’s an awful negotiator. (And even worse, he thinks he’s good at it, See Dunning-Kruger Again.) Take North Korea. In exchange for North Korea promising to do what they have promised to do 7 times already and has never done:
All the Times North Korea Promised to Denuclearize [ https://www.wired.com/story/north-korea-summit-denuclearize-history/ ]
He essentially gave away the FARM on Military exercises in South Korea to the absolute HORROR of Gen. Mattis. I’ve actually taken part (Peripherally) in those exercises. They are a HUGE part of military readiness of the troops stationed all over that corner of the world, not just Korea. They are of VITAL importance to our military readiness as a whole and have little to do specifically with readiness to beat North Korea. (Little, not nothing. Commanders anywhere near Korea see readiness as it relates to North Korea as a very high priority.)
AD - The Deplorables. The Deplorables are not Donald Trump, but the question is about why he’s loathed, and the deplorables are a part of that.
Now let’s be clear about something. When I say “The Deplorables” I do NOT mean “Conservatives” I ALSO do not mean “People who voted for Donald Trump” I do not even mean “People who really love Trump,” although you’re starting to get close there.
I mean “The Deplorables” in EXACTLY the way Hillary Clinton said it, and EXACTLY the way she meant it.
Let’s take a look at that, shall we?
Note— If you do not fully read the following quote, and I mean all of it, your comments on this post will be ignored, because it will be obvious you didn't read it. Every last italicized word.
“You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. (Laughter/applause) Right? (Laughter/applause) They're racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic – Islamophobic – you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people – now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive hateful mean-spirited rhetoric. Now, some of those folks – they are irredeemable, but thankfully, they are not America.
But the "other" basket – the other basket – and I know because I look at this crowd I see friends from all over America here: I see friends from Florida and Georgia and South Carolina and Texas and — as well as, you know, New York and California — but that "other" basket of people are people who feel the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures; and they're just desperate for change. It doesn't really even matter where it comes from. They don't buy everything he says, but — he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won't wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroin, feel like they're in a dead-end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well.” —Hillary Clinton
So. Did she call YOU deplorable?
Which basket are you in? I think most people would contend they are in the second basket, right? That’s what most Trump voters I’ve talked to say.
So —
Are you a racist? No?
Then no. She did not call you deplorable.
Are you sexist? No?
Then no. She did not call you deplorable.
Are you a homophobe? No?
Then no, she did not call you a deplorable.
SO, if you changed your handle on Twitter the day after she said it to “Deplorable Tim” then what you are saying isn’t “I support Donald Trump.” What you’re in fact saying is “I support Donald Trump and I’m “racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic – Islamophobic – you name it.”
You’re not those things? Oh.
THEN SHE WASN’T TALKING ABOUT YOU AND MADE THAT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR!!!!!
Now. If you DO fit that mold. And if you do fit it proudly. You know who you are, I’m talking to the ones with the Tiki Torches, the collection of Nazi paraphernalia, the ones doing the Nazi Salutes saying “Hail Trump!” Yes, you. The ones spray painting swastikas on Jewish headstones. The ones harassing women on the subway because they’re wearing head scarfs.
You are one of the BIG reasons we hate HIS guts. WHY? Because he doesn't have a problem with YOU.
AE - Tariffs. Yes, yes, Tariffs. Here’s a 1998 paper from the Conservative / Libertarian think tank Cato about how effective tariffs are as a protectionist measure (Hint - here’s the last line “Yet protectionist policies have not been the source of America’s economic strength. And American policy, fortunately, remains largely directed toward free trade.”)
The Truth about Trade in History [ https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/truth-about-trade-history ]
And from Forbes, right before the worst 3 months the stock market’s seen in about 10 years, in part but fairly large part due to trade tensions with China: President Trump's Tariffs Will Hurt America More Than China [ https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2018/09/18/president-trumps-tariffs-wil...