Trump shifts positions

[TheHuckster]

Donald backs off support for waterboarding

Trump's 'jail Clinton' U-turn sparks conservative backlash

Trump Changes His Tune on Climate Change

Trump: Obamacare key provisions to remain

Some of Trump's more passionate supporters feel betrayed. Some of Trump's adversaries feel somewhat less panicked. Still, a lot of people say this is Trump's M.O., being someone who just says what he wants to get the most support, and he's a spineless fool who will just say what is most strategically advantageous for that moment. As soon as the mood changes, so will his words. Some of his "changes" referenced in the articles above refer more to him saying he's "not sure" what he's going to do, rather than the absolutes he spoke in during his campaign. In the case of the waterboarding, he was following the advice of someone he's considering for secretary of defense, which is somewhat encouraging.

Whatever the case, we need to be very attentive in the next four years. Trump's behavior and policies are going to be unpredictable and vastly inconsistent.

[s_stabeler]

Frankly, that's encouraging- it suggests that Trump actually will listen to common sense, which is a major improvement over what he seemed like in the campaign.(I'm not saying Trump will necessarily be a good President, but he probably won't be an utter disaster. I'm guessing he will be no worse than Bush was, honestly- who was the last President who didn't necessarily know what he was doing. Will he be bad for the country? likely- a weak President ( as in, one who relies too much on their advisers- I'm thinking of situations where the President is rubber-stamping decisions made by their advisers, rather than considering their advisers' opinions when making a decision themselves) is almost universally bad for the country, but if he's more moderate than expected, then hopefully he won't do too much damage. ( the key thing is that 4 Supreme Court Justices are likely to need replacing during his tenure. I'm curious about how he'll pick them. ( to be honest, the way I see it, since Supreme Court justices' decisions are inevitably affected by their beliefs, they could do worse than have 3 conservative Justices, 3 liberal Justices, and 3 moderates- the idea being that the conservative and liberal Justices need to convince the moderates. I know they are supposed to rule according to the law, not their beliefs, but since they tend to rule according to their beliefs, it'd reduce the effect of said beliefs.)

[Gravekeeper]

Frankly, that's encouraging- it suggests that Trump actually will listen to common sense, which is a major improvement over what he seemed like in the campaign.

Its not common sense he's listening too though. It was dick stroking. He'll say literally whatever you want if you chant his name. I'd say this is less him shifting positions as it is him not giving a shit about these topics in the first place and not having to pretend anymore.

Giving his insanely flagrant conflicts of interest so far this is pretty much what everyone said it was: An ego masturbating con artist wanted attention and money.

This is just one big grift to keep the country's most fragile ego intact.

[TheHuckster]

I'm guessing he will be no worse than Bush was, honestly- who was the last President who didn't necessarily know what he was doing. Will he be bad for the country?

A lot of that depends on what happens in the world. Bush was similarly a weak president, but that was magnified tremendously by 9/11, which lead the Bush Administration to two horribly managed wars. Had those things not happened, I bet we still wouldn't call Bush an especially good president, but he wouldn't have nearly as much widespread criticism and might have at least left behind some kind of positive legacy.

I fear Trump's term is going to involve at least a few significant world or national events that require his attention. His reaction to such events could be catastrophic to our foreign affairs. It doesn't even has to be something he does, but rather what he says. I just have visions of him saying something crass to some Iranian official's wife or daughter, leading to a clusterfuck.

likely- a weak President ( as in, one who relies too much on their advisers- I'm thinking of situations where the President is rubber-stamping decisions made by their advisers, rather than considering their advisers' opinions when making a decision themselves) is almost universally bad for the country, but if he's more moderate than expected, then hopefully he won't do too much damage.

This is why his picks for his cabinet should be taken very seriously. We can't have another Donald Rumsfeld or Dick Cheney pulling the strings, as they had under Bush.

[Gravekeeper]

We can't have another Donald Rumsfeld or Dick Cheney pulling the strings, as they had under Bush.

GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence said his role model for the number two spot is the last Republican to hold the job – Dick Cheney.

“I frankly hold Dick Cheney in really high regard in his role as vice president and as an American,” Pence said on ABC’s “This Week.”

I think we can look forward to at least one utterly colossal fuck up that will haunt the US for the next 2 decades.

[HYHYBT]

If I were in his position, had his reputation, made his promises, etc., I might claim now that I wasn't going to prosecute Hillary even if I fully intended to lock her away. And the reason is that he's not president yet. If he were now ranting about how she belongs in prison and talking about ways to make some kind of charge stick, there's a good chance Obama would issue her a preemptive pardon. But after inauguration day, Trump can change his mind again and there's nothing to be done about it.

Alternately, but with the same effect, he could now genuinely have no intent to prosecute her, but bow to pressure later.