General Chat

Thank you Rollo. Our system may have its drawbacks, but it's a lot less complicated!!

Well I reckon he knows exactly what he is saying and doing......I don't believe he thinks he will win so can therefore say what he likes....I reckon he is bored and is havin a larf with everyone.....tongue in cheek......it's the ejits who follow him and vote for him who I worry about.....now they definitely need their heads seeing to.

A US president has very extensive executive power. American governments ( see "The West Wing" ) are formed of people appointed by the president NOT members of Congress. They do have to be confirmed by Congress though and hearings can drag on.

The US president has the sole power to nominate members of the 5 person Supreme Court though again they have to be confirmed by Congress. Right now the court is split 2-2 with one vacancy. Obama refuses to make a nomination as right now the GOP control both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Supreme Court is able to make heavy duty constitutional judgements such as the suppression of the Jim Crow laws which effectively denied the vote to blaqck people in the south or the right to ride on a non-segrehated bus. Or the right to an abortion. Crucially for the upcoming election the Democrats intend drastic changes to the 2nd Amendment, immigration and abortion laws such that the person sitting on the fifth seat will be crucial. It is in this context that Trump has suggested that the powerful NRA might consider bumping off Hilary Clinton. He said enough to get arrested in the UK ....

The President is CinC of all US armed forces inc nukes ... that is more fire power than the rest of the world put together. The phrase "use with care" comes to mind.

The President has no powers to make laws - that is reserved to Coingress. He also has no revenue raising powers - that too is reserved to Congress. OTOH the President can and does veto Congress while it is not unusual for the Senate to veto resolutions of the House.

Then there are states rights ...

All this malarky is known as "the separation of powers" and is designed to stop would be dictators taking over the show. So far the USA has never managed to elect an out and out mad man though it came close in the C19 and again with Nixon and the Goldwater candicacy.

Whether it could survive Trump we will probably never know as Clinton has a widening lead currently > 15%.

It is generally not appreciated that US citizens do not vote directly for the president. Their votes are used to construct what is known as the electoral college weighted by state which elects the president. Right now Hilary Clinton has a massive lead in the electoral college.

In the Bush v Kerry "hanging chads" election Bush got a majority in the electoral college and became president even though Kerry won the popular vote. Known unknowns...

For those of the brexit persuasion it may be interesting to learn that Clinton has taken quite a bit of the left wing Sander's platform on board. This includes much stronger protectionism for USA jobs and a significantly reduced priority for foreign trade deals. As Obama put it any deal with the UK would be "right at the back of the queue". Trump is agianst foreign trade altogether.

If you're referring to the link in the previous thread

and

If you're being serious, Sharron, then almost certainly Yes - it's a nuclear explosion!

Do you think that strange thing on his head could be causing him pain?

Mad has a hatter

Heaven help us if he gets elected!

However ---- I'm not that good at American politics, but doesn't the president have to get everything past Congress before it becomes law?? Like the problems Obama has had with changes to the gun laws and his ideas for a health service?

IF I'm right, hopefully they will keep the Donald in check. :-| :-| :-|

he seems to stir people up, much like Hitler did :-(

I agree with the gist of the thread - but i find it refreshing to listen to a politician who says what he thinks, albeit rarely to my liking.

Happy days

Dangerously so. He asked what was the point of being president if he couldn't use nuclear weapons.

I hope America isn't as mad as he is.

He is a Dangerous Nutcase !

he's a nutcase

the latest in the saga of 'the Donald'. Did you know that Hilary Clinton and Barrack Obama started ISIS????

My Dad thinks hmmmmmmm maybe I shouldn't say, don't want CIA, FBI, NCIS or Homeland security agents knocking on our door even though we Aren't American citizens'.
:-(