Trump as President? Meaning for Landscape Architects?

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Big picture wise, I think the one two punch of Obama and then Trump has been like much needed roughage for the country. What a contrast. We’ve been ingesting a big dose of the Kardasians, Honey Boo-Boos, garbage music (shout out to TODAYS hip-hop industry), Madoffs, Teen Moms, Cosbys, Sanduskys and other bad foods. The people are finally waking up to realize that we need to change our diets or we’re not going to make it. Now is the time to decide whether we’re going to get the kind of government we deserve or whether we continue to settle for the all-around scumbaggery that we’ve learned to accept.

I’m middle aged now and I still live my life by the principles that I learned from my grandparents, parents and cub scouts. Do what you say you’re going to do, be honest, help others in obvious need (regardless of who they are, even when they look scary), work hard, be the first to show a stranger respect and mind your own business, but know when to make a stand. Simple, just be square.

Although I live smack dab in the middle of ‘nutty, crunchy, liberal land (I confess my wife and I are a little crunchy), I’ve maintained my blue collar, steel worker values. I’m legit people. I’m from Cleveland, OH, and I’m certified plain and un-fancy at the core, even though I’m a landscape architect. In my tribe lying dirtballs, that make mistakes and never apologize, stiff hardworking people and push weaker folks around must always be called out for what they are. These are just basic standards that everyone, regardless of religion, color, political affiliation, age, etc. should be able to agree with. If Donald Trump isn’t the type of guy you would want to introduce someone you love to as a potential mate, why would you want him to be your president?

Please get some rest Leslie, because it looks like us pre-AARP and AARP crowd are going to be knee deep cow pies if we don’t get militant. So right now I’m gonna settle for PENCE 2018! MAGA! After we get rid of him we’ll be wiser and ready to make real progress. I love this country. Cheers. 

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Bob—I am a man who has said horrible and did piggish things to girls when I was a boy. By the time I reached high school I had developed enough to control that primitive thing that’s in most men. Being a jock, I was exposed to tons of testosterone driven stupidity. Here’s the thing, and I’m glad to admit it, almost all of us knew that shit wasn’t cool before we became juniors. We’re talking in a hyper-masculine, football town culture just like the one you live in.

It’s funny how most of us somewhere in high school put together the connection with the girls we saw as sex objects and the mothers, aunts and sisters that we loved. We develop empathy. We also realize humping fire hydrants and talking like a guttersnipe wasn’t going to win one over with the babes. I think your boy missed that life lesson.

I don’t know who you hang out with, but I have never heard middle-aged men talk the way that Trump was recorded talking. I don’t care how much I might benefit from a relationship with a man like that, you’ll never see me back slapping with a pig like that. At the very least I owe it to the badass women in my life who taught me how to be a man.

You’re missing what I’m saying here. Who cares about Obama, Clinton, and all the other dead presidents that you’re digging up? I wouldn’t leave Bill Clinton and Trump alone with my favorite pair of socks. Obama and Hillary are two millionaires whose biggest problem right now is how to live out the rest of their lives in the coolest fashion possible. You’re just barking at the wind on that one. Woof!

The thing I love about the Donald is he’s more entertaining than any other Grand Poobah we’ve ever had. We just need the deep state guys to build a drone simulator just fool him into thinking he’s getting some real action, where he can shoot missiles at mosques and border crossers in his own virtual world.  Set him up with his new bomber jacket and hat that he just snagged from the USS Ford and let him have at it. It will keep him occupied while the adults run things. Between Twitter fights with Snoop Dogg, Katy Perry and Arnold, killing brown people in the simulator and doing rallies every few weeks; he’ll be too entertained to do much damage. #pacifiers4thepowerhungry-Make America Safe Again.

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

I made the decision to become a Christian and to live my life as Christ-like as possible. Don’t be scared people, not in a creepy, far-off stare kind of way, but to do my best to live by those teachings. Believe me, it’s a pain in the butt sometimes and can be very inconvenient when you want to do something that you know is wrong. For me it’s a daily struggle.

That said, the thought of some poor family from Syria, Somalia, Ukraine, Libya, El Salvador or any other place trying to escape bullets and bombs being turned away as an official policy from my government, doesn’t sit well with the Christian thing that we like to toss around in this country when it works for us.

It’s pretty basic to me. As the most powerful and greatest country in the world and the cause of a lot of what’s going on right now, we have an obligation to do all that we can to help people escape war torn countries. Save them first, and then worry about the details. Save them first, and then worry about protecting our own scared fannies. That’s the stuff that makes the US the great country that I would still fight and die for.

 I think it’s insane for someone to talk about budgets and saving baseball and apple pie while kids are washing up on the shores of the Mediterranean. There’s no time to worry about whether or not those kids are Muslim. Right now they’re just humans. That seems to be the thing the flag waving, silly red hat crowd doesn’t seem to understand.

I believe in securing our borders, but actually building a physical wall is the dumbest thing you guys have cooked up yet. What is it the middle ages or something? You’re dealing with sophisticated criminal enterprises; do really think that’s going to stop them? People who think that building walls and turning our backs on our principles is going to keep us safe are living in an Ozzie and Harriette dreamland. At least that pesky old Obama keep us safe for 8 years without a major terrorist attack and without wasting our money on a bunch of stupid crap and destroying the international travel industry. That sounds pretty conservative and pro-business to me.

I’m signing off for now Bob. I think I’ve made my point. I know it probably sucks to be you right now, considering you hitched your wagon to a dumpster fire of an administration, but at least you can look forward to the possibility of the Donald parachuting into your town and throwing a rally. I couldn’t think of a better way for you to blow off some steam than to get all duded up in your ropers and patriotic gear to root your boy on. What’ll it be the Cotton Bowl or Texas Stadium?

[Leslie B Wagle]

Craig, I find the rescue question a profound one I might want to answer you privately. Just a quick thought on the effectiveness of both rallies and protests, which I think are fundamentally the same. They pump up the already-converted; but outsiders find them both alienating and tiresome. Unlike a sporting event with unknown outcome, who if not a stalwart believer would sit through a political thing full length, even the big party conventions? Media knows better than try that, so all we get are highlight bits. I kind of doubt most of us are among the hardy few that have spent time at either one 🙂

 

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

I can only speak about the Women’s March in DC Leslie. The difference between the march and Trump rallies is easy to point out. Trump rallies are where a group of people who mostly look the same go to listen to a guy who is already elected say the same stupid and hateful stuff he said on the campaign trail just weeks ago. On the other hand the Women’s March was lead and organized by regular women who are concerned about where this country is headed under the great showman’s leadership. It was grandmothers,mothers and daughters along with the men in their lives coming out and expressing themselves in an atmosphere of inclusiveness and love.

Honestly, this time around it’s not about Rs and Dems. It’s about basic decency. The president of this country should at least be someone we would want our children to look up to.

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Further, both events have people who are being motivated by fear. One group is energized by the fear of others and the ‘other-ness’ that comes with them. The second group is fearful because we elected a man who is mean, petty, and has a proven record of screwing people over. We have never had a leader who is so quick to lie about everything and yet people are willing to still support him. That’s the scariest thing of all. This isn’t normal, nor is it business as usual.

[Leslie B Wagle]

Andrew Garulay, RLA had the best answer to the current baffled interpretations of Trump voting earlier in the topic  Yes – I could change my mind – but I think things are actually more business as usual than the press wants them to be. There’s nothing they or invested out of power drama-inducing figures would love more than a “bad guy” and “virtuous massive uprising” myth to keep an uproar going, healthy for the country or not.

Separate thought: Powerful men are rarely, well actually never in my memory, people I would want my kid to really imitate. But there are different magnifying glasses and all have astigmatisms based on underlying political leanings. I’m not sure I think either of the fear depictions are inaccurate so much as reshaped according to point of view. Conservatives truly think they are accepting of people from elsewhere, but  they hold the country as a coherency concept that is counterpoint to any foreign individual’s personal difficulties, and they don’t think it is obligated to fill non-citizens needs at all times, in any numbers, from anywhere.  They want to be sure newcomers can contribute to it with out costing it dearly for several generations, or exposing (all descriptions of) its current members to undue risk. Sorry, guess I’m wasting everybody’s spare brain cells in this one and need to get to work on my still turbulent LA reflections.

 

 

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Funny, I literally LOL’d when I read your “bad guy” vs. “virtuous massive uprising”, because that’s pretty much what I’m selling and believe is happening. I feel that this time around we truly have the classic bad guy in the White House. Yeah, I know that sounds like some of the nutty stuff that was thrown around in 2008 targeting Obama, but there’s just too much blatant, in-your-face rottenness going on right now. And the people (or the other half of the people) are slowly waking up to what’s going on.

That Women’s March showed me that all of that ‘power of the people’ stuff that I grew up thinking was just lefty slogans was real. There were idiots that attempted to start conflict with the red hats and the pink knit kitty hats were not standing for it. Conflict squashed. Pro- Trump guys had a set up a stage and load speakers adjacent to the march were on the mic barking trash about how they’re not going to take any stuff from the crowd of mostly suburban moms and nanas. They were mostly ignored except for one petite young lady who defiantly let out a loud, “And what are you gonna do Mr. Tough-guy?”, as her boyfriend was holding her back. I saw a sprinkling of red MAGA hats every now and then and they too were basically invisible to the crowd. My wife and I helped a teenage Trump supporter who was in town for the inauguration with directions on the train loaded with marchers. The beauty was in the nothingness of it all. There were tens of thousands of people there. Way more than the police could have handled if something popped off, but other than the chants it was crickets.

That sounds like the beginning of what could be a virtuous massive uprising.

All we need now is for thinking people to realize that our politicians on both sides of the aisle, the press and big business are running a hustle on us, while we fight each other over race, party affiliation and economic opportunity. The critical thing is that the thinking people better make things right before the violent non-thinking people take over matters. I think this is the thing I find most dangerous about the president is the fact that he’s fueling the real scary characters on the Left and Right with his words. I forgot the MSM is cashing in on all of the turmoil with viewers being glued to their TVs and monitors watching the Frankenstein that they’re going to protect us from, which they created.

Lastly, like I said Obama was a flawed president, just like all of them. They’re human. But, it seems like comparing Obama’s handful of blunders over two terms to Trumps freighter load of bloopers in the last 18 months is like comparing apples to exhaust pipes. 

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

BOB 2020!

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

Chris;

I think President Trump knows he HAS to get going on the WALL along the Mexican Border….it was one of his biggest campaign promises to the American People.

There are MANY creative ways to fund that wall….regardless of the costs involved.

The U.S. spends $85 Billion annually in “Foreign Aid”.  Looking at the list of Nations (that includes Mexico) is ridiculous!  Even Russia & Gaza get Foreign Aid from the U.S….really? I’m sure there are some “good” reasons for some of this aid, but, I think Congress should go back to ZERO with every Nation and determine a “reasonable” amount.  Also, WHY is the U.S. giving the U.N. the most $$$???  If the other NATO Countries don’t pay their share…I’d say, cut em off.  Thanks to Obama…we have a National debt of almost $20 Trillion!  And giving Iran that Billions of dollars (as part of the Iran Nuke deal) was very suspicious…paid in foreign currency too. We build a $14 million gasoline station in Afghanistan…really?!  Hillary Clinton couldn’t account for something like $50 million when she was Secretary of State….waste, waste and more waste.  Gov’t employees are paid MORE than their counterparts in the private sector…WHY?  Plus, they get bonuses, nice pay raises, great benefits and they can NOT be fired (as they all belong to a Union).  Gov’t gone wild.

Cutting back on Gov’t employees in the Post Office, EPA, Education & Energy Departments alone would be a HUGE help.  Personally, I’d be fine getting “snail mail” twice a week….more wasted taxpayer money!

Trump wants to build a 30 Ft. High wall…..I vote for placing “electrified razor wire” on top of the entire wall…..OR the Illegals will manage to find a way to get over it.  Also, maybe, every U.S. military personnel should be req’d to serve 6 months of their enlistment patrolling the WALL.  But, the wall also needs “surveillance” (cameras, drones and under ground sensors).

Sticking Mexico with a 35% import tax; charging Mexicans who cross over into the U.S. a FEE (because, many of them work here, but live in Mexico).  And, IF we’re to allow the more than 11 million Illegals to STAY in the U.S. (and I think that figure is way too low)….the U.S. Gov’t should charge those Illegals an “Annual Fee” to be here.  Because, you and I KNOW many do NOT pay the IRS Income Taxes each year….they send a lot of their money they earn here (tax free) home to Mexico or some other Country…to their families. Hundreds of trucks transporting goods across the Southern border cross daily….hit them with a FEE.  The U.S. sends Mexico Billions of $$ annually for Foreign Aid….that amt. could be cut way back…and apply it towards the WALL.  In addition, American Citizens are being asked to donate to the building of the wall….and it’s happening, big time.

Yes, the WALL will be expensive…but, think of the BILLIONS of $$$ that those Illegals coming to the U.S. are costing our U.S. Gov’t every year…..you have to factor that into the costs.  Plus, hopefully, the wall will slow down drug & human trafficking & help keep terrorists from strolling across the Southern Border with a Nuke or other method to terrorize our Country.

Don’t underestimate President Trump…….Hillary did and look where it got her!  Trump is about “action” not “talk”……like Obama was.  Obama “talked” about creating jobs and improving our economy….but, our economy was no higher than 1% to 2% GDP for 8 straight years….and over 85 Million Americans are unemployed (the REAL unemployment rate according to a 67 yr. old Dartmouth University Professor is currently @ 24%. 

My LA practice was pretty slow those first 7 yrs. of Obama’s Presidency….but, it has picked up over the past 10 months…..and even more so recently.  I’m semi-retired, but, still wish to continue designing.  But, for 7 yrs. everyone was sitting on their wallets…not much spending to hire LAs……Americans were more concerned with paying their mortgages and putting food on the table.

I do totally agree with your statement about ASLA…..for all of my LA career, I’ve been waiting for ASLA to do “something….anything”, to really help our design profession.  

Bob

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Bob:

You and I don’t share the same values. The funny thing is that I don’t know you, but I get the feeling I’m more conservative in a lot of ways than you are. And the guy you’re supporting has a history of saying some pretty liberal things like, “We’re going to have insurance for everybody”. Crazy times we’re living in right now to think that we have a “republican” president who is cozying up to Putin the former KGB Foreign Intelligence Officer. Putin, along with Iran is also probably the person most responsible for the death of our military personnel around the world in recent times. What would Ron Reagan and Chuck Connors think about what’s going on right now? I don’t think that the Rifleman would approve of what some “conservatives” like yourself are signing off on. I think between the Bannon/Alt-Right, Kremlin aligning, blow up the government, and screw everything we ever stood for stuff (like honesty and integrity) is pretty radical.

I see you refuse to believe that I don’t give a darn about Obama right now. He’s just another millionaire, living in NW DC with other millionaires. He doesn’t matter anymore; he’s just a citizen with one vote. And Hill and Bill matter even less.

While you’re focusing on the past, a liberal conman snookered a vote out of you and millions of others. He was smart enough to say the right words to get the hate and fear crowd into a feeding frenzy. He delivered it in a way a simple way that anyone could understand. That’s his real talent. Just like his zany buddy Don King. It’s all flag waving, wide-eyed, optimistic ‘BS-ery’.

The fact that you think that it’s a good idea that this country should have ANY family running it for 16 consecutive years tells me that you’ve totally forgotten what democracy is about. And the fact that his daughter felt she earned the right to do anything beyond curtsying, smiling and bringing Angela Merkel biscuits and tea is beyond me.

Right now I think it’s time to come to the realization that we weren’t given much of a choice the last presidential election. It was the boring liberal with a damaged past, who was more than qualified for the job and failed to win because she rain a sorry campaign vs. really dishonest liberal, who convinced people that he was a God loving, conservative republican just so that he had a chance to win. Then he un-expectantly won because some dems and independents were too lazy and didn’t vote. So being the opportunist that he is, he figured he’d set up all of his family, friends and bootlickers with good government positions so that he can most efficiently suck money from the pockets of tax payers.  

It was a choice between dull and a bit shady, along with the same middle of the road policies or flamboyant, crooked, PT Barnum-type, with crazy policies and behavior that people on the left and right don’t like. I’m just trying to let you down easy, so that when you come to the realization that you’ve been had it doesn’t hurt so much.

 

http://www.redstate.com/absentee/2017/01/16/health-insurance-everybody-government-will-pay-says-republican-president-elect-donald-trump-again/

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Just as I thought you are totally incapable of defending Trump without referring to Obama or the Clintons. He’s doing a great job of making himself look bad. He looks bad on all of the networks, including Fox. A shadow government being led by two people, who could barely get anything past the republicans when they actually did have power, is somehow pulling the levers behind the scenes that make the Donald look bad. You don’t even believe that. The dems are still laying low waiting for their singed eyebrows to grow back. They don’t have time to nor do they have the power to do much. It’ll probably be the repubs trying to save their party who will do DT in.  You’ll have to wear a paper bag over your head at a one of his rallies by then.

BTW, that percentage of the annual budget idea to fund people who truly can’t afford health care sounds like something I could go along with. I believe that only a small percentage of Americans are not already working hard. They’re just working multiple low paying jobs with no benefits in our new gig economy. I think companies should be able to offer affordable health and dental that the employee pays for. You’re probably a little left of me on that. I guess when you stop defending the indefensible and talk about real ideas instead of ‘boogey-man’ stuff, we could possibly agree on something.

Thanks for the chat; it’s given me a little better understanding of people who are ‘all in’ Trump supporters. You’re a group of people who deserve to be heard, like it or not you’re a part of the diversity that makes life in this place interesting. No harm, no foul. Now if I could only meet one of those people who voted for Obama twice and then voted Trump. Image that.

Take care of yourself Bob. I know it has to be really hard to be a Trump supporter right now. 

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

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