I thought he was one hundred times better than Obama.
After reading this, possibly only 99.9 times better.
At least he is pro-American, which is more than can be said for Obama or Clinton.

Herr Hitler was also a power hungry psychological basket case full of insecurities and paranoia!? I believe D Trump is a living contradiction; a walking talking oxymoron and a mutually incompatible juxtaposition of ultra conservative, bare faced and compulsive teller of terminological inexactitudes and part time liberal!? (hunts with hounds and runs with the hares?)

We have to hope he doesn't go on to win power, given he is likely; handed the reins of power, more than capable of making a bad situation worse by as commander in chief, simply reneging on promises, or deserting friends if convenient and being much too liberal with the obligatory austerity or sabre rattling!?

This for me, is the most unimpressive candidate for the top job I've ever seen!

I believe the still sane American voters should get out and vote en mass and in record numbers, a virtual nation and freedom saving must!

Saying as they elect anyone else, Mr Trump, you're fired!
Alan B.

Another left rant against against a personally successfully and brilliant person who makes all other candidates for POTUS, and all recent Presidents, particularly Obama, look like wet sonks and big girls' blouses, who don't have the brains or guts to stand up for America and, by default, the Western world. Trump might come over a bit animalistic, but he is not a political animal like the other dropkicks, and Americans should embrace him for the own sakes, and those of the free world.

The US of Paranoia is a very insecure nation.
Trump is just one manifestation of that.

I guess that Gary like every other left whinger doesn't like Trump.

While not a big fan myself, I am forced to admire his brilliant sensing of the public mood and the clever manipulation of the media. Garry and other bleeding heart liberals would do well not to underestimate him.

Heil Trump!

Russians luv im https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDMkOft5v9U
because he's so much like Putin.

I SALUTE HIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD6oDnm43HA

It does not matter who the American people (or us for that matter) vote in, they will take their orders from TPTB.

The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes. Benjamin Disraeli

Politicians are dependent on powerful interests for their re-election funds, not the masses.

Government is supposed to be our servant, not our rulers, don't forget this.

Does anyone here really think that casting a secret vote every 3-4 years and then be relegated to the sidelines as a mere spectator, is the be all and end all of democracy?

The concept of us voting in 150 or so people to govern us all is lubricious in this day and age.

We might get to choose the pilot but we sure as christ don't get to choose the flight plan, which we should.

"I guess that Gary like every other left whinger doesn't like Trump" says Shadow Minister. I think you are way short of the mark mate. I think he & all his lefty mates are terrified of Trump, & how far he appears to be prepared to go to clean them out of positions of authority.

I believe they are worried he will rip them off the public teat, & force them to go earn an honest living.

How many of them would be capable of actually doing something of value? If Trump wins we are likely to see many of these people begging on the street.

Jeff Guo writing for The Washington Post in December 2015
told us that:

"People are sick of the political establishment. When the
press shows Trump for saying shocking (and often untrue)
things that only heightens the "us" vs "them" dynamic."

Jeff goes on to explain:

"A lot of people dislike immigrants and Trump supporters are
particularly attracted to his views on immigration. He's hugely
popular among uneducated people who've been left behind by
economic progress in recent years."

We're told that:

"Trump has simple answers for everything. He's often wrong but what
matters is that he always sounds right. In politics, force of character can be as important as facts
(which nobody can agree on anyway).
Trump's charisma, his confident and decisive air, forms a huge part
of his appeal."

"They're responding to dynamism, to force, to movement, to smiling,
to facial expressions that convey authority," said Stanford
psychologist Jeffrey Pfeffer." Trump's politics and personality
are appealing to many people. People not only love his ideas, but
also the way he delivers them. Trump says things that people have
been afraid to say. Although he often makes insensitive or
factually wrong statements that in the past would have torpedoed any
other candidate's prospects. In Trump's case his comments have virtually
had no impact on his popularity in the polls.

Jeff explains that:

"Charisma plus a powerful message has always been the formula for
political success."

"Those who doubted Trump for so long, perhaps did not recognise that he
had a special brand of both."

Foxy you have to stop believing things just because it is published in some newspaper. Most of what is printed in papers is emotive garbage written only to sell newspapers.

You have to realise that almost anything published in the left wing press is heavily spun at best, or straight lies, designed to promote the cause.

You have to stop letting the purveyors of misinformation turn your pretty little head from the path of truth, I know you want to follow.

Dear Hassie,

I don't live in the USA - so I'm not able to judge the current
reactions of the local population and I thought that summations
from a widely respected newspaper like The Washington Post
would be appropriate. I was also interested in the given reasons
of why Donald Trump was so popular. They made sense.
I'm sorry that I've disappointed you. I respect your opinion.

Should Trump be elected, the importance would be that the electorate would have declared their lack of confidence in the political establishment.

Unless Trump can put the establishment into the trash bin of history, he would not be able to accomplish much. Thus, the result of a Trump failure could be a demoralized electorate that gives up.

A very poor attempt at character assassination, almost child-like. There's not one mention of any of Trump's policies. Hint: if you don't want people to vote for him or support him, state his policies and then why said policies are wrong.

Referundemdrivensocienty if 8 years of Obama has not destroyed the electorate's confidence in the political establishment, nothing ever will.

Trump is obviously giving many ordinary yanks some hope that the system just might serve them for a change.

I do believe they are hoping for too much. Trump as president would be undermined at every turn, just as Abbott was, & achieve very little. He may be tough enough to overcome that, but I doubt anyone is that strong.

The big question is, could he actually survive being elected president. I'm slightly surprised he has not been assassinated already. The left have never been very good at accepting the will of the people.

In many ways Trump and Sanders are very similar.

Both tell the voters what they want to hear, even if it is complete fantasy.

Both Sanders and Trump would be dangerous in office.

Agreed Shadow Minister.
All the rise of Trump has demonstrated to me is the surprising numbers of dippy yippie-yi-o rednecks that actually live in the US, and vote for loony-toons like Trump as a possible Presidential possibility.

Mind you, Arnie was voted in as a Governor, which also still amazes me!
I would be willing to bet plenty that Trump will never be President.
There are surely not nearly as many mindless fools on the other side of politics in the US? Is there?

There’s got to be a lesson in this for politicians. I’m not entirely sure what that is yet, but dear God there must be a lesson!

That someone who is so unintelligent, so openly sexist and racist, has so many failed business ventures, and is clearly only in it to satisfy his own ego, can become the Republican presidential candidate is simply gob-smacking. I get that his supporters appreciate that he speaks his mind, but spending a protest vote of Drumpf (his actual family name) could never be a solution.

I’m not sure if they’re actually able to, but I have heard a rumour that the Republican party are going to toss Drumpf and replace him with Kasich and Bush. They would sooner go down fighting with them than sell their conservative souls to Drumpf.

John Oliver summed up the situation, and just how much of a dud Drumpf is on all levels, very well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnpO_RTSNmQ

Speaking of Drumpf, if you install the Google Chrome extension, Drumpfinator, (which changes all instances of “Trump” into “Drumpf”) then this discussion looks very funny.

http://i.imgsafe.org/aa7170e.png

So does Google News, for that matter.

It's a neat idea given that the name "Trump" has unfortunately become synonymous with power and success, and is almost onomatopoeic.

I soon found out, however, that I needed to disable the extention for this post. Thought I was going crazy for a minute there.

Both Sanders and Trump would be dangerous in office, you say Shadow Minister, & I am inclined to agree with you. However have you thought of the alternative.

To my mind, the only person I can think of, apart from Obama, who would be more dangerous in office is Clinton. Now there is a failure incarnate.

Suze,

Similarly, I am surprised by the number of Dippy hipster pinheads that vote for Sanders.

Why would Sanders be dangerous?

Aidan,

Sanders has bugger all actual policies, and his promises look like a wish list of touchy feely socialist Nirvana, which are as bad as anything of Trumps.