Hi Foxy,

A lot of what Trump had to say was rhetoric, designed to rope in the gullible from a conservative base. I'm inclined to think Trump said most things without any real sincerity, he has no convictions on anything except himself. To a populist like Trump, conservative values of say, American Christianity, are nothing more than a tool to be used to garner support. On issues such as abortion he probably didn't give a toss one way or the other, as demonstrated by his lack of empathy for the quarter of a million dead Americans from coronavirus. Why would he be concerned about an aborted fetus, after all they don't vote, but those that are concerned do vote! Add all that popular politics to meaningless catchy phrases like "drain the swamp" and "make America great again" and you have a winning formula. People have inclinations, all Trump was doing was exploiting those inclinations to obtain power for himself.

Dear Paul,

I remember seeing an interview with Trump years ago where
he was pro-choice. So he bends whichever way suits him.
I agree with you. His only concern is himself and of
course winning and power. He is not for traditional
social institutions. He does not care about tradition or
organised religion or even parliamentary government.
He only cares about himself.

Trump is less a party Conservative than a selfish Businessman who bought the ultimate political position.

Clive Palmer is indeed the closest Businessman-politician equivalent here.

Barnaby Joyce doesn't have the money but is a self-server, who could start his own party.

Malcolm Turnbull has the money, but is principled and moderate.

There are few others I can think of.

Australian politics is:

- much more sensible
- less extremist
- less polarised
- less racially torn
- less gun "happy"
- has no fake exceptionalism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism , and
- less fake God-Fearing

than "Great" America.

We Australians keep our politicians, and other tall poppies, relatively honest, compared to America.

and we have Compulsory voting and a preferential system ably backed up by the very democratic Proportional Representation for the Senate, the Us has First Past the Post which is the least democratic system apart from a one-party state.

Trump is nowhere near a typical conservative, his economic policies are closer to Labor and his social policies closer to one nation.

No conservative would try and prop up local businesses by using tariffs as the consequences are generally worse than the benefits.

Paul,

You say "am glad you read all my posts very carefully".

Not any more sport. You are clearly an incorrigible gasbag who gets wound up in the mornings and yaps until bedtime. Read one of your posts and you've read them all. You will just go on making a fool of yourself with your crude and rude ways. You are obviously too insensitive to feel embarrassment.