is it really possible that Donald trump could be president?????

[Bishopsbuddy]

I have zero understanding of American politics and wondered could some one give me an idiots explanation pls. Could trump really win???

This really is now officially into major paranoia territory, isn't it? Other issues apart, there are far too many commercial interests invested in Christmas for it to be driven out. It never has been as big a deal in the US where they don't have Boxing Day and put a lot of their efforts into Thanksgiving. Far from us looking like going down the same route, if anything we put more into Christmas now than was the case in the past.

'It never has been as big a deal in the US '

I think it is which is why Trump brought it up and mentions it on Fox and in his rallies. It is just one more example of political correctness which is the biggest unifying underlying issue fuelling Trump's rise and which the Estanlishment and its political class fail to understand because they fail to understand the people because they don't have their sentiments and concerns at heart.

"Donald Trump railing against political correctness seems to have struck a chord with Americans of every persuasion

Something long overdue is happening here. The worm is turning against political correctness. For that, thank the excesses of self-appointed student thought police at some of the US’s most venerable universities. But, though it pains me to say it, thank also Donald Trump and the wrecking ball he has taken to accepted norms of political campaigning.

I’m no lover of Trump. He’s a narcissist, a bully and a bigot. Nonetheless he strikes a chord, and nowhere more so than in his railings against political correctness."

www.independent.co.uk/voices/donald-trump-railing-against-political-correctness-seems-to-have-struck-a-chord-with-americans-of-a6804181.html

Big Brother was politically correct. The thought police won't beat the American people.

"Not gonna happen anymore".
Trump 2016!

Big Brother checked if citizens were being politically correct, rather.

The definition of politically correct varies according to what political current is in power, particularly in the context of dictatorships.

Watch the politically correct Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina tonight, whom Trump calls a "nutjob" react when Trump wins the state of South Carolina hands down.

This is a revolution. As Trump says "this is a movement" and it is going to move the political class on out of power. After that it will spread to Europe.

'The definition of politically correct varies according to what political current is in power'

No, because political correctness is enforced, it is antithetical to freedom.

Under Trump, there will be no political correctness, you can insult him and call him a "nutjob" and a "racist" and say anything you like at all, because that is freedom, but he will continue to call Senator Lindsey Graham a "nutjob" too.

Big Brother is in trouble, first Trump took on political correctness, then he took on George W Bush on 911, then he hit back at the Pope when he called Trump "not Christian", now Trump is coming for Big Brother and there is nowhere left for Big Brother to hide. Freedom is going to win.

Trump 2016!

No, because political correctness is enforced, it is antithetical to freedom.

But it still depends on on who is enforcing it.
The same concept or idea could be politically correct in one system and incorrect in another system. It's relative.

I'm sure Trump's employees feel perfectly at freedom to call him a nutjob.

As Winston said in George Orwell's 1984

"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever."

And as Trump said in reply

"Not gonna happen anymore".

Trump is going to trample Big Brother.

Trump 2016!

'But it still depends on on who is enforcing it. '

But there is no force in freedom. The Anglophone countries have a tradition of freedom. America has its First Amendment enshrined in law. Justice Scalia was found dead a few days ago with a pillow over his head. But no one will strip the American people of their liberties and their right to free speech.

Trump is singlehandedly taking a wrecking ball to the Establishment's plans.

"thank also Donald Trump and the wrecking ball he has taken to accepted norms of political campaigning"

that is why the Trumpites are coming out in yuuuge numbers to vote for Donald J Trump. Big Brother can take a hike.

"They dislike "politicians" ... They love his brash style ... They want to overthrow "the establishment," be it Republican or Democratic.

They're Donald Trump voters"

They're known as Trumpites and Trumpsters and their rallying cry is Trump's legendary words.

"Not gonna happen anymore".

It's on. It's Trump 2016!

To be perfectly crystal clear when I say illegals I am of course referring to illegal immigrants.

What some people on this thread don't see is the bigger picture of just how the programs such as free aftercare with free extracurricular activities is paid for from taxes. We pay taxes through property, income and transactions. In NJ most towns fund their schools via property taxes. Those in section 8 housing, while paying rent, have heavily subsidized housing costs with the government paying the shortfall to the town. When you have illegal immigrants living in that housing its taking away resources from Americas poorest, often who can't get into section 8 housing in nicer towns. I know in my town there are lots of illegal immigrants living in section 8 housing. There is a huge double standard applied when it comes to immigration with qualified legal immigrants being forced to leave the country in 180 days if they lose their job through no fault of their own yet someone who is here illegally is entitled to all sorts of assistance, housing and education being two that spring to mind but there are plenty more, and can be totally upfront about their immigration status with no consequence.

With regard to Christmas, people are pissed off that they close the school for the Jewish holidays. I don't have a problem with closing for religious observance but you can't cherry pick. You either observe school closure for all or none. Parents are pissed off that Santa doesn't come into school anymore. As one mother put it, on her own with four kids, they don't let Santa in the school because it offends some well to do Jews but the consequence is that my kids won't get to see Santa because I can't afford it. They are fighting over idealology and I'm fighting to put food on the table and keep our roof over our heads.

The mother in question is an awesome parent and I don't disagree with her regarding ideology.

A Democratic strategist was interviewed on Fox. She said

"the people are done with the Establishment"

How do illegal immigrants get benefits of any sort? Aren't they supposed go be deported if found?
I'd get medical treatment that is provided no questions asked, but housing and payments?

Are you sure about that?

In any case I'd imagine it would still be better to become legal, for everyone.

"Establishment Scared Of Trump Supporters!
...
Trump’s message rings out loud and clear to all ages, all classes, all nationalities and minorities. He is a sounding cymbal in an era of clashing brass and slammed doors.

What Trump has done is totally awakened the people who were sleeping. He has made all who were obeying the politically correct police snap out of their stupor. He gave them all permission to think and to say what they saw. Then they began to do the unthinkable….they began to say what they thought. Oh my. And guess what? The people loved it and they had a taste of it and I doubt if any are going to reverse. They are going full steam forward and waking up their family and friends. There is a great new thing going on."

themarshallreport.wordpress.com/2015/12/29/establishment-scared-of-trump-supporters/

This is starting to look like a people's revolution. The media is throwing everything they have at Trump but he laughs it all off. The Establishment thought the clash with the Pope would stop Trump in his tracks but Trump just said "he is a terrific guy" and continued to hit his "liar" opponents.

With regard to Christmas, people are pissed off that they close the school for the Jewish holidays. I don't have a problem with closing for religious observance but you can't cherry pick. You either observe school closure for all or none.

Do your kids have school on Christmas day then?

Parents are pissed off that Santa doesn't come into school anymore.

American public schools are secular aren't they? We don't have Santa in state schools either (France).

misti The kids school broke for 'New Year' on December 23rd. They went back on Jan 4th. My kids don't get Easter off. It's Spring Break that starts Easter Monday for the week. They are in school on Good Friday. However, you have Jewish holidays marked as such on the school calendar.

Personally I don't have an issue with Santa being in school or not but I have the time and money to take my kids to see Santa at Macy's or to the local 5* hotel, which is where most families we know went, where it cost $80 to spend 5min with Santa and have a family picture taken. Considering in our school district 95% of the kids are Christian with 70% from low income households (ie they qualify for SNAP), I do think the provision in school should be focused on providing for the low income households and not catering to minority groups who have the resources to help themselves. After all they are not helping the Muslim or Hindu households who are also very present in our town. Heck they don't even have a halal or vegetarian menu at school. They do however have a kosher menu. The Muslim parents have gone ahead and organized themselves so the kids either have a packed lunch or delivery from a local catering company.

lweji They are never deported unless they are caught and convicted of a felony. Apart from that no illegal immigrant here from the start illegally is deported. Come in on a H1B visa though with a job lined up and your job is eliminated you have 180 days to leave the country. If you don't leave they will come after you to deport you.

Illegal immigrants are entitled to state welfare. That gives them rights to welfare because each state runs their own program. You have to remember the US is the size of the EU and just like in the EU, nothing is given to people directly by the EU.

Healthcare is run on a slightly different basis. An illegal immigrant is entitled to care at clinics and the ER at no cost and there is no requirement for them to have health insurance. They can, if they want, purchase healthcare insurance through the state program here in NJ. The uptake has apparently been minimal. Hardly surprising when there is no fine for them yet an American citizen with the same income who doesn't purchase healthcare insurance has to pay a fine if they turn up to ER or a clinic needing care.

My issue with illegal immigrants is all about the impact they have on our poorest Americans who really need properly funded programs to help raise living standards in these communities. DH and I do quite a bit of work in Newark which has a very high amount of poverty. There have been numerous construction projects going on in the town over the past decade. The laborer jobs are all done by illegal immigrants because the day rate is less than what minimum wage would pay. The contractors pay cash to these guys too so don't pay employer taxes. The long term issue with this is that the laborers become semi skilled and take over the next level of jobs. They are then threatening the unions. The unions here in the construction industry have been excellent at pushing forward higher safety standards for the public and their members.

Fox, ABC, NBC all predict Trump win.

Fox commentator talking of Trump being able to run the table - a terrifying thought for the Establishment lane.

The kids school broke for 'New Year' on December 23rd. They went back on Jan 4th. My kids don't get Easter off. It's Spring Break that starts Easter Monday for the week. They are in school on Good Friday. However, you have Jewish holidays marked as such on the school calendar.

So your kids get both major Christian festivals off school? (As do mine, in their supposedly secular French schools). How many Jewish festivals do they get off school?

Forgive me for wondering if there isn't some anti-semitism on display here.

Claig Trump got less than a third of the votes .... which suggests that talk of a "low ceiling" may be correct. Bush is out, the republican party will now coalesce around Rubio. I don't think anything much has changed at this point. It's still about 50:50 for Trump, and Rubio's odds have considerably improved.

'Forgive me for wondering if there isn't some anti-semitism on display here.'

I doubt it because Want2Be is Jewish.

'It's still about 50:50 for Trump, and Rubio's odds have considerably improved.'

I agree, it is not a walkover for Trump and the Establishment will pull every rabbit out of the hat to desperately try and stop him. Cruz is essentially finished because if he couldn't win South Carolina with its high evangelical contingent, he can't win anywhere. However, the Establishment will want him to remain in to draw votes from Trump on the real conservative side.

The Establishment are now all in for Rubio. Expect a lot more of their bought and paid for politicians to endorse Rubio. But expect the people to back Trump.

South Carolina is the gateway to the South. Trump leads the polls by far in Nevada, but it looks like things are possibly a bit dodgy in Nevada since it is a caucus.

Trump is the master showman, he will escalate his truth-telling and scare the Establishment out of its pants as the contest gets tougher. Trump will still be triumphant because it is too important to lose.

It is Trump vs the globalists. America vs the globalists and America cannot afford to lose.

I doubt it because Want2Be is Jewish

Fair enough. Point still stands though: kids have major Christian festivals off school. Unless you're from European christian tradition and Saint Nicholas brings the gifts, Santa is a commercial tradition that has nothing to do with Christianity.

Now if you want to argue that commerce rather than Christianity is America's true religon, you may find that I agree with you .

But expect the people to back Trump

I think we can continue to expect about a third of Republican primary/caucus voters to support Trump.

'Santa is a commercial tradition that has nothing to do with Christianity.'

Yes, but it is all about sentiment. Santa is part of the majority culture and people are fed up of the political class marginalising the culture and traditions of the majority under their creed of political correctness that they enforce on the people.

'I think we can continue to expect about a third of Republican primary/caucus voters to support Trump.'

Many, many more people back Trump than the Establishment media let on. Trump gave a very combative victory speech in his usual style. He said the media pundits "these geniuses" all say that if you add up all the votes of the other contestants it outnumbers Trump. But Trump says that lots of those votes will go to Trump.

Fox host just said

"The Establishment are either going to have to leave the country or make peace with Trump".

Trump won among evangelicals, he beat Cruz.

Fox host said "is it because he is the anti PC (political correctness) candidate?" and the other host said "clearly Trump does a very poor imitation of an evangelical, he is fooling no one" but evangelicals want someone to protect them against attacks on their freedom of worship and free speech.

Another evangelical pastor said "evangelicals are not voting for Trump because he is biblically correct, but because he is politically incorrect".

The people are ending the political class's tyranny of political correctness, they are restoring liberty once again.

It will sweep America and then it will sweep Europe and all the bought and paid for wonks that lecture the public will be looking for another job.

I am indeed Jewish and believe that if you are closing the school mid week for one day for a Jewish holiday and not offering wrap care they should also extend the same provision for the major Muslim and Hindu religions.

What also applies here is that wrap care is provided by schools during spring break (covers Easter) so parents don't have to take vacation. This is an extremely important part of policy designed to enable those from the poorest sections of our society to work. Welfare is very different if you don't have a job here. Not offering wrap care over the Jewish holidays causes problems and does appear to be unfair because school employees providing care during spring break (the vast majority of whom are Christian) are expected to work on both Good Friday and Easter Monday. That single mother with 4 children to support had to figure out childcare for the day so she could get to work.

I also find it disturbing that in schools that are supposed to be secular they cover all the major Christian and Jewish holidays. There are 2 children of Chinese descent who celebrate the Chinese New Year. As parents we organized a Chonese New Year celebration as part of the school day. Did and Diwali are not even mentioned in school. I think it's wrong that if you close a school for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, other major celebrations from other religions and cultures are not even part of the school day.

I completely agree that if you're going to celebrate religious festivals it should be even-handed, although ideally a secular school shouldn't celebrate any of them (we don't here - they get Christmas and Easter day off because they are public holidays, but there are no Christmas masses or nativity plays).

But do you really think that Trump, or indeed any other republican candidate, would be in favour of celebrating Diwali in schools, or accommodating students respecting Ramadan? I rather think not ...

No but you would stop the nonsense of days off school where wrap care isn't provided. It is my belief that it is up to the parents and teacher to work out what's best for the class and that is basically what the Republican Party have traditionally stood for (small government). I have a problem with the kids in class not learning about the meaning of Christmas (I.e. The nativity) in a country founded on Christian principles while learning about the meaning of Ḥanukah. I also think a secular education should include the children learning about all of the major religions in the world.

The big issue the GOP has is that they have not moved with the times. It's why a candidate like Trump is such a surprise. While we had a black president last time round (raised by a white mother who remarried an Indonesian man and who has a half sister who is also extremely accomplished) I think the fact we have a GOP candidate who isn't anti abortion and still getting votes is equally as ground breaking.

I think the fact that Bernie Sanders is doing so well also indicates just how fed up people are with the politician set up today. Hilary Clinton is not what the under 35s want or see as a democrat.