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A Damaged Soul and a Disordered Personality

homersapien

By homersapien
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homersapien Founding Father

homersapien 11,367

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https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/03/trump-tweets-attack-john-mccain/585193/

 

Trump’s continuing attacks on John McCain reveal a worrisome state of mind.

Donald Trump is not well. Over the weekend, he continued his weird obsession with a dead war hero. This time, his attacks on John McCain came two days after the anniversary of McCain’s release from a North Vietnamese prison camp. He tweeted this:

And this:

And retweeted this:

All this comes in the aftermath of Trump’s comments about McCain in 2015. “He’s not a war hero,” Trump said. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

These grotesque attacks once again force us to grapple with a perennial question of the Trump era: How much attention should we pay to his tweets; and what exactly do they reveal about America’s 45th president?

I’m sympathetic to those who worry that too many Americans spend too much time paying too much attention to what Trump tweets. The danger is that we allow Trump to succeed in keeping us in a state of constant agitation and moral consternation, in ways that are unhealthy and even play to Trump’s advantage, allowing him to control the nation’s conversation.

But that view, which might apply in some circumstances, shouldn’t apply in all circumstances. The real danger in so desensitizing ourselves to Trump’s tweets is that we normalize deviant behavior and begin to accept what is unacceptable.

A culture lives or dies based on its allegiance to unwritten rules of conduct and unstated norms, on the signals sent about what kind of conduct constitutes good character and honor and what kind of conduct constitutes dishonor and corruption. Like each of us, our leaders are all too human, flawed and imperfect. But that reality can’t make us indifferent or cynical when it comes to holding those in authority to reasonable moral standards. After all, cultures are shaped by the words and deeds that leaders, including political leaders, validate or invalidate.

“To his equals he was condescending; to his inferiors kind; and to the dear object of his affections exemplary tender,” Henry Lee said in his eulogy of George Washington. “Correct throughout, vice shuddered in his presence, and virtue always felt his fostering hand; the purity of his private character gave effulgence to his public virtues.”

But the other reason we should pay attention to the tweets and other comments by the president is that they are shafts of light that illuminate not only his damaged soul, but his disordered personality.

It doesn’t take a person with an advanced degree in psychology to see Trump’s narcissism and lack of empathy, his vindictiveness and pathological lying, his impulsivity and callousness, his inability to be guided by norms, or his shamelessness and dehumanization of those who do not abide his wishes. His condition is getting worse, not better—and there are now fewer people in the administration able to contain the president and act as a check on his worst impulses.

This constellation of characteristics would be worrisome in a banker or a high-school teacher, in an aircraft machinist or a warehouse manager, in a gas-station attendant or a truck driver. To have them define the personality of an American president is downright alarming.

Whether the worst scenarios come to pass or not is right now unknowable. But what we do know is that the president is a person who seems to draw energy and purpose from maliciousness and transgressive acts, from creating enmity among people of different races, religions, and backgrounds, and from attacking the weak, the honorable, and even the dead.

Donald Trump is not well, and as long as he is president, our nation is not safe.

Peter Wehner is a contributing editor at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He writes widely on political, cultural, religious, and national-security issues.

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homersapien Founding Father

homersapien 11,367

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"....... Trump attacked deceased senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), whom he falsely accused of leaking the Steele dossier and who he falsely said finished “last in his class" at Annapolis. (He finished fifth from last. Since Trump’s attorney went around allegedly threatening schools Trump attended, we have no way of knowing how Trump performed in school.) Anti-Trump activist Sarah Longwell observed that the worst part of this was “the way so many Republicans just let them slide or even cheer them. John McCain was tortured in a prison camp for five years in service to this country. The least his party could do is defend him from Trump’s dishonorable smears.” That’s beyond the moral capacity of nearly all elected Republicans these days......

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/18/trump-is-getting-worse-republicans-rationalizations-are-getting-weaker/?utm_term=.8528c13494f8

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AUDub Founding Father

AUDub 11,147

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26 minutes ago, NolaAuTiger said:

0a6.gif

The NPC meme. Do you by chance post on 4chan? 

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homersapien Founding Father

homersapien 11,367

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Conclusions aside Nola, do you deny or dispute any of the facts presented?

And do you think this sort of behavior from the POTUS is normal and acceptable?

 

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homersapien Founding Father

homersapien 11,367

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"A culture lives or dies based on its allegiance to unwritten rules of conduct and unstated norms, on the signals sent about what kind of conduct constitutes good character and honor and what kind of conduct constitutes dishonor and corruption. Like each of us, our leaders are all too human, flawed and imperfect. But that reality can’t make us indifferent or cynical when it comes to holding those in authority to reasonable moral standards. After all, cultures are shaped by the words and deeds that leaders, including political leaders, validate or invalidate."

Do you agree with this Nola?

Are you really OK with a president - who fraudulently avoided military service - to disparage and trash a veteran who spent 5 years in an enemy prison camp undergoing torture while in service to our country?

Is that the new norm?

 

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AUDub Founding Father

AUDub 11,147

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1 hour ago, NolaAuTiger said:

Never heard of 4chan

/pol/ is where the NPC meme originated.

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PUB78 Founding Father

PUB78 1,358

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Oh boy, Homer. You are obsessed with Trump.   There is help for this type of disorder.

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Grumps Founding Father

Grumps 3,704

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3 hours ago, homersapien said:

Conclusions aside Nola, do you deny or dispute any of the facts presented?

And do you think this sort of behavior from the POTUS is normal and acceptable?

 

I realize that you didn't ask me, but I don't think Trump's methods are "normal". I don't know what you mean by "acceptable". How do you not "accept" what he says? I accept that he said what he said. I don't like it.

The question is, "What difference does it make?" He's a jerk. We get it. It seems that the two choices are to make the best out of having a jerk for POTUS or we can whine incessantly and try to make the country suffer more so that he will lose the next election. Which option do you choose? Or better yet, what do YOU think should be done with Trump?

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AUDub Founding Father

AUDub 11,147

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3 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

Looks just like ICHY to me.

Damn he really gets under y’all’s skin. 

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SaltyTiger Founding Father

SaltyTiger 7,792

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6 hours ago, homersapien said:

And do you think this sort of behavior from the POTUS is normal and acceptable?

Trump is a horses ass  when it comes to Senator McCain. Especially the double down today regarding the thumbs down to the dog &pony R&R obamacare. JMO.

Probably is the new norm and your reactionary side is more of a contributor than Trump........ 

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japantiger Founding Father

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8 hours ago, homersapien said:

"....... Trump attacked deceased senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), whom he falsely accused of leaking the Steele dossier and who he falsely said finished “last in his class" at Annapolis. (He finished fifth from last. Since Trump’s attorney went around allegedly threatening schools Trump attended, we have no way of knowing how Trump performed in school.) Anti-Trump activist Sarah Longwell observed that the worst part of this was “the way so many Republicans just let them slide or even cheer them. John McCain was tortured in a prison camp for five years in service to this country. The least his party could do is defend him from Trump’s dishonorable smears.” That’s beyond the moral capacity of nearly all elected Republicans these days......

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/18/trump-is-getting-worse-republicans-rationalizations-are-getting-weaker/?utm_term=.8528c13494f8

It would seem the 1st assertion is a lie.....and really, 5th from the bottom .... we're arguing over him being cadet # 1395 or cadet #1400?  ..it was clear McCain was no scholar.  Even the movies made about the guy made fun of his time there.  It's pretty obvious why Trump won't let this go...McCain was no different than CNN , MSNBC, Adam Schitt or you Homey... McCain was absolutely stark raving mad that Trump won and went out of his way to try to get him removed...this is pretty straightforward stuff....you guys don't give 2 sh**s about McCain.  McCain is a useful foil for you because he is an (R) and you think you can use his name.  

McCain endured great hardship at the hands of the Vietnamese.  He won great kudo's by refusing release until those held longer than him were released.  He deserves all the recognition he is due for that.  However, those actions don't give him a pass when he was the worst kind of RINO; and caved every time there was a confrontation with the left.  As a politician, he was useless.   Politics and Military service are two different things...If McCain didn't want s*** flung on him; he should have stayed out of the pile.   

In January, McCain officially gave the dossier to the FBI, which already had its own copy from Steele....

  • David Kramer, a former State Department official, revealed in a court deposition that he had contact with a dozen reporters regarding the infamous Steele dossier.
  • Kramer, a longtime associate of John McCain, was BuzzFeed’s source for the dossier, which alleges a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Kremlin.
  • Kramer provided the dossier to CNN’s Carl Bernstein, as well as to several government officials, including Obama National Security Council official Celeste Wallander and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger.\In the deposition, Kramer suggests that Steele and Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson sought to use him and McCain as conduits to pass the dossier to the FBI.

EXCLUSIVE – The man who says he acted as a “go-between” last year to inform Sen. John McCain about the controversial “dossier” containing salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump is speaking out, revealing how the ex-British spy who researched the document helped coordinate its release to the FBI, the media and Capitol Hill.

“My mission was essentially to be a go-between and a messenger, to tell the senator and assistants that such a dossier existed,” Sir Andrew Wood told Fox News in an exclusive interview with senior executive producer Pamela K. Browne.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/inside-the-trump-dossier-handoff-mccains-go-between-speaks-out

https://dailycaller.com/2019/03/14/john-mccain-dossier-steele-reporters/

 

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homersapien Founding Father

homersapien 11,367

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18 hours ago, PUB78 said:

Oh boy, Homer. You are obsessed with Trump.   There is help for this type of disorder.

This is a political forum.  He is the president.  Probably the most extraordinary president in our history- a narcissistic psychopath. But as president, he has the potential to change our system in the most negative way - if only the majority of people ignore it, like Republicans are doing. I choose not to.

I am presenting news and opinion you wouldn't otherwise see.  Even so, you can always just ignore it, like a good MAGA. It's not about me. ;)

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homersapien Founding Father

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18 hours ago, Grumps said:

I realize that you didn't ask me, but I don't think Trump's methods are "normal". I don't know what you mean by "acceptable". How do you not "accept" what he says? I accept that he said what he said. I don't like it.

The question is, "What difference does it make?" He's a jerk. We get it. It seems that the two choices are to make the best out of having a jerk for POTUS or we can whine incessantly and try to make the country suffer more so that he will lose the next election. Which option do you choose? Or better yet, what do YOU think should be done with Trump?

Trump needs to be removed from office ASAP.   Our country is wasting precious time - not to mention suffering the consequences of his policies - every day he is there. The economy is important, but it's not the only thing.  Besides, there is relatively little he has done to improve the economy, if anything he's damaged it at the margins with his trade policies. In fact, is Obama is the one who held office when the economy recovered from the great recession. Trump inherited an economy in good shape.  All he has really done is run up huge deficits, which is unusual in a strong economy.

If he is impeached before 2020, great. Let's just endure Pence until the election.  If not, let's do whatever we can to ensure he is defeated in 2020.  Meanwhile, sticking your head in the sand - or up your ass - is no way to facilitate his departure.

I find it fascinating that so many are apparently offended by my presenting facts concerning this narcissistic psychopath. It's not like he is constantly generating new material on a daily basis. (30 tweets in one day!)  Yet some would rather focus on the messenger that the message.

But like I said, like most republicans you are certainly free to stick your head.... and ignore it.  And that goes for any post I make.

But I plan to continue exposing this POS potus. Apparently - judging from the reactions - some are listening.

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homersapien Founding Father

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14 hours ago, japantiger said:

It would seem the 1st assertion is a lie.....and really, 5th from the bottom .... we're arguing over him being cadet # 1395 or cadet #1400?  ..it was clear McCain was no scholar.  Even the movies made about the guy made fun of his time there.  It's pretty obvious why Trump won't let this go...McCain was no different than CNN , MSNBC, Adam Schitt or you Homey... McCain was absolutely stark raving mad that Trump won and went out of his way to try to get him removed...this is pretty straightforward stuff....you guys don't give 2 sh**s about McCain.  McCain is a useful foil for you because he is an (R) and you think you can use his name.  

McCain endured great hardship at the hands of the Vietnamese.  He won great kudo's by refusing release until those held longer than him were released.  He deserves all the recognition he is due for that.  However, those actions don't give him a pass when he was the worst kind of RINO; and caved every time there was a confrontation with the left.  As a politician, he was useless.   Politics and Military service are two different things...If McCain didn't want s*** flung on him; he should have stayed out of the pile.   

In January, McCain officially gave the dossier to the FBI, which already had its own copy from Steele....

  • David Kramer, a former State Department official, revealed in a court deposition that he had contact with a dozen reporters regarding the infamous Steele dossier.
  • Kramer, a longtime associate of John McCain, was BuzzFeed’s source for the dossier, which alleges a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Kremlin.
  • Kramer provided the dossier to CNN’s Carl Bernstein, as well as to several government officials, including Obama National Security Council official Celeste Wallander and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger.\In the deposition, Kramer suggests that Steele and Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson sought to use him and McCain as conduits to pass the dossier to the FBI.

EXCLUSIVE – The man who says he acted as a “go-between” last year to inform Sen. John McCain about the controversial “dossier” containing salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump is speaking out, revealing how the ex-British spy who researched the document helped coordinate its release to the FBI, the media and Capitol Hill.

“My mission was essentially to be a go-between and a messenger, to tell the senator and assistants that such a dossier existed,” Sir Andrew Wood told Fox News in an exclusive interview with senior executive producer Pamela K. Browne.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/inside-the-trump-dossier-handoff-mccains-go-between-speaks-out

https://dailycaller.com/2019/03/14/john-mccain-dossier-steele-reporters/

 

You are Trumps "little me". :no:

What in hell was he supposed to do when given the Steele dossier other than turn it over to the FBI?  It wasn't his job or responsibility to do anything else with it.

That's the point, not whatever the dossier did or did not contain.  McCain did what he was supposed to do, period. Whatever other means the FBI may had of receiving it are totally irrelevant to McCain's duty.

Even though I often disagreed with him (Sarah Palin??!), McCain was an honorable man.  An american hero.  To dishonor him the way Trump has done is an affront to decency and everything this country should stand for.

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japantiger Founding Father

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8 minutes ago, homersapien said:

You are Trumps "little me". :no:

What in hell was he supposed to do when given the Steele dossier other than turn it over to the FBI?  It wasn't his job or responsibility to do anything else with it.

That's the point, not whatever the dossier did or did not contain.  McCain did what he was supposed to do, period. Whatever other means the FBI may had of receiving it are totally irrelevant to McCain's duty.

Even though I often disagreed with him (Sarah Palin??!), McCain was an honorable man.  An american hero.  To dishonor him the way Trump has done is an affront to decency and everything this country should stand for.

"What in hell was he supposed to do" ?  Simple,  apply common sense.  Common sense would tell any reasonable person the whole thing was a complete fabrication as it has now been shown to be.... 

McCain's actions in combat speak for themselves; and unfortunately so do his political actions.   One does not insulate the other.  And please, spare me the decency horse***t.  Lets go back and review the Kavanaugh hearing's process and talk about decency.  Let's review the entire sordid "Dossier" bull**** and talk decency.  Look at anything Harry Reid ever did or said about anyone and talk decency.   Look at what Democrats said about McCAin while he was running for President and talk decency.  You only care about McCain because you think he gives you leverage because of his military background.  Fortunately, most Americans are smarter than you.  

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Grumps Founding Father

Grumps 3,704

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59 minutes ago, homersapien said:

Trump needs to be removed from office ASAP.   Our country is wasting precious time - not to mention suffering the consequences of his policies - every day he is there. The economy is important, but it's not the only thing.  Besides, there is relatively little he has done to improve the economy, if anything he's damaged it at the margins with his trade policies. In fact, is Obama is the one who held office when the economy recovered from the great recession. Trump inherited an economy in good shape.  All he has really done is run up huge deficits, which is unusual in a strong economy.

If he is impeached before 2020, great. Let's just endure Pence until the election.  If not, let's do whatever we can to ensure he is defeated in 2020.  Meanwhile, sticking your head in the sand - or up your ass - is no way to facilitate his departure.

I find it fascinating that so many are apparently offended by my presenting facts concerning this narcissistic psychopath. It's not like he is constantly generating new material on a daily basis. (30 tweets in one day!)  Yet some would rather focus on the messenger that the message.

But like I said, like most republicans you are certainly free to stick your head.... and ignore it.  And that goes for any post I make.

But I plan to continue exposing this POS potus. Apparently - judging from the reactions - some are listening.

I thank you for sharing your opinion. It just seems to m that to be removed from office ASAP there ought to be a legitimate reason other than that he is a douche and a lot of people don't like him.

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SaltyTiger Founding Father

SaltyTiger 7,792

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2 hours ago, homersapien said:

I am presenting news and opinion you wouldn't otherwise see.

How young were you when the adults in your life recognized that you are so gifted?

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AUDub Founding Father

AUDub 11,147

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How rude of Senator McCain not to send a thank you card!

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japantiger 4,051

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7 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

How young were you when the adults in your life recognized that you are so gifted?

Homey as  child

men-in-diapers.jpg

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