Angela
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Argh. Why did you have to pick that example? I've honestly heard that sentiment numerous times, always from people who can't code, and it's like they're still thinking computers are some kind of magic machines that embody "the future."
To be fair, I say that as I sit at home "working" on a Thursday (programming and watching Netflix), but it's not an answer.
/end mini-rant
I didn't get the impression he wanted someone to assassinate Clinton at all. What would be the point? In this scenario, she's already appointed anti-constitution judges, and killing her wouldn't retroactively negate their confirmation.
If we're going to entertain the notion that he was referencing violence, it makes far more sense (in the scenario he described) that the violence would ensue between Americans unwilling to abandon one of the founding notions of their country and those who wish to oppress them. It's something of a silly scenario anyway, because if it gets to the point of the federal government deciding that the American Bill of Rights is effectively abolished because five people said so, we'll simply see large swaths of the country telling the feds to **** off. It would never get to the point of LEOs kicking in doors to confiscate weapons, because the majority of such have no intention of ever doing so (according to the largest surveys of such people available), and the government doesn't have the power to enforce such a thing regardless.
The genius (or accidental idiocy, if you prefer) of his position is that it plays to the far paranoia of the black helicopters crew whilst being entirely defensible in a traditional American sense. If the government decides to abolish the Bill of Rights and tyrannize you, you're supposed to shoot them. That's essentially how the country was founded.
The only people he actually "lost" with such comments are those who were never going to support him in the first place.
You're giving him far too much credit for thinking before he opens his mouth to speak. Do I believe he was advocating that second amendment types go out and shoot her? Of course not. That wasn't what I said. It was off the cuff, stupid, adolescent boy humor, or maybe the kind that would fly on a construction site.
I also disagree about your last point. He is definitely losing people because of his shenanigans, at least if the people I know are any indication. More than a few of my neighbors and friends, rank and file Republicans who are moderate socially but conservative economically, who had indeed been part of the "Never Trump" crowd, changed their minds and were going to hold their noses and vote for him because he isn't Hillary, but also because they like some of his economic proposals, are backing off again, not because he's advocating violence, but because he's acting like a childish, self-centered buffoon with no ability or maybe willingness to control himself and what comes out of his mouth. Somebody like this can't be trusted with the Presidency of the most powerful country on the planet.
He's certainly been diving in the polls not only nationally but in states like Pennsylvania that were starting to look pretty good for him. Some of that, of course, may be because Hillary pressed a lot of the right buttons at her convention, including promises to the working class. It doesn't mean anything, just like it didn't mean anything when she made all those promises to the people of upstate New York to win her Senate seat.
Those, oh, just send them to school to learn computer skills and that'll take care of it comments irritate the heck out of me, especially when it's said by people like Bill Clinton, who obviously knows better. First of all, many of them aren't capable of learning the higher paid skills, or there aren't enough jobs in their area, or they don't pay what there old jobs paid in the case of the most well paid blue collar jobs. The only benefit would be to the junior colleges which, along with four year colleges, specialize in taking money from people for courses they're not qualified to complete, or which don't fit you for any real job.
There, now I've depressed myself again.