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Originally Posted by The Batlord
So how much faith do you have that Trump is actually going to do the things he says (or at least implies through a veil of hyperbole), and do you think he actually gives a flying **** about any of this president business? Even if I liked his policies I still wouldn't take him seriously as a candidate for those reasons.
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He'll do some of the things he says and other things he'll likely not to do based on advisement. In that sense he's really no different than any leader we've ever had. As I pointed out before, Obama's cabinet back in 2008 was taken almost entirely on recommendation from Wall-Street. But 2008 wasn't 2016 and I think it can be safely said the media were not quite as trigger-happy to scrutinize back then as they are with Trump today. Very different environment overall.
To me, Trump's run and desire to become President seems surreal considering his track record and lack of political ties. There's no obvious reason why he'd even take on the presidential run when he could have done so years ago with better chances (like in the early 90's). He's 70 years old with a global business that thrives on his brand but requires his involvement consistently. He has plenty of money, enough to go live on a private island the rest of his life with a personal harem of maids if he really wanted it. Becoming president actually puts his business at a much higher level of risk and scrutiny than it would have under normal circumstances. Why even bother unless he genuinely wanted to serve the public? The whole thing is a big question mark.
When you really look at this (assuming you can take the hate-blinders off for a second), the financial incentive is dubious at best. In order to be president, he has to personally cut ties with the business that's been his entire livelihood and leave running it to his kids or lesser executives (which he would never do under normal circumstances if his ego is as inflated as some believe). And yet he pursued the presidency knowing he'd have to eventually do that, which is rather interesting. Not to mention that over the last year and a half he's been under more scrutiny and stress than he's likely ever been in the last six decades of his life. Again: why bother?
From my point of view, someone like Trump getting elected was an inevitability after the ACA debacle and the numerous (albeit debatable) missteps Obama has made over the last eight years. There are just too many people who feel that the Democratic Party doesn't genuinely care about their livelihoods and a younger generation that sees the overall slant of the media and feel like "any" change is better than none. And when you live in a world where both parties seem equally evil and corrupt, someone who claims to be part of neither trying to step up to the plate is rather appealing. Trumo co-opted to the Republicans to win, but as noted by others he not really a Republican nor a Democrat.
Maybe Romney should have won four years ago. I dunno anymore.