What Trump did to politics

[@squeaksquawk4255]

It is genuinely fascinating seeing how, as the election arrives, more and more people from all walks of life are condemning Trump and endorsing Harris. From actual communists (E.g. Jessie Gender, an anarchist) to centre-left (E.g. Legal Eagle) to people who generally don't express political views publically (E.g. Mr Beat) to conservatives (E.g. JJ), it really feels like everyone who genuinely cares about freedom and democracy has come to the consensus that this is the big one, that 3 days from now we will have the most important election in many decades, that if there was ever a time that every little bit is needed then that time is now. Thank you for making this video, the more people standing against the open threat of fascism the better.

[@johnchessant3012]

Agreed. Which makes it utterly mystifying that the election is as close as it is. Everyone from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney is supporting Harris, how can this be 50-50? If politics is now a reflection of culture, then there's a profound disconnect in our culture and it's not clear to me how to fix it.

[@kaiserklausmouse]

Well I think they're all showing their true colours

[@warthunder9155]

Don't forget Dick Cheney, all the "best" people hate trump.

[@LonkinPork]

@@kaiserklausmouse "We probably shouldn't elect the guy that's promised to be a dictator" wow such a stark display of True Colors why are you so fragile?

[@Mofiah]

Gives me a lot more hope than I had even 2 weeks ago. Glad to see majority of Americans can see what’s in front of them

[@Xavier-006]

A lot of people are too young to know that the politics of this era are not normal. They don't realize how degraded our conversations even are

[@ZemanTheMighty]

Don’t be patronising. We know exactly what things used to be like. The thing is, us youngsters feel the deficiencies of the current system far more acutely than previous generations. If you’re a millennial or a zoomer you will understand what I mean. It’s much easier to root for a divisive lunatic who promises to burn it all down and rebuild when you’ve watched the thing he pledged to burn fail you for half your life.

[@Xavier-006]

@@ZemanTheMighty I'm in the younger generation and have paid attention since I was in 3rd grade and learned about things like scarcity. If you feel patronized, that's you telling on yourself. I didn't say everyone was this way. Being mad and disappointed in the system is an unavoidable emotional response. How you respond is what counts. And it's actually Boomers that overwhelmingly vote for the Republicans and Trump. The younger generation tends to be fairly progressive. The things that would responsibly solve for the tensions in society are directly opposed by Trump and his conspiracy with the Republican party who have really been behind what conservatard voters call "the deep state", or "the establishment". Which party got us into the middle east 20 year quagmire? The conservatives with Trump cheer leading them in the 2000s. Which party ignored our infrastructure until is started lagging behind places like China? The conservatives in congress over the last few decades of Reaganomics and corporatism. Which movement off shores our production? Neocon corporatist conservatives who now work with Trump. Which party refused to increase the minimum wage to keep up with cost of living? Republicans in congress who now work with Trump. Who was Trump lobbying prior to getting into office so he could have his tax cuts and deregulation? The same conservative politicians and disc jockies. The entire conservative movement has been like this for decade. It's just reached a crescendo with a monster they themselves created. And broken women still go back to them. What can you do lol?

[@ZemanTheMighty]

@@Xavier-006you didn’t have to write all that. I appreciate the thoughtful response anyway. My comment wasn’t an endorsement of the guy as such. But I’ll admit my post was vague and not well explained. My point was actually not that far removed from yours. DJT is precisely appealing to those who know what things used to be like, and can tell that it’s no longer working. But I only feel the need to mention it because with the internet you have to be very ignorant not to know these things. And someone this ignorant probably won’t vote. I also can’t get behind your insistence that it’s a purely partisan issue. If one party had controlled congress and the presidency for my entire life I could see this being the case. But both have had their turn and both have failed at a consistent level. Thus, it’s a systemic problem in my eyes. I tend to view this election as a referendum on the current system.

[@ZemanTheMighty]

For our demographic, a surprising amount of our worldview is predicated on our view on how things used to be. For instance, young women (many of them first time voters) will remember when their right to an abortion was protected under Roe V Wade. Young men may recall a time when politicians used to be all good natured and polite, but would send men to die in pointless wars for no reasonable gain. They (young women too, but less so because I feel abortion is what matters to them) may recall a time when people their age had home ownership opportunities, what a Big Mac used to cost, a time before political correctness (depending on their values) etc. My point being, everyone our age seems to frame their pet issue around what used to be. It’s patronising to say that we don’t know of this. Sure, I’m telling on myself. But I don’t care.

[@Xavier-006]

@ZemanTheMighty This is lazy thinking. You can go back and look at all those time periods on why certain things didn't happen. Most of the time it was Republicans blocking it. Remember, you can filibuster legislation. Even when Democrats are in charge, they don't get to just steam roll conservatives.

[@IowanMatthew683]

"When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus." - Turkish Proverb

[@mjr_schneider]

That's a great saying.

[@patrickderp1044]

@@mjr_schneider and a great explanation for obama.

[@thomaskalbfus2005]

That describes Joe Biden pretty well!

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

​@@patrickderp1044How?

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

​@@thomaskalbfus2005well trump made it a circus.

[@iammrbeat]

It will take our country decades to recover from Trump.

[@saadiqsobers4628]

Common W Mr Beat Take

[@MikhailJ]

Hopefully all goes well for Kamala

[@penguinlord-yt9xc]

Hi mr beat

[@northernmetalworker]

Is that exclusive to just Trump though? I would imagine the long term effects of past presidents from decades ago still linger today, FDR, Carter, Nixon, Reagan, perhaps even Wilson? 😉

[@Mario6925]

mr breast give me money

[@gavinthecrafter]

My dad is a conservative through and through. Voted for Bush, McCain, and Romney, and Republican down the ballot. But ever since Trump got elected he really feels like he's been "abandoned" by the Republican party, and I can't blame him. The GOP has become nothing but a cult of personality around this sick man. I can't wait to see him leave politics.

[@HeydenHarvey]

Opposite for me, my dads the average extreme MAGA supporter, voted for Bush, but voted for Ron Paul and thought the 2012 republican establishment cheated Romney into the nomination (Which I think is actually true.) Can't talk about politics at all to him, which I don't try to anymore.

[@stuntmanmike37]

Why is it that none of them were enough to motivate me to cast a vote, but Trump was?

[@Dralchemy]

So he had no problem voting for warmongers and capitalists destroying the economy, but he drew the line at "grab em by the pussy"?

[@TylertheFancy]

​@@stuntmanmike37 It's almost certainly that the republicans of the past didn't lie and sensationalize with every breath they took. The old republicans were too boring for you, and now an entertainer has razzle dazzled his way into your heart.

[@w0rldw1dew3b]

​@@stuntmanmike37you were played by the dopamine machine described in the video your comment is under. i have a feeling you didn't watch.

[@noamiller6073]

i’m a Christian and it’s so embarrassing hearing other Christians claim that God has appointed Donald Trump.

[@Laplata-r9n]

T. Protestant

[@Lord_Ivoundy_Creood]

I am an atheist now but I qas one ofthose christians once

[@literallynomadic78]

You're saying people in a cult... worship the leader of another cult? No way. /s

[@LonkinPork]

@@Laplata-r9n real Catholics aren't pro-Trumo either. it's all the Converts stinking up the place with their false Faith

[@diegog1853]

Yeah I mean... I get that they are really anti-abortion and all that. But if God were to choose someone to be president. I would be baffled why he would be such a terrible person, that goes against most christian values, like honesty, humility, chastity, compasion and so on.

[@Mr_DPZ]

Make Politics Bland Again

[@booyashaka3182]

Dude, legit haha. Feels like we're bordering on a civil war if it continues on like this

[@sammyismuff]

The American dream isn’t to have small government. But boring government.

[@TVC15ohoh]

@@booyashaka3182 I had the same thought.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

YES! AMEN!

[@rachel_sj]

Make Politics and Government Sports for Nerds Again!

[@iramoser6136]

I miss the time when politics was boring, and conspiracy theories were fun.

[@Ebidle]

honestly. i think the problem is that conspiracy theories were never fun. they sort of fostered a culture where people divulge from reality and you have a social group that “gets it”. that’s what we see with MAGA. and online communists.

[@ZemanTheMighty]

When were conspiracy theories fun?

[@whatsallthebrouhaha]

​​@@ZemanTheMightyBack when it was more about aliens, flat/hollow earth, reptilians and shit like that

[@longiusaescius2537]

@iramoser6136 muh CIA LSD, much wow so scary

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

Conspiracy theories were never "fun" and have always been insane and idiotic.

[@trippiesthippie4207]

I don't want our politics to be a reality TV show. I want good policies and stability

[@userre85]

Want stability but also want an open border? Pick a lane.

[@trippiesthippie4207]

@ you do know trump encouraged republicans to shoot down a bipartisan bill proposed by the Biden administration that would've fixed the problems at the border right?

[@spadinnerxylaphone2622]

Reagan started as an actor, but at least he had government experience prior to being president. I'm not a Reagan fan but at least he put in the work.

[@BS-vx8dg]

The biggest difference between Trump and Reagan has nothing to do with Reagan's having had prior political experience. The biggest difference is that Ronald Reagan loved the United States and its Constitution, whereas Trump only loves himself.

[@donaldhysa4836]

@@BS-vx8dg How can one accept being lectured about who really loves America by people who have constantly called America evil and racist for decades in academia and media?

[@shiorisaitou4846]

@@BS-vx8dg Lol, no. Reagan was what directly lead to Trump. He was the start of the GOP existing only to corrupt the government so that rich people could run wild. Reagan was the one who started seating crackpot judges, destroying government regulation, offshoring of jobs & giving amnesty to millions of Mexican immigrants who had not gotten into the country through legal channels. Reagan's policies are what led to the disillusionment of a large minority of middle class Whites who are now voting for Trump. If you think the US of A is f'd up now, Reagan is reason #1 (with Clinton, who doubled down on Reagan's policies, being reason #2). If Reagan had never been president, Trump would've never gotten anywhere near the office himself.

[@peepeevs]

​@BS-vx8dg Also, he spoke coherently

[@stephengray1344]

@@BS-vx8dg The other major difference is that Reagan knew his own weaknesses and left the things he knew he wasn't good at to clever, competent people who shared his political outlook. Trump, on the other hand, seems to genuinely believe his own claims to be the greatest, smartest, and most competent person in history and only trusts people to the extent that they demonstrate their loyalty to him.

[@euanmccabe4962]

As someone who is politically left leaning, i have always admired how neutral your videos are, even explicitly political videos. you always make a real effort to overcome biases and it really shows. Whilst we may disagree on a number of topics, you always set the stage for a free and fair debate. you are someone who is conservative and approachable and fair.

[@JJMcCullough]

Well thank you sir

[@Bob-ew1hx]

@@euanmccabe4962 NEUTRAL, HA You must be joking, all j.j. has are just hateful rhetoric, and lies

[@OneTrueKing23]

He’s gay who prenounces “about” weirdly just to differentiate himself. He says he’s conservative but really he’s a woke centrist.

[@benbarltrop2006]

​@@OneTrueKing23... I think the "about" thing is just because he's Canadian. Calm down man.

[@masonharvath-gerrans832]

@@OneTrueKing23I’ve found that people who use “woke” unironically to describe that which they don’t like (because of their own fecklessness) are rather stupid. Wouldn’t you agree?

[@eliatassoni5624]

As an Italian i find at the same time depressing and unbelivable that such a great people as the Americans are getting to go through the exact same stuff we suffered for 30 years with Silvio Berlusconi. The constant scandals, the sexism, the blind fanaticism, the extreme polarization, the trials, the most unpresentable individuals in the most important positions of power, the delegitimizations of judiciary system, of the media, of the universities, of the intellectuals and of the opositions, the public debate always full of bullcrap, and meanwhile the country was going down the drain. Come on fellow Americans, don't let your country be reduced like our beloved italy!

[@nicolasgainous5936]

Sadly, half of this country believes this madman

[@-8h-]

Because its not the same. Simple as that.

[@jeepmega629]

As a fellow Italian I can say that the similarities between Berlusconi and Trump are quite uncanny. Hopefully the Americans will succeed where us Italians unfortunately failed.

[@spaghettiisyummy.3623]

🍉

[@funghi2606]

Americani 🤷‍♂️. Comunque no, non ci sarà un ritorno dopo Trump, come in Italia non c’è stato un ritorno dopo il Berlusca

[@GeraldEatsSoup]

The fact that there's ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS out there with fully developed brains who say that Trump is smart or honest without a single shred of irony makes me ashamed to be born on this planet

[@granda3649]

Maybe it's you who's wrong 🤷‍♂️

[@thegreenscreengeek]

What Fox News does to people

[@lefton4ya]

Actually most people who vote for Trump know he lies and bullshits better than any president. But they don’t care as they more care about his policies and actions versus what he says. It’s like WWE fans sho know it’s fake but don’t care as long as there is an entertaining ending.

[@donaldwobamajr6550]

I have yet to meet a Trump supporter that hasn’t had their support for Trump bring out the absolute worst side of them.

[@Sedgewise47]

Oh yeah, indeed… kzbin.info/www/bejne/g37Vdq2nrMuZe9Usi=d2WTo5HDZLi12Okk

[@peepeevs]

That's because the media is always so mean to Trump, don't you see? They are just defending themselves!

[@jonathanwhite8904]

Oh I absolutely disagree with you. I'm definitely not a trump supporter, but I have never met anyone who was made worse by Trump. Do you have an example of what you actually mean about that?

[@MaxAngor]

Care to challenge your preconceived notions? I voted for him three times and I'm the same as I've always been. Because politics don't dictate who a person is. It never has.

[@jj947]

@@jonathanwhite8904republicans didn’t storm the capital when they lost before Trump arrived

[@arjansahota4911]

I constantly think about a woman my friend met while he works at a nursing home. He said she was 101 years old and voting this year. Her first vote was for FDR in 1944. She even got to see him speak at Soldier Field on Oct 28, 1944. Her father, WW1 vet, said that before she votes, she had to check out each candidates platform (online or stopping by the campaign office in the old days). Although she’s a Democrat, she’s voted for many Republicans (Charles Percy, Ronald Reagan, both bushes). But this year, she didn’t bother to check, she already knew how to vote and casted her ballot for Kamala. She just said she couldn’t in good conscience vote for a man who was against everything American self government stood for. She then ended her statement by saying, according to my friend, “My brother didn’t die in France fighting a cult of personality to see one pop up in his backyard.” My friend said that it really opened up his eyes and that if she, who literally voted for FDR and not a partisan, who has seen so much, the best and worse of America, could see Trump for who he is and vote, he could. He’s gonna cast his ballot on Tuesday and I hope other Americans watching this video do the same. Trump cannot be allowed back in power again.

[@Sedgewise47]

@@arjansahota4911 Oh yeah. Heaven forfend… kzbin.info/www/bejne/g37Vdq2nrMuZe9Usi=d2WTo5HDZLi12Okk

[@SolracCAP]

Thank you for telling us about her. I pray that future Americans will be like her.

[@thegamingrhino5864]

“Trump is literally hitler” ahh post

[@perotekku]

​@@SolracCAPI still believe they are and can be. It's people like Trump who allow their quest for power to overshadow their morals, and extort the American voters along their base instincts. Americans from all walks of life are good at heart, but they need leaders who understand the gravitas of the office of President, and won't fearmonger and divide the people.

[@Agtsmirnoff]

My Grandmother is 95 and happily voted for Trump 3 times!

[@globesurfer122]

So Trump is the Mr Beast of politics. He figured out how to game the system by exploiting peoples dopamine circuits.

[@patrickderp1044]

you guys are way too young to remember obama it seems

[@globesurfer122]

​@@patrickderp1044 i am well old enough for that, and comparing Obama's campaign tactics to Trump's is insane. It's like you didnt even watch the video.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@globesurfer122 ok Mr "fundamental transformation"

[@joaotess2562]

I hate how good of a comparison that is

[@MrSquiy]

comments like this that make me think nobody actually know about the rise of Hitler. Go listen to his speeches translated into English. It the same shit Trump says except replace anytime Trump says America with Germany and Mexicans/illegals with jews. It's all about "the enemy within who is both weak and strong is destroying our country and replace you". Same shit 80 years later.

[@joaotess2562]

Absolutely stunning analysis JJ. Putting the clips of him and his supporters saying violent and hateful things instead of saying it yourself was masterful.

[@jameskowanko7574]

JJ, never use the phrase 'dopamine squirts' ever again.

[@ickyelf4549]

DOPAMINE SQUIRTS DOPAMINE SQUIRTS DOPAMINE SQUIRTS DOPAMINE SQUIRTS

[@joemcken]

Hearing that made me giggle, and I felt like a six-year-old. I blame JJ for this.

[@qualia765]

i thought i was a lil funny

[@MisticStyles]

I haven’t had any significant dopamine squirts since I started no fap 2 months ago.

[@Katiebartl]

I know it sounds very "slippery slope" but the hate against the "elite" aka educated people and journalists is terrifying. In the Cambodian genocide they went for the media, teachers, college educated, people who wore glasses because it made them look smart... The dehumanizing rhetoric of calling fellow countrymen vermin, the enemy, etc makes it seem like those people should be purged. The whole, it's not murder because they're less human than we are. I'm genuinely frightened for the future of this place.

[@tomverlaine728]

Maybe they should stop lying to people for profit. Then the fear will go away.

[@catarinamelchiorgomes8750]

@@tomverlaine728 people believe in religions and anti vaxxers, lying was never a problem.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@catarinamelchiorgomes8750 COVID? That racist conspiracy Trump pushed ?

[@Nickname-ef9tv]

There is no better way to keep a community down than to make rising dangerous.

[@leonmat26]

​@@tomverlaine728 The people lying to you are the CEOs, board of directors, banks, etc. Very little money or decision making falls onto scientists, doctors, and engineers. Yet very little hate has fallen into these CEOs. And in fact, people go above and beyond to defend them. I mean, Elon Musk, staunch anti-petroleum CEO who has not changed his tune about climate change, is now the republican party's most loved child. How come? Tesla profits are profits that would have gone to oil, coal, and car workers who support Trump. If scientists lied about climate change, then Musk is the literal representation of those lies and how profitable it is. And yet, he is now loved. Where did the anger over his lies go? Simple: The anger was not over his lies. It was over the fact that he supported a different party to you.

[@LanceUppercut86]

The fact that you're a conservative and still willing to make this video gives me hope that there are still conservatives within the movement who really care about freedom and democracy. Keep doing great work JJ.

[@FalloutUrMum]

He's a Canadian Conservative. Which is Democrat in the US

[@bennyb.1742]

I don't really think Trump voters could really be considered conservatives anymore. There's nothing boring, chill, cautious, traditional, you know "conservative" about being hyped for a fascist dictatorship. That's a pretty big change!

[@Red_Platinuum]

He's not an American Conservative though

[@siohunndai]

@@FalloutUrMumBlatantly untrue.

[@AndrewFischer-sz5cb]

It’s not a super hot take for a Tory…

[@Studeb]

Good to hear a conservative telling the truth and not joining the MAGA cult, hope there are more like you out there.

[@johnbeetle4340]

imagine thinking dc was so clean and respected the constitution before trump came in.

[@vantaplat7411]

"Conservative" he doesn't seem to hold a single Conservative view.

[@ZechsMerquise73]

​@@vantaplat7411 It's because mental children think conservativism is stripping people of their rights based on an adherence to a rose-tinted traditionalism. Conservativism is a practiced material focus on fiscal growth, on grounding strength of viewpoint from the fabric of a society rather than strictly introducing change for its own sake (opposite of radicalism).

[@TitoLounge11]

​@@vantaplat7411conservative views used to mean something besides "just go with whatever Trump says"

[@vantaplat7411]

@@TitoLounge11 He's left wing on literally all social issues. Abortion, immigration, lgbt rights. Hes mostly left wing or centrist on economic issues. You'll often find conservatives who have one or two disagreements, I know I do, but disagreeing almost entirely with "Rinos" and Maga folk? That's just not being conservative

[@yaakarkad]

As a progressive/socialist myself, Trump’s rise to power has instilled an enormous amount of disgust in me, towards anyone who labels themselves a “conservative”. It is creators like you which help me realize the distinction between conservatives who use that word to describe their economic prescriptions, and those who do it out of a deep hatred of or ignorant insecurity about any given subsection of society. I just wanted to say I appreciate this video, as well as your channel in general. Keep up the good work!

[@CultureCrossed64]

Well, socialists/fascists/communists disgust anyone with a brain, so your judgement means little to them.

[@patrickderp1044]

if you are a boy, and you vote for a woman from california to be president of the country.......something is off about you.

[@RandomPerson-bv3ww]

Nothing screams democracy more then forcing everyone to have the same views.

[@billfrench1069]

Trump wants to close the border to illegal immigrants and put an end to the endless, deadly wars. Oh the horror. You people have no sense of priorities whatsoever.

[@Xavier-006]

To be fair conservatism has a long track record of being dogshit. The ideology itself is bad and creates fertile soil for stuff like this. It was, afterall, the old lame RINOs who created Trump. The talking heads from 20 years ago. Trump and the movement around him did not spontaneously pop into existence. This is very much, even if JJ doesn't want to admit it to himself like other conservatives for decades, the result of conservatism over decades of their political project and rhetoric. Just like in the original frankenstein novel, the dr who created the monster doesn't recognize it once it breaks free and is terror of it. but the reality is that he indeed created that monster. It came from him and no one else. Conservatism itself needs to reflect and not externalize what they've created.

[@Trenacker]

Hyperpartisanship has resulted in a world where politics has gone from the work of collective problem-solving to a form of quasi-religious community engagement. Political partisanship now provides participants with an identity as well as a sense of moral superiority. It's a recipe for disaster. It's possible to convince somebody of something, but not to change them. This was recently observed in an article I read in what I think was The Atlantic, but I can’t find it now.

[@southcoastinventors6583]

This is by far the best comment

[@SamAronow]

J.J. did a video to this effect, basically asserting that a growing number of people engage with politics purely as a vehicle for creative self-expression rather than a process with which to achieve tangible outcomes.

[@MunTheOddity]

@@SamAronow Sam Aronow cameo, appreciate your work. Also, very well said.

[@youssefbh830]

In countries with a dictator (or military regime or absolute monarch) who doesn't allow any free speech against him, where real political discussion is basically nonexistent, and religion is heavily controlled by the state. People usually resort to sports especially football in order to achieve these feelings of superiority, identity & tribalism. I think it's in our DNA as humans unfortunately.

[@timolson4809]

I think the loneliness epidemic is partly responsible if you want to call it that.

[@DionStabber]

What gets me most is not the far-right crowd, unfortunately these kind of extremes will always exist. it's the seemingly normal people. The "of course I don't like him, it's just better for the economy" group. I don't even think he is good at managing the economy, but even if he was, how can so many people be willing to support such a clearly horrible person for that? And not just someone horrible in a personal, unpolitical way, but who has a record of being president and introducing this horribleness to his policy, conduct and dealings? To avoid using a historical comparison, it would be like if in Star Wars, when the Emperor returned from the dead after everyone knew he was a Sith Lord, they elected him to be the chancellor again because they used to make more star destroyers when he was in charge.

[@benmedoff4478]

It's because people don't agree about how dangerous he is, and how important economic issues are. Not everyone believes that trump is a threat to democracy, and whether you make an extra 500 dollars each month or can even find a job is a way bigger issue than what mean thing someone said.

[@omghowcuteify]

@@benmedoff4478 That ridiculous tariffs plan Trump can't understand or explain well? His clearly bad plans or "concepts of a plan" is an example of how some people are blindly supporting him. There are many more plans and policies outlined for Harris/Walz administration. However, reasoning is not something utilized much in supporting Trump. Its sad but reasoning is not useful for Trump.

[@benmedoff4478]

@@omghowcuteify I agree that his tariffs are garbage. Personally, I only think he would be marginally better for the economy. I'm just don't think it's that crazy to vote for someone based on economics even if they are a moron and a jerk.

[@CultureCrossed64]

You should learn about the "anti-nazification" the allies did in Germany after ww2. Long story short - it didn't work. The support was around 20-30% in 1945 (after all of the death and destruction) And actually rose to 60-70% after 3 or 4 years. The only thing that made it go down? The economy improved thanks to the Marshall Plan. People will *quickly* start to believe horrible things if the economy starts going poorly for them (or continues in the US case)

[@joser.4494]

I feel like many “I think he’d be better for the economy” types just like the racist stuff he says about immigration, but are too afraid to admit it. Either that or they assume any Republican will always be better for the economy than any Democrat, not realizing Trump‘s economic plan is just tariffs, which would increase prices on almost all goods, even ones made in America.

[@ashowofhands9813]

I like how your attitude of Trump has evolved of the years from seemingly indifferent to not liking him at all. I’m largely the same.

[@Fredy_The_Yeti]

Used to be fully in the trump cult, now I can't stand the guy

[@granda3649]

​@@Fredy_The_Yeti You have one day left before we send you to the crystals.

[@SAMURAINUTS]

" i love the poorly educated" from an elected offical is wild dude

[@Generaloliverswanik]

He was talking about you 😂😂

[@SAMURAINUTS]

@Generaloliverswanik you don't know me 😂😂

[@Ariverfish]

@@SAMURAINUTS That's what you people get for giving peasants the right to vote.

[@JudeKS10]

​​@@Generaloliverswanik I mean if he doesn't support trump than he's probably educated. The better educated you are the more likely you are to support Kamala. Do you think that's a coincidence?😂😂😂

[@epicMicrowavve]

LOL

[@Noah-tp9xl]

As a European, it’s sad to see what is happening to America. I love America, and I think Americans should have more respect for themselves and hold their politicians to the standards America deserves.

[@oceanusman]

I think Europeans should also have respect for themselves, instead of shooting themselves in the foot, slowing economies, mass immigration, no energy independence, no innovation, no self defense, the human rights and quality of life are eroding before your very eyes

[@Alex-it7ms]

Funny, as an American I think it’s sad to see what’s happening in Europe, excepting Poland perhaps

[@coyotelong4349]

@@Alex-it7ms You probably think Hungary is a great country under Orbán too, huh? 😂 We know that Trump supporters want Trump to run America in exactly the same way

[@thepope9023]

This is the standard. Politicians are a lost cause and Trump is a big middle finger to them.

[@zoanth4]

Your country is gonna be russia soon, and you feel shame for america?

[@Stoneworks]

Absolutely Banger video, 10/10, gold medal and blue ribbon, one might even say Award Winning

[@acd5300]

The Minecraft server guy watches JJ?

[@longiusaescius2537]

Absolute pigstep coal

[@Bob-ew1hx]

@@Stoneworks 🤣 love your sarcasm

[@Givemepeanutbutter]

​@@Bob-ew1hxnot sarcasm.

[@Bob-ew1hx]

@@Givemepeanutbutter then it’s just stupidity, or a suck off

[@thickermammal.42]

Coming from a more conservative area in western Washington, it breaks my heart every time to go to Seattle and see what’s happened under Jay Inslee. However, going around my local town and seeing the dogmatic loyalty people have to Trump, thinking it as salvation from extreme liberal policy, is not only saddening but frightening.

[@Goblin-Nixon]

Fortunately, Reichert isn't as crazy as Trump. Unfortunately, he won't win

[@granda3649]

There are Trump supporters in coastal Washington?! We're so back! How exciting!

[@triplebypassburger4955]

His cult of personality just creates a circle jerk of ignorance

[@southcoastinventors6583]

More a consequence of a two party system that values party polices over effective solutions

[@thomaskalbfus2005]

JJ or Trump?

[@Ariverfish]

@@triplebypassburger4955 And? The common man is an ignoramus at heart. You are the ones that gave them the right to vote.

[@triplebypassburger4955]

@@thomaskalbfus2005if I was referring to JJ i would have addressed him as “your cult of personality”

[@triplebypassburger4955]

@@Ariverfishelaborate? Nobody’s forcing anyone to be educated, and nobody’s forcing anyone to be ignorant. People who defend or support Trump are solely doing so because they refuse to educate themselves to hear arguments that prove their lack of ignorance. People who don’t understand inflation will continue to mindlessly blame Ukraine and foreign aid and other scapegoats just because it’s easier than actually being informed and there’s no excuse considering all the godlike technology easily accessible to a majority of 1st world countries.

[@RandomDudeOne]

I appreciate J.J. for expressing his opinion on Trump even though it will probably cost him some subscribers. It's called integrity.

[@aregularperson7573]

Yeah I would agree I’ll disagree with him on this issue but he has the right to share his personal opinions It shows he is genuine and not just someone who will change there beliefs on a dime when it’s convenient.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Integrity is being a left libertarian who LARPs as a Republican in Canada ?

[@Damianwindmill]

@@aregularperson7573same

[@digginggopher]

​@@aregularperson7573what is it you like about trump? Even as a leftist I agreed with everything this video showed, trump is very different from the conservatives of old, every day he says something that would have tanked his running in years past, I forget the name of the politician who cheered weirdly at a rally one time and got tanked, yet trump can spew unfiltered lines all day and people are like, this is fine

[@SiegmundHeights]

Even though Trump, in my opinion would be the better president than Kamala both of them are evil

[@dino877777]

Love the "so called experts" montage.

[@mangavore7426]

JP Sears jumpscare! Honestly, I used to really be entertained by JP, but he’s really fallen down the well of far right, hyper macho sentiment. As soon as I saw him UNIRONICALLY doing videos with “The Liver King,” (and it was AFTER his controversy was exposed,) I knew it was all over.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Fiery, but mostly peaceful summer of love

[@theredscourge]

Imagine endorsing the empty pantsuit and the human trafficking facilitators.

[@drinksanddice9528]

The founders of the US would have 100% been able to understand our media landscape. They wer'nt exposed to the amount of visual media as we are but if you read anything about the emergence of the English novel you'll quickly notice that late 18th century white men were terrified of the effects of fictional realism on women, children, and enslaved individuals. They had all read most of the popular enlightenment literature at the time including Winkelmann, Kant, and Rousseau. Richard the III was also known for appealing to the lower classes while pissing off educated folks. 100 years later France saw the exact same media divide happen over the Dreyfus affair, the Frankfurt School was writing about the Aesthetics of politics in the 1930s. We have been seeing this coming for a very long time, the problem is that we didn't do anything to stop it.

[@Deloxo]

I wish youtube comments had an awards system.

[@patrickderp1044]

@@Deloxo both of you are so high off your own farts its not even funny. the founding fathers would read a single ron paul book and then try to use everything they could think to get that man behind the levers of power

[@Deloxo]

@@patrickderp1044 You seem to think Ron Paul is a bigger deal than he is. I don't know who the hell Ron Paul is because I'm Canadian, not Texan. Just saying, I don't think they would care. Also I have no idea if you're for or against Ron Paul from that reply alone.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@Deloxo " I wish KZbin was like Reddit" Seek Canadian healthcare

[@angelsunemtoledocabllero5801]

Great take.

[@Gruppetstudios]

What astounds me is scrolling the comments, where a large chunk are people either claiming JJ has “TDS”, saying “wasn’t Reagan a celebrity?”, or commenting that the video’s title was uploaded with a typo. Again, this just supports what JJ discusses in his recent livestream about how Trump’s supporters are so personally loyal to the man that they will look for any small discrepancy in an opponent’s argument to disregard their opinions. It is so telling that the points laid out in this video are chalked up as some sort of “derangement syndrome”, since facts as we understand them to be facts do not matter to a coalition who has so sincerely embraced the word of one man over…well…”so called experts”.

[@cassinipanini]

perfect example is when they say "pronouns spotted, opinion rejected". they go looking at the profile for a reason to discredit a person instead of engaging with what that person was saying.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@cassinipanini The deep thought needed to confront "Trump is Hitler satan #293939"

[@northernmetalworker]

It's because people generally consider all politicians to be liars. And so now people have resorted to judging individuals based on their most observable characteristics. Your example.of pronouns in the bio leading to someone assuming bad faith, may not be a universal fact, but it clearly serves as an efficient indicator of someone's general politics.

[@WhenInDarknessSeekTheLight]

​@longiusaescius2537 Cry because it's true lol

[@DickCheneyXX]

He has TDS and doesn't know enough about politics to see that Reagan was a celebrity... Its sad and pathetic really.

[@wakkawakka7624]

You know what's great? I can play this video on my phone while I'm in the shower. And I can clearly hear your voice over the shower running. I can't say that about most podcasts.

[@kaboomerty1638]

underrated comment

[@SamAronow]

In another timeline he was the original Arnold Cunningham in _The Book of Mormon._

[@MidwestArtMan]

I disagree with the notion that he got elected because of his celebrity. It gave him the money and notoriety to start a campaign, but the thing that got him to the presidency was the fact that he said what people had been wanting a politician to say, like "Build the wall" and "You'd be in jail."

[@pXnTilde]

100%. Everyone in 2016 recognized that his effort of giving attention to the increasingly politically marginalized communities, the "fly overs" and such, was the winning strategy. Absolutely no one was saying his win had to do with his celebrity back then. That and the media and celebrity darling telling them all they were deplorable. Trump didn't "do" anything to politics. He didn't help either though.

[@lukejolley8354]

@@MidwestArtMan yep.

[@thatguythere98]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@pXnTildeSaying he didn’t do anything to politics is simply not true. Our political discourse has deteriorated so significantly in such a short amount of time owing to the fact that he fans the flames every chance he gets and that encourages his surrogates to follow his lead.

[@pXnTilde]

@@thatguythere98 The discourse has "deteriorated", to use your word, sure. Trump didn't wave his hands and force everyone to change. Things were already changing and he just came in the with the tide.

[@thatguythere98]

@@pXnTilde He was literally the President of the United States. The behavior of the most powerful man in the world matters. Yes our politics had been polarizing for decades before him but it was relatively slow and we still had some semblance of “normal boring” politics but a good leader would try to mend that rift. He’s the first president with such radically different behavior compared to other presidents and his arrival accelerated and cemented the extreme polarization that will continue to weaken our country for years if not decades.

[@shannonsenzig1676]

I agree with your conclusion that this is what had happened to our politics, but I disagree that Trump personally is the one that "did it". We, as a culture, "did it". Well, with a lot of help from online media. Trump is just the character in our show.

[@SolracCAP]

Trump is a symptom of the problem sure, but I would argue he's accelerated their decline as well. A vicious feedback loop.

[@-8h-]

​@@SolracCAP i dont think so. This was going to happen regardless, as long as a republican won 2016. Just look at the rhetoric about every decent new face to the party, vivek, jd, tulsi. You dont hear that about the left unless they try to be outlandish and annoying like AOC. It always starts, and continues with, the media. That influences influencers like destiny, jj, hasan (and on the other side as well) and then it escalates. The attacked cant just stay silent and accept what people say, especially when the people saying the things are bad people themselves.

[@Xavier-006]

By we, you mean American conservatives. I had no role in it and pushed back on this stuff my entire life. While people scoffed and here I am vindicated.

[@ZemanTheMighty]

I agree with you that it’s more of a systematic failure on all levels than the fault of one man. If the political establishment had satisfied the other half of America, trump would simply be impossible. Pat Buchanan for example, was completely unelectable in the 90s and 2000s. Today he’d be a right wing icon.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@ZemanTheMighty Pat is RW, Trump is just Bill Clinton

[@suros8105]

Being on the internet and social media for so many years has given me the impression that it's impossible to change people's minds and it's really depressing.

[@kennystimpson2775]

I feel like JJ vastly understates how hated H. Clinton is, for many reasons, but not the least of which being her role as a career politician, default establishment democrat. Sure Trump played into his celebrity status a bit, but more so he used the comparison and differences to his political advantage

[@-8h-]

Yeah, i know many left wingers who were saying around 2016 how awful hillary is, so they didnt even bother voting. Kamala is pretty awful too, i don't think many people know (or want to know) her dark history as a california prosecutor. Trump is a lot of things, but he never tried to kill people for the growth of his career.

[@linuxman7777]

Hillary deserved to lose. If it was Trump vs Bernie Sanders JJ would have had a valid arguement

[@supremeburgersims]

The dnc fumbles the bag. But after the 1st term it's insane how trump is still in the national political scene.

[@peepeevs]

I think it is fair to say that Trump rode a wave of anti-establishmentism and conspiracy thinking that was previously somewhat hidden. His words made a lot of people feel ok to talk about their more radical thoughts that they might have felt afraid to say out loud before. But I also find it hard to believe that he would have caught on so much had he not had his already established celebrity to light that fire in the first place.

[@Xavier-006]

The anti hillary sentiment is a decades long project by right wing media. You think the media has been unfair to Trump, you should have seen the coverage of Hillary for decades leading up to 2016

[@jacthwakk8328]

Trump didn't do this to politics. Politics did it to itself.

[@gregoryferraro7379]

Taking my kids trick-or-treating, I saw a yard banner reading, "I'm voting for the convicted felon." My son asked if it was a joke. I said no... well, yes, but not a funny one.

[@-8h-]

Yeah, those felonies were expired misdemeanors. But good luck explaining that to a child

[@peepeevs]

​@@-8h-Let's just call him a criminal then. Sounds more acurate anyway

[@ShankarSivarajan]

@@peepeevs Sure, just like a guy with a parking ticket is a criminal.

[@spht9ng]

@@ShankarSivarajan sure because trying to steal an election through a months long elaborate plot is just 'a parking ticket'. amazing...

[@marcosperez9592]

@@ShankarSivarajanyou’re ignoring all the sexual assaults and the confession of said sexual assaults

[@harryofbc9942]

Massive respect to you for making this

[@Amogumogu]

Frrr

[@Terry-Hesticle]

Why? He's a political grifter just spouting the same kinds of things the democrats say about Trump. This is just echo chamber nonsense.

[@Bob-ew1hx]

@@harryofbc9942 this video goes nothing into policy and only has useless personal attacks

[@treyshaffer]

@Bob-ew1hx there's no policy to discuss with Trump, policy is just something he pretends to care about because he's ostensibly a politician. This video talks about what fundamentally what matters to him, and that's the expansion of his narcissistic personality cult and destruction of American institutions

[@iamseanmccarthy]

I'll never understand how someone simply stating their *rational and well thought out* opinion about politics can make someone else so uncomfortable that they feel they would have to preface any video with a "this might not be for you" warning. That's crazy to me. As an American and someone who'd be considered "conservative" too, there's a few things I disagree with J.J. with but not to the point where I'm enraged or upset at him or by those disagreements.

[@SolracCAP]

Your comment speaks volumes.

[@Terry-Hesticle]

I was born in Canada and moved to America. The reason he opens with that statement is because he knows what direction his channel leans. He CLAIMS to be a conservative, but he either isn't or doesn't actually express his actual views on this channel. He has a history in broadcasting and claims to know enough to be a source of authority on the matter. Over time, I've realized that The new laws Canada is passing means he HAS to have an opinion the Canadian government agrees with or they can scrub his channel. His channel is in the Canadian zeitgeist, so clearly he doesn't want to lose that. he says "This video may not be for you" because he knows this video will appeal to one side and one side only. The side that wants to hear exactly what he's saying about Trump, no nuance required, agree, upvote and disagree with any comment criticizing the lazy and disingenuous "Vote blue no matter who" narrative that pollutes this whole video.

[@jeepmega629]

That also can be because of Trump and the cult like mindset he’s molded his followers into. Like if you go under any tweet or video about Trump it’s full of yes men praising him like a god while if you go on any piece of social media that even implies support towards Kamala then you’ll see a bunch of MAGA people crying and being aggressive. Like they literally shunned Kamala for yawning for a few seconds the other day, those people are either super aggressive and threatening or they’re just grasping at straws to justify their mindless hate, and it’s all Trump’s fault.

[@Lutivos]

@@Terry-Hesticle JJ is barely a big youtuber, he hasnt even cracked 1 million subs yet. The idea that you think hes so big that he needs to pander and be disingenuous is hilarious. Honestly, the thing I’ve always loved about JJ is how he’ll make a video about whatever interests him, and you can see that this approach actually causes his videos to underperform relative to his channel size bc hes so true to himself that he doesnt feel the need to try to cater to his audience all the time.

[@liborkundrat185]

Well, he's quoted a tweet at 23:00 which claims that Republican operatives and staffers are far-right incels. And throughout the whole video, he constantly suggest that this is what the vast majority of Trump supporters are like. It's not difficult to see that for some people watching (especially Trump supporters who don't fall into that box) this is uncomfortable, upsetting and/or enraging. Sincerely, a European who's cheering for Harris in this election.

[@earthculture9462]

JJ in his videos: 😌 JJ in the comments: 🤬

[@malcolmmacinnis247]

I feel terrible for how many people have wasted their time, money, and energy on Trump. Politicians should be there to make peoples lives easier not emotionally exhausting and consuming the vitality of their people

[@longiusaescius2537]

@malcolmmacinnis247 Leftoids really lose sleep over Trump under their bed? Lmao

[@Dralchemy]

the only people emotionally exhaust from Trump are his opponents and leftists who don't like him. that might be a reason why some right wing people like him

[@SiegmundHeights]

The right needs a better candidate

[@alphabrother6823]

The irony of me getting a Trump ad before this video

[@Righty-O]

I disagree with your statement that the love for Trump is non-transferable. Ron DeSantis had a good chance, but his own political maneuverings against Trump made him an antagonist rather than an ally to the broader Trump coalition. That being said, MAGA is bigger than just Trump. Its a whole ideological suite that basically involves paleoconservatism which itself is a defined ideology, it is not nazism

[@JJMcCullough]

There is absolutely no ideology. It’s just a random bundle of demagogic Trump fixations.

[@minnesotasteve]

MAGA is purely a cult of personality. There is no governing philosophy.

[@thareelhelloagain]

​@@JJMcCullough That's just a lie, man. The ideology is to go back to a time where America focused more on fixing itself, and less on policing the entire world.

[@matherproductions9146]

MAGA has set characteristics, but it has no codes, creeds, or platforms. It is more of an aesthetic than anything else

[@BFGUITAR]

​@@JJMcCullough Does this mean this whole movement and style ends with Trump?

[@JamesHoy-o5g]

During the tRump administration, I often explained to one of my former co-workers (we were both retirees) that every cabinet member he appointed, was there to destroy the very institution that they headed. Now, if he is re-elected, he will try to destroy freedom itself.

[@AustralasianMadness]

It’s a cult of personality you should do a video about those type of things

[@kentfink9509]

The left is also a cult.

[@mesiroy1234]

TRUMP AND BIBI(ISRAEL) MADE PEACE IN MIIDLE EAST WITH ABRAHAM ACORDS , YOU just hate the person 😂

[@evanbrown2594]

So what? All of the West right now is dominated by competing cults.

[@benross9174]

In the recent Jubilee video 1 democrat vs 25 Trump supporters one dude even said Trump «could do no wrong» when asked if MAGA was a cult

[@evanbrown2594]

@@benross9174 You can find that for any political figure. MAGA has people who treat it as a cult 100%, but on the flip side you have people who in a cult towards mainstream institutions who betray them. It is like comparing a TV preacher to a MLM organization. You can be against both you know and realize how we got into the situation we are in.

[@Will0398]

One main thing that makes Trump more popular is when Democrats make him out to be a cartoon villain, instead of just an idiot. This just makes his supporters like him even more. Rhetoric needs to be grounded in reality.

[@TheAZTory]

This comment section is an example of that

[@Kitsunekun2]

As a moderate conservative, Trump is a Cartoon villain, based on his own comments.

[@-8h-]

Thats what bill maher and ana kasparian have been saying, and they're getting crackback from their own side for it. But reality is, it drives the people who are in the middle over to the other side. Unless theyre complete morons and listen to the whackos who are trying to say he's on par with the guy who killed millions of people. He was in office once before, nothing even close happened. If he gets in office again, some people wipl be mad for 4 years, media will lie for 4 years, then in 2028 he'll be gone. The econemy will either be better, or worse. Its not that big of a deal.

[@Lythgoemania]

Oh come on just stop it please

[@lingy69]

If you can't see after January 6th how he's a genuine threat to democracy I don't know what to tell you.

[@nightmaresshadow99]

JJ, I mostly agree with your assessment of Trump's effect on politics but I think it's unfair to solely pin the blame on him. He's been manipulating and working within the media for decades, best evidenced in his 2016 run where he got effectively $2 billion worth of free advertising. He understands how it works. But it's not just that. The problem of how his politics is spread is a combined result of Trump and the legacy/old and new mainstream media outlets adapting to the modern world and social media. I have a bit of bias as I'm someone who's Pro-Trump, but still assert that the issue is not Trump's alone. The rise of new media around the late 2000's that challenge the established and trusted legacy media outlets created a new field of competition and lot of new methods for getting engagement, viewership, and subscriptions. One of the methods I hate the most is the rise of click-bait headlines, something that both older and newer news outlets utilize. It's probably one of the most commonly used tactics that, when paired with social media, creates a terribly angry or misinformed general public. But it's highly effective which is why it constantly gets reused. Heck even youtubers do this now their video titles. Despite how much I dislike it, It does work. It also does not help when viewers discover that powerful influences within a media outlet are pushing narratives, such as with Fox News pushing news favoring the right, and CNN pushing news favoring the left. The general public rightfully expects trusted news outlets to be as unbiased as possible, for news to be disseminated in a way where each individual can form their own opinions for themselves. Trust in news agencies have been dropping across the board and political spectrum, in part due to this partisan behavior. News agencies are also companies too, and they have operating costs as well. It's expensive to hire people to cover the grounds necessary to provide as accurate as information as possible and they were some of the people that were foolishly let go. In the past, CNN was an absolute powerhouse of media, reporting critically important information and being at the cusp of actual world events without overpromoting the sensationalism of their stories. Now, they are a shadow of their former glory and need a good internal restructuring. There's a whole subset that can be discussed in the form of massive corporations or governments funding select news outlets, but that's probably going too far for this discussion. Similarly, I'm of the opinion that CBC here in Canada, which receives a huge amount of money from the Liberal govt, needs to change. We can discuss that in private if you're willing. As if to make the challenge for news outlets harder, the rise of podcasts in the past few years have hammered yet another nail into the coffin. In a week, Joe Rogan's podcast episode with Trump on youtube alone amassed 43 million views now, and might have got more if youtube had properly promoted it on Trending. Old media can only dream of this sort of engagement. Kamala realized the importance of this as well and appeared on ShayShay and the Call her Daddy (I think), though her appearances gathered much less fanfare. In this instance specifically with Trump, I suspect those numbers were only achievable because of how close to the election the US is, but is still relevant to compare to mainstream media. There's a lot more to discuss with how modern media operates that ends up helping Trump but I think the point is this: In a desperate need to fund increasing operating costs compared to more innovative means of new reporting, old media have unintentionally let some of the most important values of reporting go to the wayside. Trump is a walking living breathing clickbait, and the media could not help themselves. Tl;dr - Trump's effect on political discussion has been bad, and the adapting legacy and new media did not help make the situation better.

[@Sam-eh5ii]

The saddest thing, as someone who remembers pre Trump america, but who only turned 18 in 2014, is the working class resentment is real. The fetishizing of Trump is a cathartic expression for the working classes discontentment for neo liberalism.

[@JJMcCullough]

Trump’s supporters are mostly middle class and even upper middle class

[@xavierguy773]

I will say as just a personal anecdote that in western PA the people I know that are most engaged in supporting trump are lower and middle class. Upper middle class seems more split and more of the wealthy people for example living in gated communities are all for Harris

[@JJMcCullough]

@@xavierguy773 your anecdotal evidence is wrong. Even in poor or rural areas the people most likely to support him are the people doing best in those communities.

[@xavierguy773]

@@JJMcCullough I guess you would know them more than me. Fair enough

[@McKinley1901]

@@JJMcCullough I'm afraid you're wrong. Check the document titled "Trump Voters and the White Working Class" on Google, published by Johns Hopkins University. Here's a relevent excerpt: "Altogether, the results of both pieces of our analysis support the claim that Trump’s appeal to the white working class was crucial to his victory. In addition to retaining a core of support from Romney’s 2012 voters, Trump appears to have claimed a narrow victory because of the support of the white working-class voters whom he targeted." I don't know if this will also be true for the next election, but according to this paper, support from the (white) working class was decisive in Trump's 2016 victory.

[@joeybaseball7352]

I will fully admit, that I chuckled when Trump attacked Rosie O'Donnell on The Insider back in 2006. I was very upset with Rosie over comments she had made on The View, where she said that parents aren't physically able to love their 2nd born children, and any subsequent children they have, as much as their first born. What a horrible thing to say publicly. And it's even more insulting coming from a woman who has never had any biological children of her own. And Rosie's kids hate her, and they wonder why. I still dont like Rosie O'Donnell for what she said. But I've had enough of Trump. When I laughed at his remarks about Rosie O'Donnell, I had no idea that it was just the tip of the iceberg. After 20 years of Trump in the news, the apprentice, the whole "will he, won't he" run for president narritive, the racially charged Omama birther attacks, and the past 10 years of him running for president, and being president for 4 of them, has been exhausting. I am still surprised that Obama was so gracious to Trump in 2016. Inviting him to the white house, and being so cordial.

[@dustinspear5968]

At first I found some of his comments like the Rosie one entertaining but he also said some really terrible ones. I thought that once he got into office he would settle down but now he has turned basically the whole party into a bunch of crazy dangerous people and I’m not sure if the party can recover and if it does god knows how long it will take.

[@curranfrank2854]

@@dustinspear5968 I think the Republican Party needs the Old Yeller treatment to be honest. Obviously not in an actual violent sense, but in a sane world, they would be eviscerated in elections and never able to form a viable national party again. Republicans would be mocked nationally. They'd be viewed with disdain by a majority of Americans, and all of their major leaders would lose power. In a decade or so, maybe a sane conservative or center-right party would emerge. But nothing good comes from the Republican party continuing to exist

[@peepeevs]

I mean, he was definitely a very entertaining and, dare I even say, captivating guy. That is how he got hist cult in the first place. I don't think you should feel bad for ever having found Trump funny. And you could be forgiven for not taking his more concerning statements too seriously. I think very few people thought he would actually go as far as he went. But for the people that still feel like he is just a funny and mostly harmless guy after what happened after the 2020 election and at J6, I don't feel that sense of forgiveness anymore.

[@occam7382]

"I am still surprised that Obama was so gracious to Trump in 2016. Inviting him to the white house, and being so cordial." That's because Obama is the kind of guy who actually holds values like respect and humility in high regard. Something that cannot be said of his successor.

[@patrickderp1044]

@@occam7382 dude obama illegally spied on trump you dont come back from that, in fact that has to be the most low down and disrespectful things a president has ever done

[@caseyzx]

"There is a pizza parlour in Washington DC" gotta be my favorite conspiracy theory of all time

[@treyshaffer]

It's in reference to pizzagate where people think a pizza place in DC is like a sex trafficking hotspot or whatevr

[@Arclite02]

Trump is awful, for sure. But the bigger concern is that his opponents truly aren't much better (and in some ways they're worse). If it was just a matter of fixing the broken part, it wouldn't be too bad... But BOTH sides are broken - so where do you go from there??

[@ComedyJakob]

JJ, you have to understand, progressives are doing annoying things so I have to give up all of my stated values and beliefs to vote for a right wing dictator. Because I have the mind of a teenager.

[@Galow311]

@ComedyJakob not everyone shares your values, stop projecting

[@mikesmith542]

@@Galow311 You're in for a wonderful surprise because he's right . . . far left views are radical and cancerous and are going to be a huge sticking point in this election.

[@williaminnes6635]

I'm certain you are capable of better material than this.

[@s.henrlllpoklookout5069]

Guys, I'm pretty sure that @ComedyJakob was being sarcastic

[@morganmccabe7739]

People will be writing about how this era happened for years, and I doubt anyone will get it as right as you are here. Well done.

[@AlexanderJolley]

I find it interesting that you focused on character rather than tangible policies that happened during his term. I know many people who are voting for Trump exclusively for policies rather than what he says. I bet many would not even disagree with what you said here, but still vote for him.

[@JJMcCullough]

People vote for him because they’ve decided they like him, and then look for reasons to justify that liking. Trump was not a good enough president to justify overlooking all the monstrous consequences he’s imposed.

[@blessedveteran]

What policies? The only thing he achieved was getting more American military killed overseas during his term (than Biden) and giving a huge tax break to the rich.

[@myusernamewasinuse]

​​@@JJMcCullough I'm glad you think you know more about what goes on in the heads of others than they do. Maybe all of this is just a rationalization for the real truth that you view Trumpism and right wing populism as a whole as an existential threat to your cushy middle class consumerist lifestyle; and the idea that in an effort to continue this neolibereal order, things have gone so far off the rails for so many that Trump is effectively the pragmatic choice irregardless of his personal failings and is a valid reason for his continued support? But that would make you self interested and force you to examine the fact that large swathes of the country are being crushed under the weight of a system that you and an ever shrinking few benefit from, so it's a lot easier psychologically to just call it sycophantic demagoguery than to acknowledge that for many, values have shifted in response to the context of their lives. Really you can just believe what you want. In the end we don't need every traditional conservative to agree, because frankly traditional conservatives are weak spineless losers. That's how the left took control of the zeitgeist, and it's how the new right stole the GOP. You don't have the strength to stop us regardless.

[@ZemanTheMighty]

@@JJMcCulloughmaybe the old system was not good enough to protect people and stop them from feeling so cornered and desperate that they’d elect such a person. Maybe this era needs to end.

[@AlexanderJolley]

@@JJMcCullough I agree many are, but there are many reasons people would choose to vote for someone. This may not be a good reason to do so, but I know someone who hates Trump but wants to “punish” Democrats. It goes to show the wide variety of reasons someone may choose to do so. Saying everyone likes him may be overstating the case somewhat. But what do I know?

[@scruffynerfherder2350]

It's interesting that JJ shys away from the cultural issues which frankly fuel Trump populism but is perfectly happy to take negative positions against the movement without addressing why people want a strong man in the first place.

[@williaminnes6635]

top comment of the comment section, and the algorithm puts it way down here

[@caydcrow5161]

Excited to watch another JJ banger!! Remember to vote everybody!! No matter who ya support!

[@wombatpandaa9774]

This whole video highlights one of my greatest concerns with American politics - that Trump and his fanatics have taken the narrative, and have done so in such a way that it may be difficult for sensible people to get it back. I don't really know what to do about it, because it feels like all options are bad - stoop to their level? Continue tiptoeing around the issue? Imply that disgusting opinions are valid? Escalate the conflict? Begin silencing bad actors? None of these options feel like a solution, which makes me wonder if the solution is more complicated and will take longer to put in practice than that. I've been learning recently about conflict resolution, and the idea that the best way to deal with people who have gross opinions is to dig into the fundamental reasons they have for believing them - their fears and worries and doubts that lead them to believe in obvious lies. But that's not an easy conversation to have now, when the choice may honestly be between democracy and tyranny. It's a conversation we needed to have fifty years ago, or five, and while it's better late than never, we may just be incapable of reversing the tide of hysteria now. I think we'll bounce back from it, eventually, but how long is eventually, and how will we stop this from happening again? And perhaps most pressing, how do we deal with the root problem - that the internet just fundamentally, as a platform, seems to inevitably encourage a cycle of hysteria? I think we will need to either see it basically collapse as a platform entirely, or force it into being a less open and anonymous space, before we're able to break this cycle. But who knows, I'm just a guy who can't possibly predict the future or solve society's problems. We'll just have to wait and see, and ride out the storm if it comes.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@wombatpandaa9774 I have a human right to your house bigot

[@williaminnes6635]

Your side has all ready burrowed down well below the level.

[@moonverine]

I wouldn't consider JJ conservative, even though he says he is. Always comes off more moderate centrist than anything else.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

Idk, he seems very conservative to me. Just not the fire and brimstone or body controlling type

[@gtothereal]

@@thomastakesatollforthedark2231name a single conservative policy he advocates for.

[@beeflumps]

​@@gtotherealhe says he loves Harper in his ranking Canadian prime ministers video

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@gtothereal fewer social laws that derestrict human interaction and love. That's what liberalism, the conservatives of the West, stands for at the end of the day. Stronger police as well

[@Dralchemy]

@@thomastakesatollforthedark2231 conservatives of the west stand for gay marriage? where are you from?

[@thndr_5468]

A conservative canadian is basically a democrat in the US

[@coyotelong4349]

3:00 That’s an accurate statement, but I’d like to amend it: Trump was the first guy elected entirely because he was a famous guy from the TV *who told a large segment of the electorate exactly what they wanted to hear* It was the perfect marriage for them. A big, rich, powerful guy with name recognition who figured out *exactly* what these people wanted to hear, and would repeat it for them ad nauseum They believed that he cared about exactly the things THEY cared about, and was angry about the things they were angry about, even though it was a political ploy (at least at first)

[@zoanth4]

He delivered on at least heavily attempted to do most of his goals. Securing the border, boosting the economy. Ending wars, no new wars, smaller government.

[@thomaskalbfus2005]

Ronald Reagan came before Trump and Reagan was actually a Hollywood actor, Donald Trump was not! (Unless you count a brief appearance on Home Alone 2 perhaps.)

[@Generaloliverswanik]

Watch Dave chappels simplification of the 2016 election you could really use a simplification on politics arround that time, that is based in reality rather than what a politcal party wants you to think

[@coyotelong4349]

@@zoanth4 He really didn’t, dude… He’s just really good at selling his failures as accomplishments, selling failures as success, taking credit for the good things he wasn’t responsible for… and you folks eat it up It’s the same reason why The Apprentice did so well on TV…

[@longiusaescius2537]

@coyotelong4349 Don't believe your lying eyes right?

[@davidbryden7904]

He's given ppl permission to be at their worst in public 😢

[@longiusaescius2537]

When you can't lecture Americans for more gibs

[@Bob-ew1hx]

@@davidbryden7904 and Kamala Harris calling him literally Hitler doesn’t do anything, oh please

[@adamk.7177]

@@Bob-ew1hx Russian bot account made in 2024, go away. Nobody respond to this guy he's a troll.

[@Bob-ew1hx]

@@adamk.7177 this is what people say when they lose an argument

[@williaminnes6635]

@@Bob-ew1hx commenting for algorithm to boost reach

[@CSPaffy]

JJs eight and a half day stubble really adds to the tone of this video

[@benni5239]

So as an Austrian I'm maybe not as well informed as most of you. But I have a question. Is he realy that special? Has Trump any form of policy intruduced witch is completly new? He defenetly helped to push the conservative agenda on things like tax breaks, abortion or imigration. But thats nothing new. I think at the end of the day the main reason why he is so controversial is first becaus he is very inpolite and second that the left wing media wants him to fail. Some people will now say that it's because of January 6 but thats not true because he was already extrem controversial bevor. So controversial that they made things up like the russia connections to impeach him. And when it comes to January 6, after now fully understanding how americans vote and how easy it is to rige that system I can fully see how he came to the conclusion that the election was stolen

[@wakkablockablaw6025]

That's a fair take.

[@vikt]

I am not an American, nor do I currently live in America. As an outsider (or as much of an outsider I can be; I live in Europe after all), it's funny how worked up a lot of Americans and a surprising amount of Americans Lite (Canadians) get every 4 years; calling every presidential election the "most important election of our lifetime" or "century defining" or other silly labels, and yet when it's over everybody goes back to "normal" I read The Dawn of Everything by Graeber and Wengrow a few months ago, and I'm starting to recognize the cyclical elements that they described in their book that happened thousands of years ago, that are happening right now - play acting in a way, except I think people thousands of years ago knew they were play acting, while most people today genuinely believe in the delusions and panic they're being fed by politicians and their PR teams, and unintentionally (I hope) by (I think and hope) genuinely good people Both Democrats and Republicans seem plenty guilty of this to my virgin eyes And don't anyone dare take this critique of mine, if you can call it that, in an insecure manner - no, this isn't me saying Europe is in any way better, or thinking that I'm acting arrogant that I happen to live here (I much preferred America, for what that's worth); in many-a-way, Europe (or I guess I should refer to "Europe" and "European Countries" as "Europe" isn't comparable in any way, shape, or form to the US) is decidedly worse, and I had no intention of comparing how better or worse it is versus America in the aforementioned text

[@PierzStyx]

I think you're fundamentally right about Trump as a sort of vessel for negative aspects of culture, but I think you're wrong that it is new. You can go all the way back to when John Adams was denouncing Hamilton as a bastard and Hamilton was slurring Jefferson as an atheist and a it. Inherent in democracy is the fact that the bigotry, ignorance, and anger of the masses will have their say. The more democratic a nation becomes, the more power those aspects of human nature will have. They've always been a major part of partisan politics. Trump just says the quiet parts out loud.

[@RemnantCult]

I don't agree with you all the time, but it brings me comfort to see a lot of different people such as yourself not buy into the cult of personality of Trump.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@RemnantCult Most honest redditor

[@Tsudkyk]

“Donald trump is a real world Richie Rich. He is the poor man’s idea of a rich man.”

[@stephenbinion6348]

As an American GI now retired, I appreciated him not being a warmonger like the entrenched politicians of the uniparty.

[@Pencilman246]

How do you feel about his many statements about veterans and those killed in combat, calling them losers and using Arlington National as a campaign photo-op spot?

[@stephenbinion6348]

@ Oh, I understand that Trump is an asshole. I’m glad I’m not his father in law. One general made that statement. No one else witnessed it. I’m leaning towards it not happening. Even if it did, he didn’t invade Libya and Syria without a by your leave from congress like his predecessor.

[@muzak913]

the fact that more people dont see through his manipulation really disturbs me.

[@patrickderp1044]

or they see through the kamala manipulation and how much worse it is

[@jasonbelstone3427]

"But whhhhhy won't she date Nice Guys!?" Theres nothing to see through. There were no tricks. Those people simply won't sleep with the alternative.

[@johnchessant3012]

Thank you JJ. Trump has not only steered a large fraction of the electorate towards a politics of retribution and exclusion, but also conditioned them to believe in simplistic, barebones solutions and to distrust people asking for specifics (evidently, "concepts of a plan" are sufficient for them). If politics becomes intertwined with culture, and "feelings" and "vibes" become paramount, then there's no room for sober discussion of policy details. Not to mention his many antics and scandals taking up all the media oxygen in the first place.

[@96alexandermorgan]

Normal Americans were never included when we had our jobs sent off overseas, and the urban informational workers had a boom while the rest struggled more and more. We are not wrong to know that we are treated as unimportant, fungible.

[@halo45600]

Very much unlike the totally well explained not vibes based campaigning of Kamala Harris. She definitely has answered all kinds of basic questions like; How will you be substantially different from the current administration? What would you do differently? Why have your views changed drastically?

[@jamesrob8552]

Thank you for making this

[@larrydirtybird]

This is an excellent explanation of it. Very precise, well argued, covers all the basics, gives good background, lots of good examples are shown, and all done within 30 minutes. There will be a time (I hope) that Trumpism is looked back upon by Americans as an embarrassing chapter of our past, the way Italians think of Mussolini today. And when that time comes, this video would be a very good summation for people who were not born yet it didn’t experience it.

[@realCyng]

I think JJ is going for a CNN contributor role 😂

[@mr.zafner8295]

I don't understand why you think an actor has never been elected president. Ronald Reagan was president for 8 years. He never would have won anything if he hadn't played "the Gipper"

[@JJMcCullough]

He was the two term governor of California

[@EagleHarrier]

@@JJMcCullough I was going to say sure Ronald Reagan was an actor before being president and was elected for Governor of California for two terms which gives him more political experience.

[@zero0O0z]

There’s so many sycophants willing to stomach Trumps contempt for law, decorum, respect. Honestly it’s not even a political question of left v right at one point, but instead whether we as a nation are going to invite a new standard for what’s acceptable leadership. Many democracies have crumbled from leaders like this, done away with term limits, consolidated power. I’m worried for the future of the US and I wish more conservatives considered these very possible outcomes.

[@realCyng]

If it means the left can never hold power again, I'm all for it

[@derrickbiedermann9802]

​@realCyng "If it means the people I don't like don't get a voice, I'm all for a dictator" -You, right now, unironically.

[@realCyng]

@@derrickbiedermann9802 Yes. Leftists don't deserve a space in the political conversation. I get no benefit from allowing them to rule over me. Unfortunately, Trump isn't going to be the dictator you say. Just like last time he'll probably just pass some tax cuts and modestly crack down on immigration, and you'll be able to vote communist in 2028 again. You'll be fine, for now.

[@matheuss886]

How is Justin Trudeau that JJ supposedly opposes any different from Kamala? Do the Democrats all wish to uphold law, decorum, respect, or most importantly, virtuous that are now considered "extremism", such as the healthy, respectful love for one's nation or people? Is standing up against the devaluing of the real estate market, endless fiat printing, forever wars and censorship anything different from what the Democrats used to do, many decades ago? Today, Democrats don't give a damn about personal freedoms, the constitution and call everyone who value their own motherland and heritage, something even world leaders who fought the Nazis like Charles de Gaulle used to outspokenly promote, a Nazi. How is it wrong at all to protect immigration laws and our borders, as well as a tough hand to fight criminals? Or to promote a stable economy and restoring America's austerity and reverence among the countries of the world? Or not to question the powers that be and the corruptibility of the human being, wherein it always should be assumed that one is going to steal, lie or conspire against the people below them, when given too much power? Is questioning that being a "fringe lunatic conspiracy theorist" like JJ makes it out to be in his video? Are you going to consider any of the points I'm raising here?

[@RifeXD]

I don't use my channel here for politics so I'll just say.. thank you for having that red Bomberman figurine in the background.

[@controversialcommenter5748]

unfathomably based mr.RifXD

[@scottfreeland3242]

Thanks for using your platform for clear, thoughtful discussion.

[@ghintz2156]

Unfortunately Trump's base only responds to fear or hate based in ignorance.

[@grandlordkaching9560]

You should have a discussion with a normal trump supporter and tell him what he believes the same way you do in this video and see if he agrees. Because as a Trump voter, I don’t believe hardly anything you claim I do based on this video.

[@saultpnutz]

It's truly shocking how many Republicans shy away from their support for Trump as soon as they're questioned about it.

[@TitoLounge11]

Why are you voting for Trump that's different from what's mentioned in this video?

[@minnesotasteve]

It’s fascinating how many Trump voters like yourself don’t really understand who they are voting for. Jordan Klepper has done some interviews at Trump rallies and it’s remarkable. Is it being ill informed or miss informed? Who do you listen to for news?

[@Damianwindmill]

@@minnesotasteve Yet they do 100’s of those interviews and edit the one’s out that are rational to push propaganda to mainstream viewers.

[@minnesotasteve]

@ so tell us what is trumps governing philosophy?

[@grazed_right]

Amazing video. You were able to summarize and put together so much

[@RoseEyed]

I'm 30. The first election I was sorta cognizant of was Obama's in 2008, but the first time I could vote was 2012. Trump has been a looming face in 3 out of the 4 elections I've been old enough to participate in, and the fact you pointed out this circus wasn't always normal hit me like a gut punch.

[@pXnTilde]

The 2000 election was a major upset, ultimately going to the Supreme Court. In fact, the losing side will often say "SCOTUS decided the presidency" which is just not true at all; someone had to answer the question of the "hanging chads" - and the media was actually a more direct influence on "calling it" for Bush.

[@brockharrington9065]

One side is pro-censorship, the other isn’t. Simple as.

[@pjcgaming9548]

It's really not that cut and dry. Donald Trump is incredibly pro-censorship and would love nothing more than to silence his critics (unless that is what you are referring to)

[@OhNotThat]

Nobody is pro free speech. This rallying cry is built on an obvious lie and simply a matter of team loyalty. "When Republicans and Libertarians censor people it doesn't count!"

[@brockharrington9065]

@ oh yeah, like the time he obstructed information that contradicted the CDC about Covid, the time he banned himself off of twitter, the time he edited his opponent’s answers in multiple interviews… One side is self-professed to be pro-censorship, the other isn’t.

[@JJMcCullough]

@@brockharrington9065 I think you should watch the video. Trump literally calls the free press “the enemy of the people.”

[@Ic-gv2eo]

​@@brockharrington9065just because Trump and the right claim to be anti censorship doesn't mean they are. Trump will not shut up about how much he wants to limit the speech of the far left or how he wants to shut down news organizations. "The press is the enemy of the people" isn't an anti censorship position

[@lukuria]

Thisll be a fun comment section

[@cedricburkhart3738]

I haven't found it that interesting🤷

[@Ariverfish]

I'm out here advertising my ideology. JJ doesn't want to talk and just resorted to un-American personal attacks, lol.

[@rookcapcoldblood2618]

@@Ariverfish Personal attacks are Un-American? Well then, time to vote for Kamala! Trump has been making what you'd call "Un-American personal attacks" for almost 10 years now!

[@Ariverfish]

@@rookcapcoldblood2618 I vote based on policy, you ignoramus. Kamala has nothing I agree with, Trump is the lesser evil.

[@Ariverfish]

@@rookcapcoldblood2618 Personal attacks are very American. I'm just using your own rhetoric, especially insulting non-English speakers.

TDS is not a good look. Also, you're not really that conservative. You are more of a liberal or liberal-leaning centrist. You said that you don't have an opinion of so-called gender-affirming care for children.

[@CerisuHakka]

I think one of the key things you're forgetting to mention is that the vulgar, conspiratorial character of modern North American conservatism is fundamentally resentment-driven, a result of a growing Hunger Games-esque class divide between educated urban professionals, who've absorbed most of the economic growth in the Information Age, and rural/suburban dwellers left behind in the transition from a production-oriented to a service-oriented economy. Lower-middle class people on the right visage themselves as revolutionaries against a system they view as increasingly hostile (justifiably) to their traditional values, and they think accordingly, gravitating towards leaders that use more populist rhetoric and framing. None of this stuff is going to go away, unfortunately, unless our politicians seriously consider healing this impasse by addressing wealth redistribution and improving access to affordable post-secondary education.

[@japjeetmehton9921]

There are countries with a larger class divide than America. I think the resentment is largely due to racism and religious bigotry. Even the progressive "anti-racism" which is criticized for going too far is because of racism; they are reactionaries (I mean the ones who are always self deprecating, not all progressives). If it was about class they wouldn't be supporting Elon Musk and "billionaire" Trump. It's their identity as "Rednecks", "White", "Christian", and "Straight" vs. whatever the other side is.

[@CerisuHakka]

@@japjeetmehton9921 That is true, however, I think the primary factor that's led to the culture war taking off this way has been the wealth disparity within the middle class forming neatly along ethno-geographical lines (north vs. south, urban vs. rural). This phenomenon has happened elsewhere to lesser degrees; take China, for instance, which has a similar urban-rural cultural split between rural people who are generally more supportive of the country's sociopolitical policies due to the improvements the CPC has brought to rural China, and urban dwellers in places like Shanghai who are generally more open to a more Western, cosmopolitan worldview.

[@Adevine369]

Aka left bad - right good 😂

[@CerisuHakka]

@@Adevine369 Reread the last sentence of my first comment if you think I'm saying that lol

[@brandonchandlerMGnO]

I've noticed Republicans getting nicer and more inclusive other the years actually. And people hate on "conspiracy theories," but the Left is just as bad, you know the majority of leftist believed that the Trump assassination attempt was staged, with no proof. Also, no one gives them the right credit for being right on many Covid related issues, practical predicting the future of what governments were going to try to do.

[@BladePan]

Yes, the most infuriating thing is how a great nation falls for a guy like that! He is not Napoleon, he is not remotely worthy of being idolized, god chose him of all people?

[@thareelhelloagain]

And Harris is somehow some accomplished person now? What has she ever done to prove that she's a better choice? Locking up black men for drug charges? Not visiting the border when that was her main job? Not being able to answer basic questions about her policy? He's not great, but she is legitimately actually a worse choice for the job.

[@adamgates1142]

I honestly can't think of a better person to represent American values at this point. This is not a compliment to Trump.

[@jorgetorresgonzalez4570]

Saw the notification and had to click bc it’s JJ

[@arture.7174]

Hey man.. humor me this. As a man who jumped on the streets, cheering in celebration about Biden's victory in 2020, how come I stand here today endorsing Donald J. Trump in 2024? We can't just be stupid sheep, right?

[@laithtwair]

Well nobody knows but you. Go on. Tell us your story.

[@Gameprojordan]

Because the Russians obviously!!

[@Psykins]

Incredibly Brave JJ, Bravo! Maybe you to will be invited to Davos one day :)))

[@JJMcCullough]

Maybe you should watch the video

[@Psykins]

@@JJMcCullough JJ, you're not wrong about any of this. It's just tired rhetoric that's all been said before. Yes, Trump is not good. Trump is, however, the only alternative to the current hegemonic institutions, which push unpopular policies, and which contain their own fair share of loons. A combined middle finger / vote of no-confidence to a system perceived to be democratically unresponsive. The only way to "vote against the system". Shame it had to be him, tho, but that's Democracy In Action.

[@parihar-shashwat]

Its funny how the same thing can be said to Kamala/Biden and the other side would have the same conclusion as this one is mind boggling to me. Its like every one has taken a side and all the opinions are filtered through it. The leading candidate almost got assisinated and everyone is like "yea lets move on, he deserved it". The level of partisan is on another level.

[@jaredpoon5869]

That's the funny, isn't it? I am neither a US citizen, nor am I living in the US. I can see how and why people like and dislike both candidate (along with the current administration). I am well aware of the many critiques Trump has, but I am also well aware of the many critiques Harris has. It's always very interesting to see how some people are baffled at the level of support Trump has and be somehow unaware of how other people might view and dislike Harris and Biden.

[@danculbert6349]

Didn't Nancy Palosi's husband almost get killed? and you Maga weirdos laughed about it

[@wakkablockablaw6025]

​@@danculbert6349 The people on the right were wrong to do so. Can we agree that the woke weirdos were wrong to laugh at political assassinations? Also, "Maga weirdos"? That's half the country. So by definition, they are not weird. Now stop using whataboutism to defend murder, weirdo.

[@danculbert6349]

@ curiously, what are the critiques of both candidates?

[@samuelsavary4895]

This ^

[@abbasshachem3383]

Trump is like Regan Let's stop overreacting They said trump is crazy and fascist and 4 year of him wasn't bad Oh no trump is a celebrity in celebrity worshipping country and made it big

[@chrisburnett9905]

As a gay guy from California who has worked the past 50 years as a journalist, political aide and tenured university professor I disagree with you, J.J. Trump is a once in a generation political figure who heads a movement that is in the process of realigning American politics. The movement is really a lot bigger than Trump himself. As political coalitions break up it all may seem very dysfunctional but I think it will all make more sense in 10 or 20 years. The US is a federal republic some 250 years old with lots of checks and balances in its governing structure and shared governance between its states and national government. Most Republicans, the more conservative party, would like to preserve that structure. Democrats instead favor a future with the US more of a European style state with a higher-level of national services and less freedom from checks on federal power. I've covered this battle as a journalist and as a professor teaching a class on the Presidency since 2016. I could write a lot more but I assure you these issues won't be resolved Tuesday.

[@HolyAlric]

A gay guy for Trump? Save this for leopard ate my face humor

[@marshallscot]

​@@HolyAlricYou leftists need to find new material lmao you claim Trump is so hateful yet he polls better with minorities and the LGBT then any Republican in the last century. Do 50% of Hispanics support him because they are stupid or because they are smart enough to vote for their own wellbeing?

[@Failedwizard1]

@@HolyAlric But he never said he was for Trump, merely that he has covered him since he became a politician.

[@casperkamp]

" The US is a federal republic some 250 years old with lots of checks and balances in its governing structure and shared governance between its states and national government. Most Republicans, the more conservative party, would like to preserve that structure. " This was maybe true 10 years ago. Look at the Trump voting base; they'd crown the guy King of America if they could. And given enough power, they will.

[@Post-ModernCzechoslovakianWar]

Ah yes, the no true gay man fallacy.

[@mickthetic]

I have a lot of respect for JJ, but I very much disagree with this reification of the American Presidency as something that has always been this untouchable, entirely respectful institution. I think we have had numerous people fill this position who were clearly self serving, or engaged in some other egregious behaviors. We have even had other presidents who have attempted to centralize more power to their position. I think this is where we give credit to the checks and balances of our government.

[@samanteater]

I don't think he's so naive as to think politicians are angels- just that we used to hold them to the bare minimum standard of not being... you know, THIS.

[@ferrariguy8278]

I don't think "celebrity" is always a negative for the position of a politician. Take Zelensky, - a celebrity, and reportedly not the best domestic President, but the best war time president that Ukraine could have ever hoped for. Celebrity instead really should be a non-issue. Neither an endorsement nor a detraction.

[@Catokawaii]

Zelensky was a medicore president until wartime. celebrities aren't good at the day to day politics.

[@williaminnes6635]

Zelenskyy's a kapo.

[@nickharmon2157]

Trump is terrible in many ways, but the idea that he is the reason there is so much political division is ludicrous. He’s a symptom, not the disease. The right hated Obama just as much as the left hates Trump. On social issues, Trump is far more moderate than most republicans in the last few decades. Despite his flaws, many people in this country view him as the avatar of their anger. Globalization left many in the rust belt feeling screwed over. Social conservatives felt left behind by modern culture. Many in the working class felt as though the value of their labor was diluted by mass illegal immigration. There are absolutely moronic people who worship the ground he walks on, but to pretend all of his supporters are just hypnotized by his celebrity status is incredibly arrogant, disrespectful, and elitist. That is something that Canadians and Europeans are often guilty of when commenting on American politics. The reason so many love him, despite believing he is deeply flawed, is because he is hated so much by the people they blame for screwing them over. The reason they support him is simply because people like you look down upon people like them.

[@JJMcCullough]

No people like him because they think he’s based and cool. They love how mean and racist he is. There’s always been an appetite for that sort of thing, people just never has a chance to vote for it before.

[@vcc947]

@@JJMcCullough You might have the big ol T.D.S. dude

[@nickharmon2157]

@ assuming all trump supporters are racist is playing into the same division people like you often claim to be against. Calling Kamala a communist is not proper political discourse but calling the supporters of your political opponents all racist is completely fine? You claim to be above this type of discourse yet actively engage in it.

[@fan.of.nintendo]

​@@JJMcCulloughI'm gonna be honest, this sort of rhetoric only divides us and pushes away rational discussion. Very dissapointed to see you react this way, but I guess that's the intention

[@cbfdxbxsb]

​@fan.of.nintendo Compared to the bile that Trump, his camp, and his fans spew every day, this was pretty moderate. This is a tactic I really hate. Trumpists say the most heinous stuff all the time, and then someone opposed to Trump says something a bit bluntly about Trump, and suddenly it's "hey now, I think we need to tone down the rhetoric." Fuck off.

[@mememan5]

Mad respect JJ