Trump's Address. Thoughts?

[Stoked]

The immediate benefit to becoming fluent or near fluent in a second language (speaking that language with others who can speak it) is great. The adjacent benefits are amazing. I believe the process of learning a language allows for deeper cultural understanding, changes paradigms and even creates pathways in the brain for new, better, and more efficient ways of thinking. These benefits aren't guaranteed, clearly, but the second language definitely opens doors that weren't there before.

Agreed. One of the educational changes I’d like to see is kids taught a second culture from kindergarten through 12th.

Some obvious choices are Spanish, Chinese, French and Arabic. Parents simply choose what they want their kid in and bam. A nation of adults that are all at least bilingual within one generation.

Not to mention all the side effects I think would happen. Like combating racism and religious bigotry.

 

[gandalfe]

Remember how back up in this thread, I talked about Trump vs Obama in terms of campaign promises kept? And I said it wasn't fair to compare them, totally, because we had 8 years of data on Obama and only 2 on Trump?

Politifact has now compared the first 2 years.

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-...ring-trump-obama-campaign-promises-two-years/

 

[Gameface]

Remember how back up in this thread, I talked about Trump vs Obama in terms of campaign promises kept? And I said it wasn't fair to compare them, totally, because we had 8 years of data on Obama and only 2 on Trump?

Politifact has now compared the first 2 years.

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-...ring-trump-obama-campaign-promises-two-years/

I think it's great that they put those numbers together, and I think it does help put numbers to the concept.

However... sticking with promises is not a one promise made equals any other promise made. They used Obama's policy papers (he did that sort of thing because he was actually serious about governing) where I'd assume many of his "promises" were minor policy issues that were either non-controversial or completely under his control.

Trump made far fewer promises, and they weren't written in policy papers (the guy doesn't like to read, no way you're going to get him to put in any work on policy papers) they were grand, yet vague proclamations made to ravenous cheering crowds of worshipers. Much of what Trump promised was essentially what a couple trailer park drunks spout off "You know what I'd do if I was President? I'd build a massive wall to stop all them Mexicans from comin' over here and stealin' our jobs! BUURP." Much of his promises were just nonsense or fantasy, but I believe that he had every intention of keeping pretty much all of them. I don't think he had a solid working idea how the federal government works, so he couldn't even comprehend how to get any of these ideas off the ground and the "adults in the room" had to explain to little Donny that the Presidency doesn't work the way he thought it did.

But your typical politician tells us dumb voters things we want to hear that they have zero passion for or personal interest in pursuing, and that they know when they say it that it's never going to happen. Trump, on the other hand, said things his followers wanted to hear, but I think in the majority of cases also wants those things and he expected to make it happen.

So you can't just say, Trump was successful on x percentage of promises and Obama was on y percentage and y>x so Obama was more dedicated to the promises he made. Obama was qualified to be the President, so it goes without saying he'd be more effective at doing the job.