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Comment by jondubois | Hacker News Reader

I don't know what Americans are protesting about. I don't agree with the bans at all but at least you have a president who is true to his words for once - For me that is a higher moral value. You have to take the good with the bad.

I don't agree with Trump on a lot of things but I can respect a politician who does what he says he'll do.

It's a refreshing break from the typical Washington charlatans who don't do anything of their own accord and instead just do what their crooked lobbyist friends tell them.

All that said, I've had a few Iranian friends/colleagues (fellow engineers) and it's really strange to think that they're not allowed to go to the US now because they're such decent, balanced people - Also, I can't help but think about those people who left Iran 40 years ago before it was under Islamic rule but still have Citizenship.

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He says a lot of words. Many are false, some are true.

I don't understand how everybody (well, many people at least) ignore the obvious pathological lying and conclude he's doing what he said he would.

Because this is what is called to be a master at pitching snake's oil.

What "pathological lying"? He is no more lying than the average politician, and maybe less.

What about his statements on the crowd sizes? He also said Mexico was going to pay for the wall and that doesn't look like it will happen at all.

He said he will impose a tax on Mexican imports and use the proceeds to pay for the wall - That sounds on track.

A 20% import tariff was floated, but was fairly quickly walked back after a cold reception from the Texas GOP delegation and strong opposition from the Texas Association of Business (Texas does a lot of import/export business with Mexico). Now they're looking into unspecified other mechanisms.

Well, it's not making Mexicans pay for it, but Americans.

As for his other promises, I'm also not sure how he's going to manage to massively increase the defense forces while basically halving taxes.

You understand that the tax will be passed on to US consumers via higher prices right?

You understand that this is no rule of nature, right?

It's not like Mexico is the only source of some goods. Or that they can't make concessions (and assume the extra hit on their own margins) if their sales drop. Or tens of other factors and outcomes.

I do understand that, however it seems unlikely at the moment that they will choose that option.

"alternative facts" ;). At least those err, factual inaccuracies didn't have anything to do with formal government policy.

As for the wall, he's making steps to that at least; whether they'll work on a practical matter is of course something else. Can't accuse him from not following up on his promises, anyway.

Being true to your word doesn't mean you have to immediately send out an order with no planning, preparation, or consultation.

It does if you want to give a loud example of a new policy, to be able to scale it down afterwards, and thus has both your extremist supporters happy (because at least you did what you could) and the activists against you happy (because you "caved in" and took somethings back).

> I can respect someone who does what he says he'll do

The point of a leader is to do what's right, not what's popular. Short-circuiting our republic into a direct democracy defeats its purpose.

Trump lost the popular vote. The Republic is the only reason he can do this at all.

Then the US should overhaul its voting system completely; when you have just two parties, and when the head-of-state is a person (instead of a commission or a government without a clear leader), you will inevitably end up in a popularity contest, a contest of personalities. "What's right" is much harder to get people to vote for.

I don't agree with Trump on a lot of things but I can respect a politician who does what he says he'll do

Like release his taxes? Your memory seems selective.

> I don't agree with Trump on a lot of things but I can respect someone who does what he says he'll do.

Adolf Hitler was also keeping his promise of eliminating the Jewish "problem" or the lack of the living space for the Germans. Does this increase your respect to him?

Of course this is overblown, and Trump is not Hitler. But we should learn our lessons rather than repeat the errors of the past.

Good ol' Godwin's law, I've missed you

So should we forget the Holocaust and WWII because of Godwin?

Please note I've been very careful to put things into perspective here...

>If you're thoughtful about it and show some real awareness of history, go ahead and refer to Hitler when you talk about Trump. Or any other politician

-Mike Godwin

The only time I've seen this is in well thought out articles demonstrating that Trump is absolutely nothing like Hitler. Here is a good example: https://regiehammblog.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/this-hitler-n...

Anyone reading this who feels a powerful urge to jump in and demonstrate their confirmation bias in a reply is invited to stop, take a deep breath, and think about it first.

Most politicians do in fact do what they say they will. It's not actually rare.

Thats really not very true

I am not sure why you are downvoted, regardless of whether you agree with the travel ban or not, his supporters, the people who voted for him wanted this.

The more they keep protecting, the more we're trapped within.

Says it all that you make a good point and are still getting down voted. This industry is very nervous about something and it's my belief it has more to do with what's coming next.

What would that be (that is coming next)?

This is just virtue signaling against Trump by those that don't know they are being played.

None of these people and companies (and media outlets) said anything when Obama was doing much worse, such as blowing up entire countries.

Yet Trump puts into effect a temporary travel correction from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, half of which are an open death sentence destination for Americans right now, and here we see the establishment latching on to a story, removing the facts, playing with the numbers, etc, all to accomplish its anti-Trump goals.

This is dirty politics being dressed up as morals and values.

>Temporary travel correction

That's some talented doublespeak.

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