The problem with your statement is that in a "good" merit-based system, the country of origin shouldn't really matter all that much compared to the other factors about that individual. what's their education, employment history, are their skills in demand in the US? etc etc....

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My SIL is from one of those African countries. Smart, talented and a quality person.

Trumphole's comments basically said 'we don't want immigrants from poor black countries, we want them from developed white ones'.

There are two problems with that "sh!thole countries" Trump statement.

1. There a tacit implication that the people from "sh!thole countries" are "sh!thole people" when they arrive in the USA.

2. For a sitting president to vocalize that about other nations, particularly one's that have generally been supportive of the USA, is idiotic. Its the type of foreign policy management you would expect from an angy, tempestuous teenager not the president of the USA. Its more than embarrassing - its deeply harmful. Sure, Haiti or Congo are not powerful enough to leverage this on their own, but the diplomatic corps of China, Russia, Iran, Brazil, etc. will leverage these types of 'faux pas' in their favor.

Edit: there is a third problem. Trump is now denying he said this. So the third problem is that when he realizes he really f()cked up, he lacks the balls to own up to his mistake. "Sorry, I was wrong" does not appear to be in his vocabulary.

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Remember - It's important to be comfortable in your own skin... because it turns out society frowns on wearing other people's

Thanks but I have no desire to vacation in Norway.

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As long as you realize you're imputing the meaning. Maybe he meant just "poor" countries, or just "black" countries that we should not favor, or maybe he meant we want only the best immigrants, ie with money and education. Who knows?

Stick with the identity politics, they've gotten your party so far lately.

Can anyone on here imagine what FDR called some of the countries we associated with in WW2? The countries on Durbin's list are shitholes. They are run by third world criminals, aided by the United Nations and American policies that have dumped billions into these countries only to see the money put into the pockets of the leadership and their friends. Trump is a lot of things, but his comment about these countries was SPOT ON. The problem is the left and the media are once again playing politics, and Trump isn't. He'll win this battle too.

I think that's the OP's entire point. Maybe I'm confused.

Did you read the OP and the title of the thread?

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

There are plenty of lazy, entitled Norwegians you wouldn't want loving in the US and a ton of hard working, lovely people from Africa who would do anything for a shot at relative freedom of the US.

Just because people happen to be born in to shitty circumstances doesn't mean they should be excluded from a chance at living in the west.

As usual, Trump's remarks are a crude, sweeping generalization that makes little sense. Racist? Probably not. Stupid? Absolutely. That's Trump's forte.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

This also jives nicely with ending TPS for 3 different Central American countries. I was with him that the TPS had gone beyond temporary. But now his motives are clear. He simply doesn't want people like that here.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

I wonder if you could use that argument to repeal 2A as well: "hey, the country has changed since we needed muskets to defend ourselves from government"

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Yeah, there's also 2 pages of discussion since then, but fair enough. I'll amend to "almost no-one"...

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Take out the words "black" and "white" and I think you're correct. I don't know your SIL's race, but if she is black, educated, English speaking, and employed she would be far more welcome under any merit-based immigration system than someone who is white, uneducated, non-English speaking, and unemployed. Which means, as hard as it is for some of you to accept, RACE isn't the issue.

And this is what makes those with Trump Derangement Syndrome so pathetic. They'll use pretzel logic to twist anything he says into racism.

This is what I don't understand. The President of the U.S goes and publicly calls other countries shitholes, and his defenders knee jerk reaction is to defend him and label anyone who deems it inappropriate as people with Trump Derangement Syndrome.

The office of the President used to be seen as lofty and the person holding the position revered and respected, Now, many people seem to be perfectly fine with his adolescent comments.

It really is difficult to understand and has nothing to do with TDS although I'm sure that will be used against me.

No, your post probably makes you a socialist ;).

Do you really want to go there? Just what the Lavender room needs --- another gun control debate.

My understanding is that Trump specifically mentioned Haiti and Africa as places where he didn't want immigrants from, and Norway as one that he did.

The optics are poor.

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Not replying to anyone in particular.

I have read several headlines about liberal media members acting upset at what Trump said. I bet that many of them would have said the same thing if they were told that they were being sent to those countries for an assignment.

As to the comment. I think it is possible to call those countries "shitholes" without implying that the citizens are shitholes as well. However, his comment <edit is in poor taste and should not have been said> and was such that people could interpret the remark as they have. Though some of the same people would be making excuses if it had come from the mouth of Bill Clinton or Obama.

Most career politicians know that they have to choose their words carefully, and it becomes second nature for them as they know that one misspoken word or phrase could end their aspirations. Trump obviously doesn't care about such things.

"Saying ***hole when talking about other countries is not very Presidential. "

Replying to you but not picking on you specifically.

See, actual people don't even like typing it out. This is beyond not very presidential. People got offended and said it lacked presidential decorum when Obama put his feet on his desk. Oh, those were the days.

If this was a single anecdote it would be one thing. But this exact kind of behavior happens over and over. Among the incidents not already mentioned above. There were fine people marching with the KKK. The Mexican/rapist comment to kick off his campaign. The argument with Australia over taking refugees. Untold numbers of comments around the wall. Ending TPS for 3 different Central American countries. Hell, I've lost track by now.

If you had someone in your life who had done all of these things you know exactly what you'd think of them and how you would describe them.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Trump defenders are a bunch of snowflakes.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

this would be my position as well. Very well stated.

They simply want to #MAGA and should be considered for POTUS since they have the balls to say it out loud and do something about it? if one could look at things objectively, it is truly amazing what people will put up with when considering if the ends justify the means. That goes every which way of course. EastAsia is winning.

Percentage of US citizens with college degrees: 33%
Percentage of Nigerian immigrants with college degrees: 43%

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Trumps record on racism speaks for itself and I think most people who have half a brain realize he is among many other things clearly a racist - as in he judges, differentiates, and discriminates based on race, and surrounds himself with people with a similar record. Plenty of evidence to back that up.

Putting that aside, the question of whether our immigration policies should take into consideration the wealth of the immigrant's home country is the root issue with the comment. I feel strongly that individual merits outweigh nationality, and individual merits can include humanitarian considerations as well as "what can you do for us". Trump seems to be directly stating that Scandinavians are not only more desirable that Africans, but furthermore we only should accept the most desirable. I have a hard time determining a logical defense for such a statement.

And then he lies about even saying it....mental age of about a 4 year old.

Trump is NOT racist. He simply stated (using his best words) that immigration policy should favor whites.
Sheesh.