Donald Trump Says He Doesn’t Believe in “American Exceptionalism”

[INVAR]

The issue is not what we were,when  its what we are now and where we are going. America is being killed.

NO - WRONG.

THE ISSUE IS WHAT TRUMP SAID ABOUT HIS DISDAIN FOR THE THE USE OF 'AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM'.

"First of all, I want to take everything back from the world that we've given them...And you, know, Jim, if you're German, or you're from Japan, or you're from China…..I wouldn't say (American Exceptionalism) because when I take back the jobs, and when I take back all that money and we get all our stuff, I'm not going to rub it in". - Trump

[Norm Lenhart]

The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased. -Alexander Hamilton

Quoting Hamilton to educate a Trump fanatic is akin to putting a red cape in front of a bull. They think he's an idiot because of his belief that an enemy is better in their own camp than yours. You can imagine why that would interfere with their agenda.

Nearly every time I bring Hamilton's  quote up, some Trump (and previously Romney/Mitch/Bhoner/Ryan) supporter tells me how that's wrong in their special snowflake circumstance and does not apply to the object of their infatuation because reasons.

In short, they know better about America than a Founder. Pretty arrogant huh? Pretty delusional too.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

"America is the land of the uncommon man.  It is the land where man is free to develop his genius - and reap its just rewards.  It is the land where each man tries to develop whatever qualities he may possess and to rise to whatever degree he can, great or modest.  It is not the land where one glories or is taught to glory in one's mediocrity.  No self-respecting man is or thinks of himself as "little", no matter how poor he may be."
- Ayn Rand

So it was.

[musiclady]

"America is the land of the uncommon man.  It is the land where man is free to develop his genius - and reap its just rewards.  It is the land where each man tries to develop whatever qualities he may possess and to rise to whatever degree he can, great or modest.  It is not the land where one glories or is taught to glory in one's mediocrity.  No self-respecting man is or thinks of himself as "little", no matter how poor he may be."
- Ayn Rand

So it was.

Yes.


Was.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Quoting Hamilton to educate a Trump fanatic is akin to putting a red cape in front of a bull.

Ooh, that's a "Mexican" thing. They'll really get me it for it.

[Mechanicos]

If we don't know what we were, and what we are supposed to be, then how the hell are we supposed to figure out where we're supposed to be going?

And bluntly, I think this kind of exemplifies the problem many of us have with Trump.  He's a guy who sees some nut and bolts, but in terms of principles...what are they?  And this lack of believe in American Exceptionalism -- or rather the failure to even comprehend what it actually is -- does a neat job of explaining why he seems so ill-grounded philosophically at times.  He really doesn't believe in this stuff at all.  America, to him, is just about getting the best deals you can.

I'm still on the fence with the guy, but this kind of thing does not help at all.

I do not see where Trump said America was not ever exceptional. I so a temporal statement to current conditions. And Nobody Honest can say America is exceptional when he said it or now.

[Norm Lenhart]

I do not see where Trump said America was not ever exceptional. I so a temporal statement to current conditions. And Nobody Honest can say America is exceptional when he said it or now.

"America" is and always will be exceptional. What people like you did to it is the problem.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

And Nobody Honest can say America is exceptional when he said it or now.

What in 'da Blue Blazes are you smoking? Is there somewhere else that you would rather live? Another country where Entrepreneurs, folks like Trump, and hardworking people can get ahead like they can in America.

America ain't dead yet and we're still the last best hope out there. You can bet both your boots, socks, and suspenders; we are still exceptional.
 

[Norm Lenhart]

What in 'da Blue Blazes are you smoking? Is there somewhere else that you would rather live? Another country where Entrepreneurs, folks like Trump, and hardworking people can get ahead like they can in America.

America ain't dead yet and we're still the last best hope out there. You can bet both your boots, socks, and suspenders; we are still exceptional.

People call me a nhilist because I think we are screwed. But the thing is, that "America" is the idea that can never permanently die. Our kids or their kids will rebuild what our generation, one heavily directed by Mr. Sunshine upthread, destroyed. BECAUSE America, the idea, is eternal. And it works  right up until abject morons start thinking they know better than the people that created the place and start trading principles of it's founding for victory.

The situation America is in has a very specific source. That source is people empowering people like Trump. And throughout history there has always been a Trump for them to glom onto and get their liberalism and unAmerican ideas like "we arent exceptional" into power.

Today, thats the cool thing to do though. Conservative too!

[musiclady]

"America" is and always will be exceptional. What people like you did to it is the problem.

But at least he's being true to his lord Obama.......... right??


Oh, ya..................... he's a Trump guy.  I always get those two confused.   ^-^

[Norm Lenhart]

But at least he's being true to his lord Obama.......... right??


Oh, ya..................... he's a Trump guy.  I always get those two confused.   ^-^

Just think of Trump as Barry "White". You won't be wrong. Of course the actual Barry White deserves no such tarring by association.

[NavyCanDo]

@sinkspur

You're getting sadder and sadder everyday, Sink!

There's not a damned thing wrong with your OP video where he explains what he means....so that even a 5 year-old might understand.

...IOW...in about 2 years, maybe you'll get it.   

The real sad thing is you would be outraged if instead of Trump being in the video, it was Obama or Hillary saying the exact same words. And Liberals have said the same thing.

[INVAR]

I do not see where Trump said America was not ever exceptional. I so a temporal statement to current conditions. And Nobody Honest can say America is exceptional when he said it or now.

So once again as usual, Trump did not say what he said.

Have you no shame at all?

Trump was pretty specific:

"I don't like the term. ..I don't think it's a very nice term. We're exceptional; you're not"

"I never liked the term...I don’t need terms like that.

"...I don't want to say, "We're exceptional. we’re more exceptional." Because essentially we're saying we're more outstanding than you...Because I think you're insulting the world.

He said he does not like the term "American Exceptionalism".  He did not limit the comment to a current timeframe.

But he did say "I'd like to make us exceptional….We may have a chance to say it in the not-too-distant future."

Which in the context clearly says that he never thought we were exceptional, because its insulting to the world - but HE will make us exceptional AFTER he's done taking back everything from the world.

I think we need to focus much more on this quip from your little Benito wannabe:

"First of all, I want to take everything back from the world that we've given them. We've given them so much. On top of taking it back...because when I take back the jobs, and when I take back all that money and we get all our stuff, I'm not going to rub it in. Let's not rub it in. Let's not rub it in. But I never liked that term."

[NavyCanDo]

Notice he never said "we use to be exceptional but now we're not"...an argument some Trumpsters are using in justifying his comments.   No, he said " I NEVER liked it". 

[Norm Lenhart]

So once again as usual, Trump did not say what he said.

Have you no shame at all?

Is that a trick question?

[RoosGirl]

This is just a BS PC answer, pure and simple.  One, he doesn't understand the question in historical context.  Two, this "non-PC" champion of the people (who uses the PC term "African-American") gave the biggest PC BS answer he could.  You know, kinda like a liberal would.

[Norm Lenhart]

This is just a BS PC answer, pure and simple.  One, he doesn't understand the question in historical context.  Two, this "non-PC" champion of the people (who uses the PC term "African-American") gave the biggest PC BS answer he could.  You know, kinda like a liberal would.

I read just the other day that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. Bet ya can guess who said that when it fit his agenda to do so.

[Silver Pines]

I think he was saying that tongue in cheek.  It becomes apparent that he knows he has an ego problem, but for him it's not a problem.  He relishes it.

Point taken.

[Silver Pines]

I guess it's better to laugh than to cry but I could cry when I think about how we could have nominated a really exceptional man and ended up with this.

Oh, I know, I'm right there with you.  If Trump is somehow eiected, we'll get what we deserve.

[DCPatriot]

"America is the land of the uncommon man.  It is the land where man is free to develop his genius - and reap its just rewards.  It is the land where each man tries to develop whatever qualities he may possess and to rise to whatever degree he can, great or modest.  It is not the land where one glories or is taught to glory in one's mediocrity.  No self-respecting man is or thinks of himself as "little", no matter how poor he may be."
- Ayn Rand

So it was.

...which is Trump's point all along.   

 

Let's Make America Great AGAIN!!

[HonestJohn]

Look for the Trump Faithful to come soon to lecture us on what the "proper REAL Conservative" definition of "American Exceptionalism" means in Trumpian.

We will all be told that we do not understand the English language, history or the absolute genius position Trump was speaking from because he is just so far above us simpletons in terms of intelligence.

And that believing in true American Exceptionalism is support for Hillary.  Don't forget that, too.

 

[sinkspur]

...which is Trump's point all along.   

 

Let's Make America Great AGAIN!!

So America is no longer exceptional but, if we elect a racist to lead the country, we will be again.

Is that what you're saying?

Your Trump delusion is growing by the day, DC. 

[musiclady]

So America is no longer exceptional but, if we elect a racist to lead the country, we will be again.

Is that what you're saying?

Your Trump delusion is growing by the day, DC.

Besides which, Trump gave no indication that he thought America was great in the way the term American Exceptionalism is used.

If you heard anything but ignorance from Trump in that video, you have an overactive imagination, or are delusional.

Because what he said was moronic and nonsensical.............. and LIBERAL.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

So America is no longer exceptional but, if we elect a racist to lead the country, we will be again.

Is that what you're saying?

Your Trump delusion is growing by the day, DC.

Trump is 70 years old and says he never liked the term American Exceptionalism. We are told because America isn't great anymore.

Is he going to be like the current first Lady and tell us how he's finally proud to be an American when he gets elected?

[HonestJohn]

I think we're the only nation founded on ideas rather than ethnicity or the happenstance of geography.  There's no major-nation counterpart to the U.S. being defined by the Declaration of Independence.  Maybe I'm having a brain fart, but I can't think of one.  We truly are unique.

Anyway, can you recall Trump ever talking about those founding principles?  I seriously mean ever.  What I recall from him is a whole lot of stuff he wants to do about the mechanics of the country -- better trade deals, more jobs, tighter borders, etc..  But those ideas...maybe @Mesaclone or someone can find a clip of him talking about that stuff to make me feel better, and I do mean Trump speaking about it off the cuff -- not links to his website where others ghost-write for him.

But this clip from Trump, and what else he's been doing during the campaign, just strike me as so incredibly odd because there doesn't appear to be a philosophy or principles underlying any of it.  I don't think I've ever seen a campaign like this, because Presidential candidates always talk about the big picture stuff to at least some extent.  So not hearing about it at all from a candidate is really a strange thing.

This is what makes Trump so dangerous to the American Ideal.  He doesn't believe America is a ideal at all, but an ethnicity.  One is 'born' American.  You inherit your American identity from your parents, i.e. it is passed by blood (Jus sanguinis).

But American has never been an ethnic state, but a country based on a notion, a thought, a belief that all men are created equal.  No matter where a person is from, if they come to America and believe in the same, they are American as you or I.  Their children, if born here, are also just as American (jus soli).

Trump would destroy that.

---

You see this in his attacks on the judge.  You see this in his call to end birthright citizenship.  You see this in is statements about Muslims.

That's why I say he's probably the greatest threat to the ideal of America that our nation has ever faced.  Hillary is bad but survivable, with the core concept of America still intact.  But Trump will kill America as an ideal.