Encryption and stopping Trump among topics discussed
Some of the most powerful people in the technology industry met with Republican senators, party officials, and assorted billionaires on a private island last weekend, the Huffington Post reports, with the main topic of conversation being the rise of Donald Trump, and how best to stop him. Among those attending the event — the American Enterprise Institute's World Forum — were Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk, and Google co-founder Larry Page.
The secretive annual event, which takes place on Sea Island off the coast of Georgia, has traditionally been closed off to the press, but political commentator Bill Kristol filed a report from this year's proceedings, describing meetings haunted by "the specter of Donald Trump." Kristol said there was "much unhappiness about his emergence," from attendees, a guest list of top-tier Republicans including veteran strategist Karl Rove, House speaker Paul Ryan, and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell.
Tim Cook reportedly sparred with senator Tom Cotton on iPhone encryption
There was "a good deal of talk, some of it insightful and thoughtful, about why he's done so well, and many expressions of hope that he would be defeated," Kristol said, but the commentator didn't specify what the tech CEOs added to the discussion. Cook and his peers apparently weren't just there to watch, though — the Huffington Post's sources say the Apple boss engaged in a fierce debate with Arkansas senator Tom Cotton on the topic of encryption. "Everyone was a little uncomfortable about how hostile Cotton was," the anonymous person told the publication, describing the senator as "harsh" to the Apple head.
The AEI did not confirm whether the tech CEOs had actually attended the World Forum — as to be expected for an event that wouldn't even say whether it was snowing or not last year — but publicly available flight data shows a host of private jets departing the nearest airport to the tiny island last weekend, with some of them landing back in San Jose, California.
You know, I don't really care how we get the country back, via the ballot box with Donald Trump or via the end of the barrel of a gun, I just want it to get going before I get to much older.
Trump is a much better, much stronger horse than Perot.
I liked Perot. He went to my Alma Mater. He went in and got his people in Iran. BUT Perot was very brittle. He was prickly, and he folded when put under personal pressure. His sense of honor gave him feet of clay.
Trump is much stronger, precisely because he has a New Yorker's alley cat morality. He doesn't just engage in being right and strong, but he also engages in chicanery. He can take punch after punch, and he ALWAYS punches back. And BECAUSE he doesn't really have any shame, he can always hit back full bore.
Perot's sense of honor and sense of shame made him weak, and when struck on that axis, he splintered.
Trump is as vicious as the Clintons, but much, much richer and more successful. Trump has made billions in real estate. The Clintons inflicted Whitewater on themselves.
The net result is that Trump can take the punishment of the campaign. Perot could not. The American Presidency is not an honorable job. It's the head thug of a thuggish empire. But our personal well-being depends on the survival and prosperity of that thuggish empire, so we cannot afford to be sentimental. Want to be righteous and honorable? Honor all the Indian treaties, cede massive land and privileges back, and undertake all sorts of other expensive restitution that would bring down the country and leave most of us a lot poorer and weaker.
We cannot afford to really be honorable - it would destroy our nation and our standard of living.
So, the question REALLY is who in America is going to enjoy most of the benefits of the country's power and prosperity. Will it be minorities and people harmed in the past (the Democrats' favorite constituency). Will it be the middle class? (Trump's and Perot's constituency). Or will it be the upper class? (the Republican Establishment's constituency). Somebody is going to win.
Being part of the middle class, I favor my own people and our interests. I comfort myself that the minorities CAN join the middle class, and that the rich will still be plenty rich, just not AS rich. Democrats and the rich each comfort themselves in their way.
But you don't get a sniff unless you WIN. And Trump does that - he wins.
As a businessman, he takes lots of shots on goal. Many work. Some don't. Sometimes, investors get screwed. That's life. Trump sails on.
I want HIM running the country, taking shots on goal. Yeah, the Chinese, the Mexicans and the Establishment are gonna get screwed. That's the point. Trump has always been about WINNING, not playing fair. Perot played fair, had honor, and lost. Then he retreated into his billions and had a great life.
I want a champion who is less honorable, who will fight dirty, who will cheat to win if he has to, but who will WIN. Because if he WINS, then MY interests are represented, and MY class prospers. If the Republicans defeat him, the rich prosper, again. If the Democrats win, the minorities and poor get more, but the middle class keeps being destroyed.
If Trump wins, the middle class advances. That's good for me, and for millions of others who are screwed by the current setup. Therefore, it's imperative that Trump wins. If he's a scoundrel, that's fine if it gives him an advantage.
We are not electing a pope, we are choosing the head thug of a violent, evil empire. Who the head thug is determines who will prosper. I lose if its Hillary or Marco or Cruz. I win if it's Trump. Therefore, go Trump - even if he's a carnival barker and a criminal (he's neither of those things).
I do care, but in an imperfect world, I can't afford to care as much as Perot cared about his honor. His honor cost millions of Americans their jobs. I want a man with less honor, less righteousness, and more victory.
The thing is: you have to WIN. Perot lost. Trump can win. Trump is the stronger horse. He is EXACTLY what we need.
