The Politics forum, like the Religion forum, and in most conversations online or off, can and does get very personally contentious at times. People can become very involved and personally vested in politics, like religion. That said it becomes a bit like drinking far too much alcohol in that it changes a person, if but not for a temporary bit of time.
What I mean by that is I believe, while there are many very passionate people on here, I believe that everyone, or most everyone, on here to be caring and friendly type people who apart from the topic of discussion which brings out people's passions, would easily get along and be great friends and have civil dialogs. Often though our passions and emotions get enflamed and involved and there is a Jeckyll/Hyde type transformation and the conversations/discussions get anything but civil.
For some reason this seems more to be the case when Donald Trump is involved than with anyone before. Reagan certainly divided a lot of people and so did Bush and Obama but none of them seems to elicit the kind of fervor that Donald Trump brings out in people and so many do so without even knowing who the man is. In many cases it seems that so much of what's out there in reactions is based more in conjecture than fact. People are going on he said/she said type information far more than ever before and there is a very large number of people who are so polarized that there is no coming down or back from their positions. I say this as much of the people I see on Television rather than speaking specifically about certain people on this forum but the zeal and level of emotions, on the forum, can mirror those that are reflected through the national media.
While there are things about Trump to fear or not like I think that goes for most all politicians and frankly I hope that people will just give him a chance. I believe that there is a difference between the candidate Donald Trump and the President Donald Trump. I believe him to be an intelligent, talented, and experienced (business savvy) person and while a political rooky I believe he has potential to affect Washington in a way no other leader has done, if given a fair chance by both parties. AS it is right now it appears that NO Democrats will give the man any chance and there will be, and is going to stay, total opposition to Trump from the democratic politicians.
Worse though, and this is the first time that I have ever seen this, at least in my lifetime and I fully believe is far more dangerous and wreck less, in fact a challenge to our National being, is the tactic and measure being taken by Trump Opponents in using the Courts and Judges to legislate from the bench and to oppose anything and everything that Trump attempts to do. At this point in time it appears that there is no limit to what a liberal judge will, or can, do with regards to something Trump wants to do
That said you have to give credit to the liberals for making the most of the hand they are dealt and being able to use a minority position to affect what they should not be able to affect. The danger though comes from the use of the Judicial branch of Government in ways that the founders never envisioned or planned for. Judges are legislating from the bench more and more and worse setting themselves up in a position to be able to block the Executive or Legislative branch. This is working out for the liberals on a temporary basis and for now but they should remember that it goes both ways and once a precedent is set it can be applied and used by the other side as well.
I'm just wondering how much of what is going on is emotional and reactions verses actual concern and legal moves. We are fast reaching a point where the law is made of little effect anymore and becomes null as a basis of ruling but rather emotions and reactions are the basis of judgements and, in my opinion, that undermines our whole judicial system. Maybe it's time to start impeachment proceedings against some judges in order to protect our democracy. I fear a tipping point where the law or the Constitution is no longer a basis of consideration but rather, as mentioned before, everything is a reaction or based upon emotion out of an agenda being political rather than rational. It is as if the checks and balances of the three branches of Government have been set aside and various judges are setting themselves up as dictators and players in a silent coup attempt all based upon speculation and anything but facts.
The 9th Circuit Court, in their political activism and rulings based upon emotion rather than law is in (my opinion) a position to undermine our whole judicial system and render it suspect.