News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by maxxxxx on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:22PM (#12137877)
I don't understand how somebody who claims to be fact-driven and rational like Thiel can end up supporting Trump. If anything, he should be disgusted with the whole system and try to change it.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by refurb on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:25PM (#12137902)
This is only my opinion, and could very well be off-base, but politics is all about compromise. You'll never find the perfect candidate to represent your beliefs.

I'm guessing Thiel is thinking Trump is the best candidate to support the kind of changes he's looking for. Of course, you're free to disagree with that sentiment.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by colmvp on Thursday July 21, 2016 @01:16PM (#12138384)
Exactly. As a counterpoint, I know many people who are against Hillary's voting records, flip-floppy history, and aggressive foreign policy doctrine, yet are going to vote for her because well... they'd rather have her than Trump.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by maxxxxx on Thursday July 21, 2016 @01:15PM (#12138375)
I think Thiel is fine with crony capitalism under the guise of libertarianism. That's where things will probably go with Trump. There is a lot of money to be made.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by exstudent2 on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:28PM (#12137940)
> Thiel can end up supporting Trump

I can't speak for him, but a lot of people see the break up of a homogenous status quo as a goal in and of itself. I don't support Trump because I don't like his policies but that's a hard position for me to take because I _do_ appreciate the utter slap in the face he's giving to traditional politicians who I view as perpetuating an extremely corrupt and damaging system.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by pm90 on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:46PM (#12138108)
If you think the US is extremely corrupt.... you should really take a look at India, Russia etc. Corruption is never elliminated by revolutions btw. It takes time and patience to reform the current system. It is not an overnight fix and thinking that Trump can have an overall positive influence on the US system is a huge error.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by 010a on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:25PM (#12137911)
Isn't that... the entirety of Trump's platform?
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by davidivadavid on Thursday July 21, 2016 @04:58PM (#12140021)
I can't see what those things have to do with one another.

Thiel can take perfectly rational, fact-driven decisions based on Trump's behavior, regardless of what it is. Indeed, it's completely possible that to achieve his goals, he must leverage Trump's misuse of "facts" and, erm, "creativity" with respect to truth.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by DefaultUserHN on Friday July 22, 2016 @11:32AM (#12144143)
Can you clarify on what system you're talking about? And what are the problems with that system? And what should Thiel do to change it? And important, what does Thiel wants? And how does changing the system align with what he wants?

You have to remember that Theil doesn't want the same thing you want. Just because you want something doesn't mean Theil want the same thing, or has the same goal.

Theil knows exactly what he wants, that is why he supports Trump. It seems to be you who does not understand what Theil wants. Because if he wants the same thing you wants, he would have supported what you supported.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by toss1941 on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:25PM (#12137912)
What positions has Trump taken that you feel are against facts and adequate rational?
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by tstactplsignore on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:59PM (#12138234)
Have you paid attention at all? Anti-climate change, anti-vaccines, the entire illegal immigration schtick (immigration across the border is net neutral right now), his whole "crime is rising" schtick (it isn't),and the vast majority of [what he says are outright lies](http://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/). There is no better way to describe the Trump campaign than to say it is inherently against facts- the only coherent strain in his platform is a denial of reality. The mere idea that a billionaire proposing tax cuts for the super wealthy is "fighting the system" is a delusional, inherently contradictory image.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by randothrowaway on Thursday July 21, 2016 @01:07PM (#12138304)
>the entire illegal immigration schtick (immigration across >the border is net neutral right now),

Not it is not. Pro illegal immigration advocates try to mislead by saying immigration from Mexican citizens is down to mean illegal immigration isn't happening.

It is now other groups but still coming VIA Mexico.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by tstactplsignore on Thursday July 21, 2016 @02:19PM (#12138851)
No, that's just not true. The best estimates of all illegal immigration are that it is close to net zero. (http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2012/aug/28/jeb...).
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by DefaultUserHN on Friday July 22, 2016 @11:36AM (#12144169)
>...a billionaire proposing tax cuts for the super wealthy is "fighting the system" is a delusional....

You act as if Trump is only helping the rich. Trump is helping everyone. Although he cut taxes for the rich, he also cut taxes for the poor.

Under Trump's tax plan, poor people don't even pay tax.

If you're single and you make less than $25,000 per year, you don't pay tax.

If you have a wife and you make less than $50,000 per year, you don't pay tax.

If you have a wife and a kid and you make less than $75,000 per year, you don't pay tax.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by maxxxxx on Friday July 22, 2016 @12:27PM (#12144559)
And there will be gigantic deficits that somehow will be compensated by some future economic growth.
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by DefaultUserHN on Monday July 25, 2016 @07:50PM (#12162408)
>And there will be gigantic deficits that somehow will be compensated by some future economic growth.

It will be compensated by making the country rich and wealthy again. A rich and wealthy country will be able to pay off the deficits and national debt.

How will Trump make the country rich and wealthy again?

By making it more profitable for companies to do businesses in the United States, so companies will start doing businesses in the United States again. Which means jobs. Which means more people have money. And with more people with more money to tax, the government will get more money even though the tax is lower. Because there are more people to tax. Also, with more companies doing business in the United States, although the tax is lower, the government get more money.

When people have more money to spent, they buy more stuff, which means businesses make more money, which means more profits, more jobs, and higher pay. Which means more money for workers. It is an upward cycle. The economy goes up.

And also, make the country rich again, by doing better trade deals where America doesn't actually lose money. Where the United States actually make money, in those deals.

Also, by taxing or stopping remittance money sent to Mexico by illegals in the United States. Every year, illegals (who don't pay federal taxes) send back $28 billion dollar to Mexico. In other word, money is flowing out of the United States into Mexico. Trump wants to tax it to pay for the wall (hence, the saying Mexico will pay for the wall). This again, will create jobs.

Trump will do this and many other things to make America wealthy and rich again. All this information are on his website. It's all part of his plan to Make America Great Again.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by maxxxxx on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:33PM (#12137989)
He makes up a lot of facts on the fly and then claims that he has been misinterpreted. The whole wall to Mexico thing and have Mexico pay for it is ridiculous. Now he questions the NATO treaties.

I haven't heard anything from him that indicates deep thinking about an issue.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by toss1941 on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:40PM (#12138053)
I'll be honest I haven't been following a lot of his positions on things other than what spills over into the tech/security folks I follow on twitter and various other sites. I didn't know about the NATO comments but here's what I learned about him just today [0]:

(edit: talking about whether Trump would defend Turkey if Russia invaded unprovoked): Trump said he would have to think about whether those countries “have fulfilled their obligations to us.” Trump clarified, “If they fulfill their obligations to us, the answer is yes.”

It seems pretty rational to me; he's saying that if a country like Turkey wants to acquire the benefits of a military alliance they need to pay their fair share. On the surface that seems reasonable to me and honestly, from reading here if Erdrogan got attacked by Russia I doubt most of Trump's enemies would shed any tears about his stance on NATO anyway.

[0] http://dailycaller.com/2016/07/21/trump-doesnt-care-about-er...

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by maxxxxx on Thursday July 21, 2016 @01:13PM (#12138355)
This is not some business deal where you can change terms later on and let the courts decide. Turkey needs to know if NATO will be there for them or not. He can call for larger contributions of course and tell them upfront that NATO won't help them until conditions are met. But he can't decide at the time Russia invades. Then he may as well leave NATO.

Trump was also a "birther". That alone shows to me that he doesn't take politics seriously.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by splintercell on Thursday July 21, 2016 @04:50PM (#12139955)
> Turkey needs to know if NATO will be there for them or not. He can call for larger contributions of course and tell them upfront that NATO won't help them until conditions are met.

Question, have you heard or read Trump's foreign policy speech?

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-...

He lays out many criticism of our current foreign policy, including that we don't negotiate our deals properly, and this results in us not being reliable among our friends, and respected among our enemies. I recommend reading it.

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by gallonofmilk on Thursday July 21, 2016 @06:00PM (#12140405)
Maybe this will help https://i.sli.mg/TIAoq1.png
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by ceejayoz on Thursday July 21, 2016 @12:55PM (#12138188)
Enforcing the obligation means NATO doesn't exist. Only the US and Estonia would be left. Advocating for them to meet the pledge is one thing, but refusing to defend them under the treaty because of it would be catastrophic.

http://www.businessinsider.com/only-us-and-estonia-meeting-n...

Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by DefaultUserHN on Friday July 22, 2016 @11:27AM (#12144109)
But people hate it when the United States police the world. Why should the United States holds its end of the deal and defends those if they don't hold their end of the deal? People want the United States to stop policing the world. Well, under Trump, the United States will stop policing the world. Isn't that what people want?
Re:The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikel... by ceejayoz on Friday July 22, 2016 @03:02PM (#12145894)
People hate it when the US doesn't, too. I don't think a world without NATO is likely to make many in the West all that happy.