Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Filipino president-elect a glimpse of Trump administration

Rodrigo Duterte


     If you're curious what it'll be like to live in a nation led by an erratic demagogue prone to uttering horrible things about women, there is no need to wait until Donald J. Trump is sworn in as president of the United States in January. All we have to do is turn our gaze to the Philippines right now.
     For those not paying attention — and really, we're Americans, we can't keep track of every tinpot territory — 10 days ago the Philippines elected Rodrigo Duterte, the tough-talking mayor of Davao City, over a field of far more qualified but tainted by association politicians. Think Hillary Clinton's lightweight cousins.
     I hasten to point out that "tinpot" was sarcastic: the Philippines has 103 million people and is the 12th largest nation on earth, its population equal to the United Kingdom and Canada combined.
     Out of sight, out of mind. But believe me, we'll be hearing more of them. Duterte started his campaign by saying how he'd abolish the Filipino Congress and kept voters buzzing with his jaw-dropping remarks, the capstone being how he, as mayor, should have had dibs when Jacqueline Hamill, a 36-year-old Australian missionary, was gang-raped and murdered during a prison riot in 1989.
     "She was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first," he joked, to the laughter of supporters.... "

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5 comments:

  1. The sad part is that Duterte isn't some pseudo billionaire "businessman", he actually ran a city. The only thing Trump has run is his mouth. In this regard, this nutcase is BETTER than Trump.

    Oy freaking gewalt

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  2. We'll see if Duterte tells China to "go blank itself."

    john

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  3. From what I understand, the Philippines has been wracked by massive governmental corruption and violence for decades. Of course, the hypersensitive ninnies who are falling in line behind Trump, or at least maintaining that there is no difference between him and Clinton, believe that the United States is equally corrupt because establishment big government something something. Sometimes I wish such people could be forced to spend six months or so in places like the Philippines or Venezuela so they could see what a real dysfunctional government is like.

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    1. I have a friend with a Filipino born wife. From her I've learned that in much of the Philippines, most men are carrying a gun!
      The place is incredibly dangerous.

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  4. I can't think about Trump as president, not because I don't believe it's a possibility, but because I won't allow myself that nightmare scenario, yet. But if it happens, he won't be a dictator allowed to do whatever he pleases; we have a Congress, and hopefully they won't allow these types of atrocities. Or am I being naive...

    SandyK

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