KISS BASSIST GENE SIMMONS DISCUSSES DONALD TRUMP
Kory Grow of Rolling Stone reports:
Gene Simmons has been enjoying watching Donald Trump subvert the presidential race, calling it the most fascinating election he can remember and saying it was “bound to happen” in what he calls the “Age of Kardashian.” “He is the truest political animal I’ve ever seen onstage,” the Kiss vocalist-bassist tells Rolling Stone. “He has no speechwriters, no editing, no nothing. He’s actually on tape going ‘motherf–ker.’ You cannot turn away.”
Simmons is quick to point out that he’s not saying he’s supporting Trump. “He has said some very vile, unkind things,” he says. “But don’t kid yourself. He speaks off the cuff, and what you see is what you get. And he’ll double down. If you ask him about building a wall [between the U.S. and Mexico] he’ll say, ‘F–k you, I’m going to make it 10 feet higher, just because you asked me.’ He’s not there to be your friend.”
What fascinates Simmons is Trump’s ability to root out people’s feelings. “He’s good for the political system,” he says. “The middle, the centrists, they can say, ‘What do you think of this?’ because everybody is sick and tired of being politically correct. Secretly, tens of millions, perhaps 100 million people may actually have some positive feelings about a wall.
“Macedonia is building a wall between Greece and Macedonia,” he continues. “There’s a wall between Israel and a neighboring country. There was a Berlin Wall. There was the Great Wall of China. So whether they’re good or bad for people, walls actually work. It’s unkind, but in terms of pragmatics, it actually works … The Pope has said the wall is unkind, but it’s interesting that at the Vatican there’s a wall. They don’t want people on the outside coming into the Vatican.”
…”What you can say about politicians is that they’re politicians,” says Simmons, who previously voted for Barack Obama and “in a lot of ways” felt dissatisfied with his decision. “Trump is not a politician. He does not need your money, and he will speak his mind, God damn it, whether you like it or not. And he has no problem saying ‘Fuck off.’
“I like that,” Simmons continues. “Even if I disagree.”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
source: rollingstone.com
No, Gene, walls don’t work in the long term. Conservatively, a wall stretching the entire US/Mexico border would be incredibly expensive and ineffective. Ask anyone who lives in the SW near current walls. Not only that, Texas, unlike other SW states, has private property ownership right up to the US border, which means that the US Gov. would have to confiscate millions and millions of acres of private land to build a wall, but we all know that Trump loves imminent domain when it suits him.
There’s a lot of misunderstanding about Mexico. My question, is why do we spend billions upon billions of dollars in the middle east and asia, when our neighbor, with whom we share an open border with, was battling murderous cartels funded by illegal drug trade, with tens of thousands of people dead. These people are committing atrocities against innocent people, and destroying what there is of a legitimate Mexican economy. People leave Central America and Mexico because of economics and violence. Furthermore, these folks that walk across the border with kids and families wouldn’t be doing it if American companies weren’t hiring them. Maybe, oh I don’t know, hold American businesses accountable and enforce current laws before we spend tens of billions on a stupid wall?
It’s no surprise that Gene supports Trump.
That’s my political rant for the day.
He said he didn’t necessarily support Trump. But he’s essentially admiring his style of ‘politics’. The words President Donald Trump scare the absolute crap out of me. But to Gene’s point, Trump is a microcosm of how some people in this country feel as it relates to the typical politician. He says a lot of nonsensical tripe night after night, and most of it is either completely untrue or has no statistical merit. But he comes across as a non political straight talker, which in itself is hilarious. But perception becomes reality and thus he has gained the momentum that he has thus far.
Trump, who was against the Iraq war, who wouldn’t have pulled out the troops, who I trust would take better care of veterans. A hotel salesman who people say is racist. He’s not racist, look at how badly he treated those white farmers in Scotland. He went in there and got the politicians in Scotland to do his bidding, just like he did to all of these hack politicians who are running against him. You have Democrats and Republicans colluding to stop him, along with the media, because it is an end to their comfortable world of favors, money, and power.
Then you have Sanders, people are so desperate they would hand over their lives to the govt, that’s what Sanders represents, he tells you what you are supposed to think, Trump just tells you what he thinks.
For 15.00 an hour, you can get hired to protest a Trump rally, and then the media says Trump is inciting violence. The guy is wearing a bullet proof vest now. The guy who rushed him got interviewed on CNN like he was some kind of noble citizen.
Trump is paying for his campaign, and he does exaggerate, the wall, for example, to get attention, he’s not paying for campaign ads.
You don’t negotiate with terrorists, period.
Trump didn’t know what the nuclear triad was. Rubio had to explain it to him in the middle of a debate. Trump would punish woman who have an abortion if the right were to make it illegal. And he funds his own campaign? Funny how there’s a donation button on is website. His company funds his campaign and his donors support his business. Trump has taken advantage of more bankruptcy laws in New York and New Jersey than anyone in history. He talks like a 16 year old teenager with a blog. But to Gene’s point he is a polarizing figure which gets conversations like this going. Oh and by the way if you want a wall on the border I hope your prepared to pay about 50% more for fruits and vegetables .
He isn’t taking any money from the big ‘think tanks’ who run the world, nor any lobbyist, this stuff you’re saying, “his donors support his business,” you mean, his clients who engage in the free market?
That’s just sophistry DR, nice try though.
He didn’t know what a nuclear triad was, so what? that’s just not that important, you’re saying he couldn’t know it, ever? voting for a stupid war, that is hugely important. Voting for NAFTA, etc.
He somewhat backtracked on his stance while he was getting grilled by Matthews, he said, “it’s complicated, and I haven’t figured it out.” That got blown way out of proportion. Pelley, a supposed impartial reporter says, “Trump will need a crowbar to pull the foot out of his mouth..” and the dumb public eats it up.
He’s taken advantage of more bankruptcy laws, he didn’t break ’em, this goes to pure ad hominem, i.e., it’s not relevant to his policy decisions as President.
He talks like a 16 year old teenager with a blog, gee…that’s probably the best one you’ve got.
The wall, is an exaggeration, but, perhaps better I pay more than the exploitation of these poor people. By the way, women migrant workers are getting raped left and right, there was a piece on Frontline concerning this, so “they’re sending their rapists..” there is some truth to it.
You know, you didn’t even really read my post anyway, you missed a very salient theme.
He has an actual ‘donate here’ button on his site. It’s not free market. He is actually taking donors money via his business channels. His business fronts his campaign. What part don’t you understand about that. He is the absolute king of sophistry. That’s what his whole campaign is based on…’I’m not saying Ted Cruz shouldn’t run because he was born in Canada, but I’ve heard a lot of others are complaining about him being from Canada… – give me a break Clown. And if I guy is running for President and doesn’t understand the 3 basic governors for nuclear destruction, yeah I’d call that a big deal Clown. He backed down on his rape stance because he clearly had someone tell him how idiotic it was to state that he’d punish a woman for getting an abortion if the law allowed him to do so. It’s a ‘complicated question’? Really…? If he can’t answer that question because it’s complicated how will he answer foreign policy question? How will he deal with North Korea? That’s far more complicated than answering whether or not a woman should be punished if she gets an abortion. Maybe he could take the time to think about answering before he answers. He’s only speaking in front of a few million people. Maybe be thoughtful before alienating millions of people on live television. ‘Women migrant workers are getting raped left and right’. There’s a nice generalization just like Trump would make. How does a wall save them from said rapes?
Clown, I get it. You desperately want to be the smartest person in the room. It’s cute most times. You throw some big words around so we know you have access to google. You were a legal major, now you’re a philosophy major. Maybe someone else was smarter in the room when you were taking law and that had you switching to philosophy as there’s less facts to deal with when that happens. You also have a history of bailing on this site when someone disagrees with you and threaten to never come back again, only to come back again…which is good, because we miss you when you’re gone. If you want to back Trump, that’s your right. If you’re tired of the establishment like many others are, I think that’s downright perfectly understandable. I won’t lie. There’s a sadistic part of me that would like to see him win just to see how low we can go. I think in some ways it could actually spark real change in our political system because most candidates currently posing as options are total train wrecks….Donald included. But if you want to support him, please don’t spew the rhetoric and talk like you know something others don’t. I know you like to do that on most subjects (like Pyromania). But just like unicorns and Medved, there’s nothing real about your truth.
Nonsensical tripe is your post right here.
You choose what ‘facts’ about Donald that you wish in order to support a very lazy argument. I’ll support my stance with history and actual facts. There that should keep you spinning tonight. Try and keep it under 10 posts.
I usually steer very far away from political debates for obvious reasons. But, I will say is this:
*All politicians lie, and most, if not all, are financially, and morally, corrupt. Speaking of which, why has Hillary Clinton not faced any punishment for her role in the Benghazi fiasco?
*The United States is a mess. Due to outsourcing, and other issues, our economy is in the hole. Yet we continue to give, and make “deals” with countries that would like to see our demise (hello, Iran), trillions of dollars?! Why does our nation continue to pander to countries that support terrorism? It is mind boggling and makes our administration appear weak, not to mention, ignorant.
*Our borders are open wider than the Kardashian clan’s legs. I lived through 9/11, and I have never felt more unsafe in this country, as I do today.
I could go on, and on, but quite frankly, I do not wish to continue my diatribe.
Suffice to say, I have ALWAYS been non partisan, as I find major issues with both the Republican and the Democratic party. However, in the last number of years, I have become much more conservative on some issues, especially when it comes to national security. My fear is, it is not a matter of if, but when, our country will be experiencing a terror attack along the lines of Paris, Brussels, or God forbid, worse. If Europe has taught us anything it is that open borders, and accepting refugees from nations that support terrorism without proper vetting, lead to deadly consequences.
“I’ll support my stance with history and actual facts.” What the hell does that even mean? It sure sounds good though, doesn’t it?
Dana, I agree with you proabably 100 percent.
Have you talked to Sar305 lately? The absolute king of the sophists, he makes into an art form.
Good post, although it’s spelled “eminent”.
well said
Being a Philosophy major, it’s not easy for me to watch this election, the way the media is selling this election is a complete insult to my intelligence, I’ll say that.
I’m curious as to why the media is the culprit for you as it relates to this election. In a thousand words or less, can you enlighten me?
Are you serious?
They extrapolate a sub set of what a certain candidate says, and then present it as something which has a completely different meaning than what he actually said. They omit facts, and then make them up, as to when the former aide to Bush went on CBS This Morning and said that this particular candidate said that we should chop off the heads of terror suspects, and Charlie Rose just stares at her blankly, and lets it slide. Rose knows darn well the candidate never said that, I had to watch this unfold before my own eyes…it just goes on and on.
The way they play race politics is disgraceful.
Shannon, try “Siberian Khatru,” I think you’ll like that one a lot better than “And You And I.” 😉
I can’t get there Doug
LOL! Seriously, it’s the best song on “Closer To The Edge.” (IMHO)
Close of course, not “Closer,” DUH! Although after today, I might be! LOL! 😉
From a different Doug….My problem with Trump is that he does not want to serve for the people, he expects us to serve him. In all my voting years, I think we have the worst lot of candidates ever. A real shame.
Whew! For a second there, I thought I typed that^, LOL! I wonder if it’s too late for Eddie to join the race? Trunk vs. Trump, now there’s a tongue twister! I’d vote for Eddie, I mean after all, if he can handle the R&RHOF, I think he can handle the presidency. 😉 Yep, I’m losing it, LOL!!!
Just wanted to add, what about the fact that the White House website has censored a video of French Pres. Francois Hollande saying that “Islamist terrorism” is at the “roots of terrorism?” Really??
“No Surprize.” 😉