Since the thread's title is "Trump" and not "The meaning of a word" -- are we in agreement on bigoted, hostile and ignorant?

Absolutely, and that doesn't make him a fascist

I've always wondered why people hate his hairdoo. I think it's fine.

@SantaClausowitz

Fair enough, I wont call him a fascist. Do you get this worked up when people mis-use the label Communist?

Back to Trump.

With his poll numbers you'd think he has some actual supporters. And I guess I see 3 possibilities: 1) they'd deny bigoted, hostile and ignorant 2) they'd explain why those are good things 3) they'd explain why those are unimportant enough that other virtues override.

I imagine there is quite a bit of #3 -- and the virtue is working up the media and the Republican establishment. A kind of shadow vote against the elites.

Misusing the label communist is far to common to get worked up over

Santa, misuse of the fascist label is actually probably even more common, so you shouldn't be getting worked up over that either. The reason it's misused more is that everyone calls each other fascist on flimsy bases (with the exception of Fronte Nationale, UKIP, the current Hungarian government etc., which are fascist), while it's only the left that gets called communist.

kahudd, I'd expect more of #1, actually. They believe he can't possibly be bigoted, hostile or ignorant, because that would mean they are.

If there is one thing webDippers are experts on, judging by this thread at least, it's ignorance.

On the basis of Santa's position, phil, UKIP is not fascist.

I'm not even worked up, I'm telling them why they are wrong, one asked why he was wrong, the other is an idiot that should be told he is wrong whenever the opportunity presents itself.

By the way, Santa - I concede to you on the point of Trump being sufficiently anti-democratic to label him a true fascist. That's fair enough.

Rather than calling it a misuse of the word, I think it's safe to say that "fascist", while it can refer to the political ideology in the original sense, can also refer more generally to a government reserving itself a large amount of power.

Jamiet, neo-fascist, fascist, whatever. They are openly affiliated with enough neo-fascist groups and parties that I feel fairly confident throwing them into the same bag.

@ phil - but UKIP do not openly advocate an end to the democratic process.

No, but they vocally support/are affiliated with other groups with that intent, without any reservations whatsoever.

Also, if you required that a group openly advocate an end to the democratic process even before getting elected in order to be termed fascist, you would have a fair bit of difficulty getting obviously fascist parties termed fascist. I think that part of the definition is entirely off.

"but they vocally support/are affiliated with other groups with that intent, without any reservations whatsoever."

Which groups are they, phil? Please name them/give examples.

I'm wary of UKIP but I'm also wary of general aspersions.

This thread is not even remotely about Donald Trump. I'm sick of wannabe hacks constantly spouting off their political opinions with the same intellectual depth as that of a small town Friday night football game: "My team is awesome because... it's my team. And your team sucks because it's not my team. And we are going to stomp you into the ground because we're obviously better than you, and if you think anything else, you're a total moron. And if you do happen to beat us, then it has to be because you cheated, and the process is corrupt... because if the system was fair, my side would obviously win, because it's undeniably so much better, becuase... it's my team." Grow the hell up. All of you. And realize that the only person listening to you run your mouth and giving yours any credence is.... you. Quasi-intellectual masturbation. Plain and simple. Liberal. Conservative. All of you.

"This thread is not even remotely about Donald Trump."

Would you perhaps, therefore, care to make some interesting points regarding Donald Trump?

Don't complain about the quality of the discussion unless you have something worthwhile to add.

Trump: like him or hate him, it's refreshing to see a politician speak his mind.

Which of the things on Donald Trump's mind do you find the most refreshing? His refreshingly racist views on Mexicans and other Latin Americans, perhaps?

I've seen some of his stuff he talks about things other than immigration Jamiet.

That's true. Isn't it refreshing that the Bible is Donald Trump's favourite book, but he refreshingly can't remember a single passage from the Bible? So refreshing, that man's mind. What a political titan.

I don't know if that fact is refreshing, but it is interesting sure.

Here are a couple of other refreshing things that Donald Trump has said whilst speaking his mind:

"The point is that you can never be too greedy"

"My IQ is one of the highest"

I've got some more:

"The concept of global warming was created by the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive"
- Donald Trump

“The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yamakas every day.”
- Donald Trump

"Maybe [President] Obama is a Muslim"
- Donald Trump

Is everyone refreshed enough now?

Okay, we are certainly in "don't feed the troll" territory.

In retrospect, we've been there for a while.

"his mind"

That made me smile.

@wjessop

Have you seen what the Hungarian government has been doing? Are you aware of the historical background of the Fronte Nationale? UKIP has tried to make European Parliament alliances with both.