Education, and specifically the Humanities. High-level literacy, sustained practice in constructing and analyzing arguments, familiarity with historical patterns.

I understand the cynicism, but even if we were to double the margin of error on the polls that have been done for a Macron-Le Pen face off in the second round, Macron would still win. Barring any extreme events in the next 2 weeks, he will hopefully win.

No, but he’s “cosmopolitan,” educated, and did a stint at Rothchild, so the conspiracy nuts see it as the same ball of wax.

I mean, they tried. Ted Cruz and John Kasich had this plan before the end of the primaries where they would team up to deny Trump enough delegates to win. Didn’t take though; Cruz, being a snake, reneged on the deal hours after it was made public and Trump won the nomination and later the presidency.

I think where you’re wrong is the idea that this is the last time this will happen. People in the 1940s thought that it was the last time then too. It’s never going to end. Lessons aren’t remembered forever. The fighting won’t stop, and even if the Left and right wing nut jobs are beaten this time that doesn’t mean…

I’m with you there. I’ve always felt that’s progress is a process, not a destination. there’s never going to be a time period where people like this are vanquished forever. No matter how badly we think they’re beaten and marginalized, we can’t let our guard down for a second or they’ll be back and in greater force.

I hope you’re right, because I’m damn tired of hearing “How did this happen?”

I admire but do not share your optimism.

You don’t have to be Jewish for the insult to be used, just that the person is aligned with their interest, or so the conspiracy theorist say. It’s like America First, it’s a wink wink nudge nudge kind of thing.

Yep. That’s pretty big.

imagine if the stupid fucking other GOP candidates had done that.

But this is their last gasp, one final roar of evil before we finally push them back forever.

Not fucking funny, this bitch wants to kick me out of a country that has been my home for 25 years

Globalist? No need to beat around the bush, just come out and say it.

My cousin wrote “Le Pen!!!” In a facebook post. He voted for Trump because he’s an asshole.

Deranged white supremacists and their “nationalist” brethren are very excited. They apparently think Le Pen is about to throw out the “Muzzies” and “globalists”. They also seem to think that the French electoral system is the same as the US.

I was crying earlier, this is frightening. I am a Brit living in France and this sucks balls. Lets hope for Macron.

No kidding. What was the Battle of Stalingrad, a child’s tea party?

Again? 11 million dead Soviet troops would like a word.

Props to France for not dragging this out for a year and a half, like we do here. Hell, most places get it over with faster than we do.