Where Do You Stand? (2016 Election)

Krisken

Krisken

Well that's stupid. She could say "one is a political party and one is an political ideology." I honestly find the implication that all Democrats are socialist as incredibly stupid.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

The answer is "it really depends on what definition of both "democrat" and "socialist" you're using. All politicians in the US are democrats, no matter their party, since they believe and adhere to the rules of a democracy. The democratic party still believes in a capitalist society. On the other hand, actual socialists would mostly oppose such an individual-driven society, believing the "general good" is best served by a strong, leading state/government who provides equally for everyone, limiting potential riches to soften potential poverty; the strongest version of this would be communism, where there is no personal wealth or property, and instead everything is repartitioned supposedly-equally among all citizens. The latter clearly goes against the American ideals of freedom, while a weaker form of socialism may be compatible with these ideals. The Democratic party strives to as much freedom as possible for everyone to accomplish what they can, while still ensuring minimum life quality standards for those who, for one reason or another, can't provide adequately for themselves - the elderly, the sick, handicapped, minorities discriminated against, and so forth".

It still isn't a proper answer (hint: there've been whole books written about the subject with no clear conclusion) but it wouldn't make you seem like a bumbling buffoon.
 
strawman

strawman

Apparently I'm a huckster? I should have played a vidja game until I was down to 1% before I took this screenshot...

image.png
 
Null

Null

Oh, since I haven't seen in mentioned: Ben Carson's campaign lost 20 people over the holidays, most of them due to believing that his manager, Armstrong Williams, is a con artist.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-carson-idUSKBN0UE17520160101

U.S. Republican Ben Carson's 2016 presidential bid was thrown into chaos on Thursday when his campaign manager and some 20 other staff members quit amid infighting, dropping poll numbers and negative media coverage.
Barry Bennett, who oversaw Carson's rapid rise to the top tier of Republican contenders and his later fall, said he quit over differences with another top adviser to Carson, Armstrong Williams.
Specifically, Bennett blamed Williams for an interview Carson gave last week to The Washington Post suggesting that the campaign was in disarray. "It's one of the stupidest things I've ever seen a candidate do," Bennett said.
Things had "boiled over" with Williams, Bennett told Reuters. "For the past seven weeks, I’ve been doing nothing but putting out Armstrong Williams-started fires," Bennett said.
He also charged Williams was behind a story in The New York Times that suggested Carson was out of his depth on foreign policy.
Carson's communications director, Doug Watts, also resigned due to differences with Williams, Bennett said. Some 20 staff in total left, he said. Among them was deputy campaign manager Lisa Coen.
Click to expand...
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

AshburnerX said:
Is Jeb Bush even running anymore? I have heard next to nothing from his camp in weeks.
Click to expand...
In many European media he's still being named as the "main" candidate for the Republicans - in dire straights, but expected to pull through after all. Much like Hillary is still considered the de fact Democratic candidate without any opposition. Trump, Sanders: they're treated as diversions and fun for the media but not a real threat.
Yes, our media can be quite tone deaf to what's happening in the US, why do you ask?
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
AshburnerX said:
I was surprised he even got this far. His family name isn't worth shit outside of the Party these days.
Click to expand...
He was the only establishment candidate with name recognition. Unfortunately for Jeb, primary polling would have us believe this is the biggest anti-establishment primary election since the south got so butthurt over civil war reconstruction that they elected nothing but Democrats for 100 years. All the frontrunners are either private citizens or renegade tea-party darlings.

And really, I can't blame the electorate all that much, when previous offerings were Mitt "I was the foot in the door for Obamacare" Romney and John "The Democrat's Favorite Republican" McCain.
 
AshburnerX

AshburnerX

GasBandit said:
And really, I can't blame the electorate all that much, when previous offerings were Mitt "I was the foot in the door for Obamacare" Romney and John "The Democrat's Favorite Republican" McCain.
Click to expand...
McCain isn't even that anymore. He burnt that bridge when he made his running mate one of the worst Governors in Alaskan history and rejecting his independent streak for votes.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
AshburnerX said:
McCain isn't even that anymore. He burnt that bridge when he made his running mate one of the worst Governors in Alaskan history and rejecting his independent streak for votes.
Click to expand...
He isn't now, but in 2008, he'd just spent the last 8 years undermining his own party because he was butthurt he wasn't the candidate in 2000. Every "gang of" whatever compromise group, he was on it.
 
Tiger Tsang

Tiger Tsang

AshburnerX said:
Hillary supporters are very much a "devil you know" sort of crowd. She's got all the connections and backing she needs to be an effective president, as well as a political immutability (or perhaps straight up invincibility) rivaling that of her husband Bill. The idea of her being the first female president is also a plus. But yes, she's basically a straight up villain at this point. I have never once heard a Hillary supporter give me a reason why they want her to be president, simply reasons why the alternative is worse.
Click to expand...
No politician is perfect, and while I'm not a big fan of Hillary, she HAS proven she's effective at statecraft compared the clown show that is the front runners of the GOP Lineup . . .
That being said, I'm Bernie all the way, but at the end of the day the next president is probably going to be appointing several SCOTUS judges, and since they seem to do the most damage, I'd rather not have anymore Scolia's on the bench. Bernie has grass roots popularity, but Big Money *which controls pretty much all of the media that the US consumes* is afraid of him and prevents him from getting any media time.

For all the folks that whine about Liberal Media, compare the coverage time that most Americans will see that watch 'Cable TV' see on Trump vs Bernie.

Nowadays, for the majority of cable viewers, there is FOX, Corporate Out to Make A Buck Media *this has unfortunately come to include MSNBC as far as news goes '4 hours of Joe Scarborough! ' , and having a cable/sat provider that might carry more independent channels which cost more to get.
 
blotsfan

blotsfan

Bubble181 said:
In many European media he's still being named as the "main" candidate for the Republicans - in dire straights, but expected to pull through after all. Much like Hillary is still considered the de fact Democratic candidate without any opposition. Trump, Sanders: they're treated as diversions and fun for the media but not a real threat.
Yes, our media can be quite tone deaf to what's happening in the US, why do you ask?
Click to expand...
Thats surprising. The general opinion is that its going to be Rubio (assuming Trump goes away like we're all hoping).
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
blotsfan said:
Thats surprising. The general opinion is that its going to be Rubio (assuming Trump goes away like we're all hoping).
Click to expand...
Well, that's what the media says... because to them, Rubio is slightly less unpalatable than Cruz, who is still ahead of Rubio in the polls. But 8 months ago they were painting Rubio with the same "insane slavering right wing lunatic teabagger" rhetoric as Cruz.
 
Krisken

Krisken

Ahem:

"He is strongest among Republicans who are less affluent, less educated and less likely to turn out to vote. His very best voters are self-identified Republicans who nonetheless are registered as Democrats. "

Aka, people who register as Democrats to mess up Democratic primaries. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top