The General American Politics Thread

[Tani Coyote]

http://www.npr.org/2015/10/11/447796712/california-becomes-2nd-state-to-automatically-register-voters

 

Annnnd California is pretty much permanently Democratic now. Larger turnouts are almost always Democratic, which is why the GOP has a lot more cases of voter suppression.

 

Consider that George W. Bush probably would not have been elected if not for their suppression tactics such as purging roles of SUSPECTED criminals, to say nothing of actual convicts.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Wendigogilvie

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

So what does this mean in the long run towards the Democratic presidential candidates? Is it likely California will support Hillary or Bernie?

[Tani Coyote]

So what does this mean in the long run towards the Democratic presidential candidates? Is it likely California will support Hillary or Bernie?

The state is solidly Democratic, despite being the cradle of the Reagan revolution. This is largely due to the increasing Latino population, I believe, and go figure, by some measures, Hispanics now outnumber non-Hispanic whites as of last year.

 

I think Hillary is a safe bet, but Bernie's a bit more shaky. He supports amnesty for immigrants who are already here, but he is very interested in curbing future immigration. He isn't supporting a massive border fence or draconian invasions of Latino neighborhoods, though, so he's probably going to still be seen as better than any GOP candidate.

 

Doubly so when you consider that the Republican policies - denying benefits to non-citziens, expanding the border force, etc. - actually had the adverse effect of swelling illegal immigration. Rolling those back will actually greatly decrease the amount of immigrants to the United States.

 

Speaking of shifting politics.

 

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/10/07/texas-is-rapidly-turning-blue-and-republicans-are-about-to-panic/

 

The Reagan era is nearly over. Between minority births outnumbering white births, and the possible white flight (I say possible because this article is assuming that whites are uncomfortable with all minorities; this is false. White people primarily want to avoid black people, but are okay with large numbers of non-black, non-white Hispanics or Asians), Texas looks to fall to the Democrats within 10 years or so.

 

Good. It's about time we got back on track. Reagan and his Bush sidekicks undid a lot of the progress made by FDR and Johnson, even if he failed to return us to the Hoover years. And it looks like most Americans are understanding that and gradually abandoning this elephant to let it die alone in the savannah.

 

In short, the GOP is either going to reform dramatically in the next two decades, or it's going to be banished back to irrelevance like it was from the 1930s to 1960s.

 

It'd be nice if we could get a revised Supreme Court that found the laws banning felon voting unconstitutional, though. That would add millions of voters to the rolls, most of them Democratic. Now THAT would be a political disaster for the GOP.

 

 

Doubly so since the disenfranchised are concentrated in the South.

 

Edited October 13, 2015 by Wendigogilvie

[PSI Wind]

The quicker we can get rid of Regeaneomics and go back to the era of the 60s and 70s in terms of the economy and taxing the rich, the better.

[Patticus]

Tonight was the night of the debate. I haven't had a chance to watch it, but I will say that the problem with being a totally unknown would-be nominee (Webb etc) when going up against titans like Clinton and, to a degree, Sanders (who together arguably lock up the entire Democratic base), is that to get anywhere at all with the electorate, you're going to have have to make a big splash and court controversy. Do it Trump-style, if you will. Anyway, from what I've heard, Webb appears to have taken this idea and really fucking run with it - he apparently talked war with China.

He must be trying to make up for the lack of Biden gaffes.

Or maybe he's a Republican in disguise.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Patticus

[Tani Coyote]

Props to Bernie for saying Americans are tired of hearing about Clinton's damned e-mails. Now that Benghazi's turned out to be a sham, I guess this is the new poster child for "Clinton is corrupt ahhhh!"

 

For being so damned corrupt, you'd think they could find more to run with. Then again, the GOP is the party that never made too much of a fuss over Obama blatantly violating the War Powers Act in Libya. They'd rather focus on an embassy instead of unlawful military operations. I guess they want to preserve the President's ability to violate restraints on his power for when it's their turn? While they criticized him, it was Benghazi that took all the attention.

 

Meanwhile, an excerpt from the radio my grandma was listening to:

 

"I'm Bernie Sanders and I'm running as a Communist!"

 

Oh, Michael Savage. You're so ignorant but I can't help but find you funny. And sad.

 

Guy's a nut. Was talking about how Bernie Sanders wants everyone making over 20k taxed at 99%. And the sad part is a lot of people will believe it just because he said it. And that is why I hate conservative talk radio.

[Tornado]

Props to Bernie for saying Americans are tired of hearing about Clinton's damned e-mails.

Hilary needs to pay damn close attention to what Sanders did here, or she's going to lose the primary for the same reason she did in 2008.

[Dizcrybe]

I will admit I haven't really been keeping up until I watched the debate last night (?). What happened with the emails?

[Patticus]

I will admit I haven't really been keeping up until I watched the debate last night (?). What happened with the emails?

Hillary Clinton didn't think that it'd be a big deal to use a personal e-mail account, and a personal e-mail server located in her own home, to conduct some of her government business during her tenure as Secretary of State. I suspect that she asked what her predecessors did, and, for convenience's sake, went along with them. After all, what's good for them must be okay for her, right? Wrong - the Republicans and their media mouthpieces over at Fox and on talk radio have been having a blast with the story, accusing Mrs. Clinton of shenanigans like covering up Benghazi-related evildoings, despite multiple Republican-lead Benghazi committees and tens of millions of taxpayer dollars concluding that there was no wrongdoing, and that no actions at that time could have saved that facility.

Anyway, she has long claimed that no classified e-mails were sent or received by the personal email account, which would be illegal if found true. The claim has been unverifiable for quite some time, as many of her e-mails were deleted before investigators (snooping around for illegalities) got around to checking the server out. IIRC, the claim has been proven false in perhaps a handful of instances since then, as more emails are recovered and examined, although I know not whether the former secretary will face any charges. I guess that they'd need to prove that she knowingly and willingly used the server for classified emailing.

News about the things the investigation is turning up has been drip-fed to the nation over the past year or more, making it a continual source of embarrassment to the prospective candidate, a perpetual source of mistrust among voters, and a running story for the media to gorge itself on. They love a good scandal, don't they? And the longer the story pervades the media, the worse her chances get as the nomination and election days approach, which is probably good for the Republican candidates; some of them are likely trying to keep the story going, to hide their own ill doings and make themselves look comparatively scandal-free.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Patticus

[Tani Coyote]

http://usuncut.com/politics/6-reasons-bernie-sanders-actually-owned-the-debate-despite-what-pundits-claim/

 

Speaking of Clinton. The media is worshipping her as the absolute victor, while every poll is pretty much saying Sanders came out on top.

 

Who would have thought the proof of the media having a serious agenda would come from left-wing voters instead of right-wing pundits?

 

I don't blame Bernie for saying people are sick of her e-mails. While the scandal is good evidence she's untrustworthy (you come to expect lies by politicians, but a lie about confidential documents that may very well be relevant to national security? Ohoho), it kind of undermines the power of it when you repeat it every second. Then again, the GOP sure loves the word "freedom," so they're not wise to this.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Wendigogilvie

[Tani Coyote]

http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/09/americans-want-congress-members-to-prove-they-arent/#

 

The Greek idea is that the government needs to lead by example. Good governors promote good values, and bad governors promote bad values.

 

Time for Congress to lead by example!

[Tani Coyote]

 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/politics/un-vote-cuba-embargo/index.html

 

Say what.

I question the intelligence of this move on Cuba’s part.

Obama has been asking for a repeal of the embargo and has done all he can within the realm of executive power to repeal restrictions on Cubans. Choosing to go forward with a condemning resolution is going to alienate Congress further.

Then there’s the call to end interference in other nation’s trade. The embargo, while called a blockade on the island, is strictly between the USA and Cuba. It’s being made out as a beacon of interference. I’d counter that it’s in every nation’s sovereign right to refuse trade with other nations. Doubly so when there’s an issue of outstanding debts. One does not nationalize massive amounts of property and expect friendship.

Now sure, I understand the Cuban idea of property is different, but they’re not the ones whose definition holds importance in this matter. The world is ultimately a market system, and those states that fail to recognize this deserve to be isolated.

The “blockade” language in mind… the government is probably spinning Obama’s efforts as “The Americans are traitorous, they can’t be trusted! See, no end to the embargo?!” Maybe this was actually a brilliant maneuver to cement power… do it Korean style. The big bad West is trying to hurt you and it falls to Papa Party to protect you!

Edited October 28, 2015 by Wendigogilvie

[Tornado]

It's amusing to hear someone liken a trade embargo enforced by precisely one country to genocide. For sure it is worse to be on the shitlist of the US than, say, Uraguay or something; but if nothing else it is nice to do know the UN has nothing better to do than once again dictate that the US is obligated to trade with a country just because everyone else does.

[Tani Coyote]

Most dictators would not be able to survive if they actively spoke the truth.

 

Otherwise their people might, well, realize that they can take their chances with democracy. As far as I know, Cuba doesn't have the sectarian divides like Yugoslavia, Iraq, or the Soviet Union, so its dictators can't even use the "stability" excuse like those ones could.

 

This in mind, hyperbole is par the course. "All the suffering inflicted on you is the Big Bad US' fault! Genocide of Cubans, ahhh!" It keeps the Cuban people from more openly considering that maybe their political and economic system are not the most conductive to prosperity. You can't have that, no? Cuba ranks well in HDI, this is true, but a good HDI is a double edged word; as the quality of life increases, people tend to more openly demand democracy. Constructing the United States as a Great Satan is thus a very good distraction. Compare how Argentina likes to stir up the Falklands "debate" (the people of the islands want British rule, and that's that. Suck it, Argentina.) during times of heavy scrutiny of the state; a perfect distraction.

 

With regards to the United Nations, they once tried to sue a video game developer. It speaks volumes to their usefulness as a governing body. They serve no function other than to rubber stamp reality. Every country goes to war with who it wants and when it wants. If the United Nations approves such an action, all the better.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Wendigogilvie

[Candescence]

The UN is inflexible, permanently built around the cold war political structure, and entirely toothless as a global governing body.

Not that those facts stop idiots from screaming about all sorts of conspiracies that the UN is trying to take over as a new world order somehow.

[PSI Wind]

Well, as if Boehner wasn't bad enough, now Paul fucking Ryan is the Speaker of the House.

We are never going to get anything done unless it supports the corporations and the rich now, will we?

[Patticus]

Jeb Bush, in an attempt to re-position himself with voters and revive his flagging campaign, has unveiled a new slogan: "Jeb can fix it!"

http://news.yahoo.com/bush-hits-campaign-reset-says-hes-doer-not-165224712--election.html

Naturally, the Internet has run amok with it in other ways, but to my mind it is most reminiscent of the catchphrase of the most notorious British pedophile, Jimmy Saville: "Jim'll fix it!"

Really poorly thought through, I can't see it doing anything for him.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Was just browsing news in my free time and ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?

[SenEDDtor Missile]

Was just browsing news in my free time and ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?

The fact that there are people who support this guy makes me think people want a fascist regime as long as it benefits them and their bigotry. It's only because Hitler was against everyone else that made them against him.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Here's hoping he doesn't get elected. Last thing we want is Mussolini being right about the US seeing democracy as a fallacy someday.

[Tani Coyote]

Meanwhile, I'm laughing at the GOP support for Carson, a guy with literally zero political experience and who is being touted as an outsider.

This seems... familiar... wait...

"Obama doesn't have any experience!" They were saying, even when he had 11 years of experience in government, to say nothing of 12 years of legal experience.

"I'm an outsider, you can trust me!" said Jimmy Carter, who is regularly demonized so as to pave way for the anointed one himself, Ronald Reagan.

I know critical thinking is lacking in most GOP voters, but dear God. How can one NOT see the parallels here?

It makes me think, I don't know... that a lot of conservative voters are just parroting what's said on Fox and by Hannity and Limbaugh. And yet they have the nerve to call liberal voters low-information. What a load.

[Speeps]

Even though I'm across the pond here in the UK I've really enjoyed following the candidates and the drama happening around them lately. The whole shakeup reminds me of what happened with our Labour Party this year.

Watching the occasional horribly biased media still try to portray Jeb Bush as the frontrunner of the GOP candidates is incredibly funny to me because I remember when he actually was leading the polls I suggested instating a monarchy if the guy ever got into office. Long live King Bush III, the greatest monarch to ever grace the land of the free.

Also if Trump gets the nomination and becomes President, I could totally see him calling the White House the Trump House at some point and causing a media shitstorm.

Edited November 25, 2015 by JmTsHaW

[Tani Coyote]

The Planned Parenthood shooting has put the GOP candidates in a rather uncomfortable position.

On one hand, Planned Parenthood does give abortions, even if it's a very small part of what they do for so many people. Only 1/10 of PP's patients receive abortions, even.

On the other, this is a senseless act of murder and domestic terrorism. They're harping on about the danger of refugees, all while ignoring we have right-wing psychos at home who aren't being singled out for their ideology or beliefs.

I will say though. This is helping me see all that needs to be said about the GOP and the endemic sociopathy of its platform.

They don't even need to make a moral claim here. It would be easy enough to say it is not the place of ordinary citizens to carry out killings, as we entrust the government with functions of law and order. But that would undermine their precious Castle Doctrine, wouldn't it?

This is too good. They are unable to find any way to condemn the shooter without contradicting their ideas on some issue. And that just makes them look all the more terrible.

But let's recap on what the GOP wants for children, shall we? They want children to grow up in poverty because a single mother can't pay the bills on welfare or a job alone. They want children to be less intelligent, given the connection between food security and brain development. They want children to be thrown into subpar schools. They want children to be shuffled from home to home after their parents are imprisoned for trying to find other ways to provide for them. Finally, after being sent through this grinder, they want children to take minimum wage jobs and repeat the existence of their parents.

That's to say nothing of the myriad of discrimination that the GOP celebrates that will fall disproportionately on the poor.

The Republican Party is sociopathic. There is simply no other way to describe it.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

So the chances of any of them winning the presidency are what exactly?

I mean, we elected Obama twice, and the GOP weren't this looney in the past. So that has to say something, I suppose?

[Tani Coyote]

So the chances of any of them winning the presidency are what exactly?

I mean, we elected Obama twice, and the GOP weren't this looney in the past. So that has to say something, I suppose?

Statistically, the Presidency almost always go to the opposite party if it is not an incumbent President running.

On the other hand, we have a very different America than the one those statistics are based on. News spreads in a heartbeat thanks to the internet. The minority population has become far larger, expanding the Democrat support base. And as the elderly lean Republican, the electorate has become steadily more skewed towards the Democrats over the last 8 years, with many more Republicans dying of old age. Given the elderly's status as the most active voting bloc, this is an important trend.

Barring voter suppression or a lot of Democrats not voting on the assumption the election is a given, I think the GOP is going to struggle a lot.