The American Politics Thread

wouldn't be our thread if we didn't mention one of our favorite characters.... the dark lord of NO himself

Darth McConnell.  

Was funny in way to see the debate questions directed to teh canddidates about him.. best answer.. of course

I have a plan for that...

hah.. I bet you do babe and who do we have to thank for it.  Trump and spineless GOP who handed the future Democrat President(S) a massive weapon.

if he wasn't such a piece of runny stinky sh*t that has done more than anyone in this country to poison its politics and weaponize fear and division you might just feel sorry for him.

sad to see a once brilliant mind..  again as noted last night.. he PLAYED Biden and got much more than he gave..  go to sh*t.

The way he handled the Kavanaugh sh*t show.. did more than anything to not just give the Democrats the house but limit losses in the Senate thus putting it really into play next year... and the math for them is even worse in 2022. He will soon be back to minority leader..  but... 

then the worst of all.. not smacking Trump down with his border emergency and bypassing Congress..  and Repubiicans gleefully marched behind him .. right towards the gallows... for the precedent that sets to bypass Congress.  Oh yes I bet Warren has a plan... 

oh that was more just a like..  I stood up .. nearly lost my beer and did a fist pump and a f**k YEAH!!

well called by others.. never before has there been a (long overdue) such well done condemnation of the 2nd greatest cancer to this country and its politics.. the f**king Religious Right. It isn't enough they destroyed the once noble, if misguided, party of Jack Kemp.. they had to turn it and attempt to turn our country into some 3rd world f**kign bannana theocracy....

I also was highly impressed with Castro.  I did find it odd that he went after Beto (though he did have a 'Kick ME I"m a Genesis fan' sign on his back).  I watched him more closely after that.. I sensed something passing between him and Warren. I should rewatch the debate and I see I can pick that up again. I think there is a connection, ,personal or policy.. who knows between them. he didn't go after her which would have been the thing to do if he really wanted to make a move but he didn't. He played for small gain and knocking out a minor rival rather than big picture move as Kamala did going after a front runner.  I think she would pick him as a VP choice and that would be a great.. great move.  

This is one thing I like about Bernie.  He went to the Fox Town Hall but stood firmly and uncompromisingly by his message.  He wasn't there to pander to them the way Biden does.  Rather, he was counting on being able to move at least a small minority, if nothing else, of the audience that watched it to his side.  In the aftermath of the 2016 election too, he recognised that some of Trump's agenda overlapped with that of the progressives and that he was prepared to work with him on that but would not support bigotry in any event.  Bernie is an old school firebrand politician.  He only cares about spreading his message and doesn't pre-judge its recipients.   This is something that some of the Democratic Party is not good at anymore and it has the potential to hurt them again in this election.  Whether some of the people voting for the other party are bigoted (or deplorable, to use Clinton's infamous choice of word) is not important in an election.  What is what you stand for.  

I wouldn't call it is a mistake on Warren's part Madan.  I think the decisions each made regarding FAUX worked for them. Obviously in different ways.  

One of the great appeals of Warren to many is not just her overall policy stances.. or deeper than that ... the singular issue that shaped her life when young, led her into academia, the public life,  then politics, then finally running for the President.

it is her honesty and authenticity which . well I can only speak for myself but think many might see it even if it doesn't fully register exactly what it is that appeals to them about her... makes her extemely unique and quite refreshing from the usual political norm of self interest (getting relected) and shifting their priorities based on 'polls' and the changing winds of public opinion.   She has been very critical of FAUX and what is does how it operates.  Going far beyond bias to ..  well.. really operating a a propaganda network for the right. All for profit and to hell to the notion they are distorting and misinforming their viewrers. Why not..  who wants to be told bad news. You watch FAUX to exist in your bubble and not hear your President if a crook and stands against everything that 'made America great'.  Anyhow..  sure she could have reached a bigger audience as Bernie did, it worked for him, how it worked for Warren though.  She got just as much bump and atttention by staying true to what she has preached and not whoring herself to FAUX as most politicians would have. Say one thing.. do another when it is politically expedient.

Yes..  I do think that is an underecnogized aspect of a potential match against Trump.  The appeal of each, but yes more so Warren for reasons we talked of yesterday, to 'Trump voter'.  The non bigotted non fundy type.  Bernie got a great reception in his town hall.. and Warren has been campaigning in deep red MAGA terriorty and famously got a standing O after a speech in . umm.. ah huh.. f**king West Virginia. 

after that comes the killer..  the cut line bumps upward.  Pre debate Estimates are only 8 of the 20+ would make that. Biden, Sanders, Warren, Harris, Mayor Pete, Beto, Kobuchar and Booker.

big question..  what really happens to Beto...  does he fall below that threshold due to his dismal performance.

best line about him from a poli wonk..  he looked up there more like the guitarist of the band playing my daughter HS dance than a serious candidate for President of the United States...  hahahha. I think he is toast so expect him to pull a Gillabrand next debate.  Desperate to make an impression and move up.. or regain what he likely lost after this first debate.

Of the rest..   do any have a chance to meet that threshold.   Only Castro IMO really does. While I have been a steady and monogamous contributor to Warren's campaign.. thinking about shooting some jack his way. He earned it and think he deserves a place at the table as the campaign moves forward. The rest pretty much are and were always filler.  Entertaining for sure.  Bill de Blazio in the first and the hippy dope smoking chick in the 2nd but after the next it will start getting serious and getting down to business.

Somebody will have to distinguish themselves from the pack and move to take over Biden's lead. Warren should be more assertive in the next debate, interrupt more and talk more.  Reinforcement is a very important political toll for all that pundits may sneer at it.  It gets the message across and gets people to remember it. This is particularly a problem for Harris.  Albeit I am an outsider but I only know what she stands against, not what she stands for.  Warren has been able to define her vision, now she just needs to reinforce it until people are chanting it after her.  That's what it's going to take to beat Trump.

And how many elections did Waters win again?  Is it important to stop demagoguery before it blows up democracy or is it important to virtue signal in election season?  

What is surprising about borders, by the way?  Does your country not have any? The influx of a few million Muslims from Syria roiled Europe enough to give traction to the Far Right, of even outright Nazi sympathisers.  The influx of even fewer Rohingyas from Myanmar became a big talking point in Bangladesh and India, both of which have large enough populations to absorb them such that their presence would go unnoticed.  So much so that one of our Members of Parliament, under trial for an act of terrorism no less, openly praised the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi and called him a patriot.  Has anybody from the Republican Party praised the assassin of Lincoln?  Didn't think so.

This is one thing I have called out before and will call out again.  Why must the USA be the sole defender of free trade and open immigration when not one other country in the world truly supports the same?  In actions, I mean, as opposed to admonishing the USA through stentorian words.  I heartily despise Trump but I will also not mince words in saying that at some point, ordinary Americans probably grew tired of the hypocrisy of the rest of the world and decided to press a giant reset button.  This does not absolve them of blame in elevating a demagogue to power in the most powerful country in the world but perhaps the rest of the world should unleash some of these open minded experiments that they would like the USA to carry out.

Ah!  Gets hard to tell, especially because I have heard Europeans take USA to task over this before.  In full earnest, I mean.

oohhh..   don't quit your day job and become a political consultant here man.   That is exactly what she needs to avoid doing and did the other night and suspect she will moving forward.  She has nothing to gain and much to lose by jumping into the mosh pit of lesser candidates.  Besides.. there is no need to interrupt and assert.  Her policies as noted have become the de facto platform by most all the other candidates. They are doing the reinforcing for her.  Remember sexism is still a very real thing and getting Hillary'd is a very real fear and possibility and she needs to avoid it. Yes I get a hard on for strong assertive intelligent women.  My ex was.. and you best Raff is.. but it is still very disconcerting to many men.  

See the key to her campaign and what could bite Harris in the ass if is ends up being what she appears to be doing. Running as woman.  Warren may be a woman.. but she is not running as a woman. As I noted though her one weakness as a candidate is that she is woman..  did you watch that youtube video I posted the other day. TRUTH..  women are held to a higher standard and things that might be celebrated in a male candidate.. can be fatal to a female.

She is doing fine as she is....  she has hired some of the best minds in the business to help with her campaign.  They know what they are doing and right now it is letting the issues and her policies drive her campaign.. and not making it about her personally.

http://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/30/kamala-harris-joe-biden-2020-1391212