American Politics the 2016 edition

Smurph wrote: Im not some f**king hippie, and im not a liberal at all

perhaps not... but that line of thought is and has been for years. It is one of the few things the f**king GOP has gotten right. In theory at least.

Practically speaking.. well... best leave that alone.

micky wrote: that kind of thinking is exactly what give Liberals bad names.

Well I'm not a liberal, I'm a socialist, but on the topic of the military personally I'd personally like to see a huge reduction in terms of spending and the military as a whole. Obviously it is not as simple as that, it's the US's biggest job program after all.

Actually speaking of Japan and military bases, people there have been protesting them quite a lot lately. Here is one article I can currently find on it.

Awesome results from Kentucky. Sanders lost, but by just .4% when the best poll for him showed behind by 5% and this is from a closed primary, southern state. Much closer result than I ever would've expected, and I think sends a message that even though this race is over, people are still coming out for him and in big numbers. I expect he'll win Oregon later, and probably a few other states still.

Edited by JJLehto - May 17 2016 at 21:48

micky wrote: who knows..  we lived through the Reagan revolution.. perhaps we are looking at the beginning.. through Bernie.. of the Warren revolution.

Edited by JJLehto - May 17 2016 at 22:43

I agree, the current perception seems to be very right wing, someone who is center-left at most like Sanders is considered unthinkably radical at this point, never mind that his positions are nothing extraordinary. I have only been alive to remember back to Bill, so maybe I am biased in that way, but to me it seems like since then the dems have basically just adopted a more moderate version of the GOP's economic policies, slapped on some more progressive wedge issues and called that being left wing.
I think the dem party could attract the younger crowd if people like Sanders and Warren stay vocal and their supporters help vote in like minded candidates like Tim Canova (who is running against DWS), and use that support to build more explicitly new-deal-esque/Keynesian flavored policies. Letting slide austerity measures and having even Obummercare neutered from the start by immediately conceding defeat and then picking up a few crumbs off the floor and calling it a successful compromise is obviously not working, and people are more aware of it than ever.

JJLehto wrote: A Person wrote: I agree, the current perception seems to be very right wing, someone who is center-left at most like Sanders is considered unthinkably radical at this point, never mind that his positions are nothing extraordinary. I have only been alive to remember back to Bill, so maybe I am biased in that way, but to me it seems like since then the dems have basically just adopted a more moderate version of the GOP's economic policies, slapped on some more progressive wedge issues and called that being left wing. I think the dem party could attract the younger crowd if people like Sanders and Warren stay vocal and their supporters help vote in like minded candidates like Tim Canova (who is running against DWS), and use that support to build more explicitly new-deal-esque/Keynesian flavored policies. Letting slide austerity measures and having even Obummercare neutered from the start by immediately conceding defeat and then picking up a few crumbs off the floor and calling it a successful compromise is obviously not working, and people are more aware of it than ever. That is exactly what has happened. Economically, the Democratic Party has become the Republican Party lite.  Even their liberal policies, are just schemes and different ways to trickle down or stimulate our dear job creators. No one (till Bernie) just said: Create the damn jobs directly!  Obama really was bold, for the first time in 30 years we pursued direct gov stimulus, (opposed to tax cuts/defense spending) but over half the stimulus was tax breaks and aid to state/local govs. This is good. However, it's not much of a stimulus.  Once it ended he did indeed cave in to austerity, and from the get go there was talk of a "grand bargain" he would accept various cuts/social security reforms in exchange for a tiny bit more tax on the wealthy...He's been open to Soc Security reforms, including raising the retirement age and obviously he's supported our trade bills.  Of course ACA is actually what conservatives pushed for in the 90s and Dodd-Frank seems to have largely failed. Another reason I feel we can't continue the status quo is the $ in politics has neutered/killed all these bills. It will be impossible for a Sanders, Warren or anyone to accomplish much long as Wall St and big $ interests retain this power Oh and you saw me "joke" on Facebook about how austerity is gunna cause me grief the airport tomorrow, but it's true. TSA layoffs not only cost people jobs, but it's causing these 2 hour lines now. Or ya know, conservatives gripe about how the "Obama cuts" to the military have hurt their pay, states can't afford to repair their crappy roads, schools face cuts, universities hike tuition. Austerity causes very real pain and no one wants to deal with it The Dems moderation on this topic means they are accomplices. They should say no, I wont accept a 4.6% hike on the wealthy in exchange for spending cuts, if that is the choice that was faced, or maybe instead push for defense spending cuts, less corporate welfare etc If the GOP says no, then I'd say well enjoy the deficits you claim to hate.

Reasons why I despise Trump: inspiring people to beat up homeless mexicans

A Person wrote: Reasons why I despise Trump: inspiring people to beat up homeless mexicans

But don't worry: that is the guy who many "progressives" want as president just because their new Saint is losing the primaries FAIRLY. 

A Person wrote: The T wrote: A Person wrote: Reasons why I despise Trump: inspiring people to beat up homeless mexicans But don't worry: that is the guy who many "progressives" want as president just because their new Saint is losing the primaries FAIRLY.  I don't think it's Sanders' fault Clinton has become just as unfavorable as Trump.