Political Chatter

[Judah14]

Barrack Obama has done such a "lousy" job as President that his landmark legislation has created a triple win for the average individual and the economy is in better shape than it has been since ... the Clinton Administration. We should be so "unlucky" on a regular basis.

He has been amazingly successful, especially when you consider the racial vitriol and congressional stonewalling with which he has been confronted.

This is also the view of so many of my friends and family here in the UK. We cannot understand why anyone would want to replace him with such a dangerous xenophobic buffoon like Trump. We are truly scared of the outcome for the world should he become your President.

Well at least Trump doesn't have a fouler mouth than Rodrigo Duterte, who is now President-elect here. Duterte has more experience as a politician but is known for very controversial statements, such as recently when he got criticized by the UN, he said "F**k you UN, you can't even solve the Middle East carnage".

[dillon]

Yes, Judah...having heard a lot of the wretched stuff Duterte says, makes me think things could be worse. Except that we may not have seen Trump's "worse" yet...

[Pdxfashionpioneer]

The reason that Trump has a following has a following at all is that he is gave voice to the anger and frustration of the working class that has been building for decades and not been addressed by either party. At this point I expect that many of his supporters would have a hard time telling you how angry they are or what exactly it is that they're angry about, but they're good and angry, they want to see something tangible done to address their concerns and they think they've found a kindred spirit in Trump.

Fortunately, they are not the majority of voting Americans and Trump has gotten enough rope in the media to hang himself and seems to be doing precisely that. In addition, the Democrats seem to be doing a better job of calling Trump on his baloney.

At least I hope so.

[crfriend]

The reason that Trump has a following has a following at all is that he is gave voice to the anger and frustration of the working class that has been building for decades and not been addressed by either party.

Sanders actually did a better job of that than Trump, and certainly more eloquently. However, that "race" was rigged from the get-go and Sanders was a non-starter. I suspect that Trump's appeal was precisely because of his buffoonish character making him seem different from the rest of the lot. The Republicans simply couldn't field a candidate that was actually electable; none of them was worth the air they breathe. That "party" may now be effectively dead. The question is whether it was by design or not.

So far, it's going precisely as expected. We'll have another eight years of Dubya (we've had sixteen already), and by the time that's over the middle class will no longer exist, all the wealth having been concentrated at the very top. I find it poetic that it'll happen under a female titular head of state.

[skirtedMarine]

What concerns me is that so many people want America to follow the same disastrous socialist path that has crippled every society that has ever tried it. Sanders is a Socialist, with unicorn fart ideas about where wealth and production come from.

The original Pilgrim colony was set up as socialist, and they nearly starved to death because no one was willing to work only to have his labor be given to the lazy. Once the Compact was changed to provide for individual industry, the Colony flourished.

Sanders "thinking" is mist, nothing more. It alarms me that so many see only the glitter on the gilded pig of socialism, and ignore the stench the hog invariably produces.

I couldnt have said it better, Thanks !
I hear Monica Lewenski refuses to vote for Clinton, Says the last Clinton Administration left a "Bad taste in her mouth", and we can't depend on Clinton to create American jobs, because the last time Clinton had a meaningfull job, She outsoursed it to Monica, and She simply "blew it!" (Ouch!)

[skirtedMarine]

The reason that Trump has a following has a following at all is that he is gave voice to the anger and frustration of the working class that has been building for decades and not been addressed by either party.

Sanders actually did a better job of that than Trump, and certainly more eloquently. However, that "race" was rigged from the get-go and Sanders was a non-starter. I suspect that Trump's appeal was precisely because of his buffoonish character making him seem different from the rest of the lot. The Republicans simply couldn't field a candidate that was actually electable; none of them was worth the air they breathe. That "party" may now be effectively dead. The question is whether it was by design or not.

So far, it's going precisely as expected. We'll have another eight years of Dubya (we've had sixteen already), and by the time that's over the middle class will no longer exist, all the wealth having been concentrated at the very top. I find it poetic that it'll happen under a female titular head of state.

It looks like youre still blaming Bush Carl, I Love You Brother, but shouldnt we blame the dumbass American people who dont know the difference between right and wrong anymore? Thanks to a left leaning media ....and the Left running these indoctrination camps called "Schools"... If you take God out of the Schools, Who do you think iis moving in ? ( remember Church lady on SNL)
And do You think it should be alright for a man who thinks hes a woman to go into my daughters bathroom? (Theres another subject !) Try not to get me started, I wont hesitate to reply that Liberalism, like Islam (Socialism,Marxism, Communisim) Is a mental disorder... and not compatable with our Constitution
But that is just my opinion.... but I enjoyed your banter....

[dillon]

What concerns me is that so many people want America to follow the same disastrous socialist path that has crippled every society that has ever tried it. Sanders is a Socialist, with unicorn fart ideas about where wealth and production come from.

The original Pilgrim colony was set up as socialist, and they nearly starved to death because no one was willing to work only to have his labor be given to the lazy. Once the Compact was changed to provide for individual industry, the Colony flourished.

Sanders "thinking" is mist, nothing more. It alarms me that so many see only the glitter on the gilded pig of socialism, and ignore the stench the hog invariably produces.

I couldnt have said it better, Thanks !
I hear Monica Lewenski refuses to vote for Clinton, Says the last Clinton Administration left a "Bad taste in her mouth", and we can't depend on Clinton to create American jobs, because the last time Clinton had a meaningfull job, She outsoursed it to Monica, and She simply "blew it!" (Ouch!)

As much as it frightens me, I tend to agree with you guys to an extent about the pie-in-the-sky promises of "Sanders Claus". Not that he doesn't raise good points, just offers unrealistic solutions. Certainly public health and education should be greater national priorities than Trump makes them. He is the prime example of a weak leader; one who requires an enemy to demonize in order to unite followers in anger and fear. But can anyone actually say WHAT Trump offers on anything relevant to the future?

Republicans always prefer government by slogan, fiddling while Rome burns, rather than to ever offer anything concrete or workable. Hillary's website addresses issues is far greater detail than Trump, Cruz or any other GOP candidate. In that regard, it's fair to say she has bigger balls than any of them.

As for the Monica jokes? Give the poor girl a break. America has paid long enough for Republican prudishness (impeachment over a BJ), but I'm pretty sure Larry Craig has thrown water on that bonfire for the GOP.

[crfriend]

It looks like youre still blaming Bush Carl, I Love You Brother, but shouldnt we blame the dumbass American people who dont know the difference between right and wrong anymore?

Actually, I'm not blaming Bush at all, and I do not believe that the general public is really a factor in this mess at all. Since all the available candidates are very carefully vetted beforehand, it can be said that the "election" process is a sham because whichever one "wins" has the same tendencies as the other and will follow the same instructions. John Q. Public is out of the loop as far as having any say in the matter because there is no real choice to be made.

As far as schools go, the function of schools should be to teach youngsters how to properly use their brains in critical thought, not just regurgitate factoids in order to pass a test. Schools should be actively pushing youngsters to learn new things, to be curious, and to think about things. Yes, that'll mean the the youngsters will come up with some potentially unpopular ideas -- and then it's down to how well they can critically analyse their thoughts and present a cogent defence of them, sometime in the withering face of PC. The problem is is that produces people who can think for themselves, and that's what the power elite do not want. If no-one can ask hard questions that need asking, nothing will change the trajectory of the society -- which is headed entirely in the wrong direction.

On the topic of god in schools, one needs to realistically take into account how many there are -- frequently all being incompatible with each other -- and, crucially, which one to favour. In making the call of favouring one over the rest we're precariously close to the establishment of (a) religion, and that is clearly proscribed by the Constitution of the United States (which is widely ignored in practise today). The only way that realistically that could be dealt with is to either teach everybody all religions and faith-systems (which would be guaranteed to infuriate just about everybody) thereby leaving it up to the student to make up his own mind, or teach none of them and treat them as tangential to the core of the function of the schooling process and an area open for individual students to explore, thoughtfully, on their own. This is one of the basic tenets of freedom that the United States was founded on -- and something that most all organised religions positively loathe.

[...] I wont hesitate to reply that Liberalism, like Islam (Socialism,Marxism, Communisim) Is a mental disorder... and not compatable with our Constitution
But that is just my opinion.... but I enjoyed your banter....

Try not to look at it as "liberalism" but rather as "extremism". It's possible to have extremes at both ends of the spectrum, and that's what we're seeing now. The problem with the extremists taking over is that it becomes impossible for the pragmatists in the centre to operate properly -- and, really, most people, once cooled off, tend to be centrists -- especially once the brain kicks in and are allowed to think clearly about matters instead of foaming at the mouth. The current situation looks more like two unruly and agitated mobs clashing rather than anything resembling rational and civil discourse. We need -- desperately -- more of the latter. I'd like to see some light instead of just heat and smoke.

Yes, the banter is enjoyable, so long as it remains civil.

[crfriend]

As much as it frightens me, I tend to agree with you guys to an extent about the pie-in-the-sky promises of "Sanders Claus". Not that he doesn't raise good points, just offers unrealistic solutions.

He proposes solutions that he would never be allowed to implement, which is why they're unrealistic. They could be realised, but that would mean resetting much tax law to where it was during the Eisenhower administration -- and the economic elite, who hold all the levers of power, will not allow that. This is why he "lost" the primary. After listening to his rhetoric for about five minutes I realised that, "this guy isn't even going to get close to the final ballot" -- in spite of his rhetoric being dead-on accurate.

Despite everybody bitching that the system is "broken", I humbly that not only is the "system" not broken, but it's working precisely as designed. It just doesn't benefit the "general welfare of the people". It certainly benefits a certain subset, however, and that subset happens to be in control.

As for the Monica jokes? Give the poor girl a break. America has paid long enough for Republican prudishness (impeachment over a BJ) [...]

Agreed. As far as the whole Lewinsky affair goes, at the time I recall making a crack of, "Can you really blame the man? Look at what his wife's handlers have turned her into!" (The general opinion once the laughter died down and a thought period ended seemed to be, "Nope. We can't." -- and this came from a collection of commuting companions I was with twice a day on the train from Worcester to Boston, most of them women.)

[skirtedMarine]

I can't wait to se what we're slamming eachother with in November! (I swear there will be blood in the streets by then!)

[crfriend]

I can't wait to se what we're slamming eachother with in November! (I swear there will be blood in the streets by then!)

That would be sad, indeed, and not a scenario I wish to see for my country.

[Judah14]

I can't wait to se what we're slamming eachother with in November! (I swear there will be blood in the streets by then!)

It might be like the elections here last May 9, even though before the election there was great division between supporters of Duterte (who won the elections) and those of Roxas, Poe, Binay and the others, it was still orderly, and Poe herself even ceded to Duterte upon his announcement as the winner of the presidential elections.

[skirtedMarine]

I'll agree with that, but look at SanJose California, the "Liberals" waving Mexican flags, Burning American flags, and beating the piss out of Trump supporters, an example of the" extreem" left that you mentioned.
I know from first hand experience what happens with the crime rate when the Illegals move in next door! ( Oh , forgive me Carl, (I'm supposed to say "Undocumented" ...
Give me a f......break! Im really trying to be politically correct here!
No choice but to vote for a murdering, lying ***** who sucked as Secratary of state, made treasonous deals , got my brothers killed, Or a self made billionare who doesn' t owe anyone on either side of the corrupt "Spectrum " ( Yea, I'll hold my nose while I vote for that prick!)

[Judah14]

I'll agree with that, but look at SanJose California, the "Liberals" waving Mexican flags, Burning American flags, and beating the piss out of Trump supporters, an example of the" extreem" left that you mentioned.
I know from first hand experience what happens with the crime rate when the Illegals move in next door! ( Oh , forgive me Carl, (I'm supposed to say "Undocumented" ...
Give me a f......break! Im really trying to be politically correct here!
No choice but to vote for a murdering, lying ***** who sucked as Secratary of state, made treasonous deals , got my brothers killed, Or a self made billionare who doesn' t owe anyone on either side of the corrupt "Spectrum " ( Yea, I'll hold my nose while I vote for that prick!)

Manny Villar, another self-made billionaire didn't make it in the 2010 election, and he had previous experience as a senator and congressman. Experience surely counts when you vote for a politician.

[Sinned]

{ Begin Rant }

This has nothing to do with American politics so I am changing tack a little but it still has to do with politics. A thought occurred to me the other night as regarding the forthcoming referendum on whether we leave or stay in Europe. My thoughts on this have been published a little on this site, I know which way I am going to vote and don't foresee hearing anything that will even remotely cause me to reconsider so I have deliberately tuned out any discussion on this issue even to the extent of really NOT watching the news reports so I am probably missing a lot of other issues for a few weeks. It occurred to me that the remain campaign can say whatever the h_ll they like as long as they couch their statements with may or could or it's possible as 99.9999% of it will be virtually impossible to prove whichever way the vote goes. They can make, and probably are, the most outrageous claims about loss of employment, companies vacating the country, economic turmoil and more, co-opt good old Barama to say that the US will treat us like lepers and send us to the back of the queue in negotiating trade deals and who is to disprove them? This puts the leave campaigners on the back foot and very defensive as a lot of the time they can only say rubbish and try to refute the claims. So in terms of perception they will always seems second best. Unfair I know but then that's politics - fight dirty to win. There's a headline on my browser now from Microshaft News "Panicked Remain 'to take out Boris'" - haven't read it but I can imagine what it's about and the ruthlessness and vicious vindictiveness sickens me. At one stage in my youth I expressed a desire to go into politics and stand as an MP but now I'm glad that I outgrew the desire. Britain WILL survive whatever happens - it just remains to see in what form. Ironically, if Scotland were to hold another referendum on whether to leave the United bit and vote out then the situation may arise again, even if we vote to remain in, as the current rules don't cover this situation which has never arisen before. So that as England, Wales and Northern Ireland become another political unit, country if you like, we may have to re-apply for membership and a completely different result may ensue. The last referendum threw up a lot of issues that NO-ONE knew the answers to. AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.

{ End Rant }