Political Discussion Thread (With Rules)

[Simon]

Thanks Simon, I had seen nothing that said Mrs Clinton was the recipient rather than the originator of mails containing classified information.

That came out largely during Comey's testimony before Congress....along with the whole misreporting/misunderstanding of "stripping the classified headers from documents" thing -- I think the parlance used was "remove the paper", which apparently is a standard term in diplomatic circles for removing the classified information and sending out the document. In other words, perfectly normal and acceptable operation.

[Starlord]

Trump choosing Pence

[megaplayboy]

He could do a lot worse(e.g. Gingrich or Christie).

[Marcus Impudite]

He could do a lot worse(e.g. Gingrich or Christie).

One minute please...

 

[Marcus The Impudite gets up and leaves the room. A moment later, he can be heard projectile vomiting somewhere in the distance. He later returns and takes his seat, wiping his mouth with a paper towel.]

 

Sorry for the interruption, but I'd rather not get demon puke on the carpet...

[Old Man]

Too bad, I was looking forward to a Trump/Palin word salad extravaganza. 

 

Of course, Pence's own presidential campaign ended pretty much before it began, over a year ago.

[wcw43921]

Pence Called Out On Twitter For Dining At Chili's

 

There are plenty reasons to disagree with Pence, but where he goes for dinner--does that have to be one of them?  Seriously?  I've only eaten at Chili's once, but I liked it, and while it wouldn't be my first choice, I wouldn't shun it entirely either.

[Pariah]

Pence Called Out On Twitter For Dining At Chili's

 

There are plenty reasons to disagree with Pence, but where he goes for dinner--does that have to be one of them?  Seriously?  I've only eaten at Chili's once, but I liked it, and while it wouldn't be my first choice, I wouldn't shun it entirely either.

New York City.

 

Pretty much says it all.

[Old Man]

I'd be more inclined to criticize Pence for extreme bigotry, a total disregard for science, and a tendency to use campaign funds for personal use (like his mortgage). I don't mind Chili's, but you have to watch out because a lot of their food is really unhealthy.

[megaplayboy]

I'll just say that my concerns about a Trump presidency have not been eased one day into this convention.

[Iuz the Evil]

I'll just say that my concerns about a Trump presidency have not been eased one day into this convention.

I know right? I mean, Chili's?!

 

(I kid, I kid)

[megaplayboy]

Turns out, Melania's speechwriter flat out plagiarized Michelle Obama's 2008 speech about her husband. 22 out of 26 words identical in one passage. Wow.

[薔薇語]

TheNewYorker ran an article about Gov. Gary Johnson (LP).

 

 

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/gary-johnson-the-third-party-candidate

 

The first quote is taken out of order because.I think it is most useful for the more liberal board members here:

 

"But Johnson isn’t reflexively against all government. He supports the Environmental Protection Agency, arguing that policing polluters is a proper function of the government. As governor of New Mexico, he aggressively used the power of the state to force Molycorp, a large mining corporation, to clean up a contaminated site. He eventually allowed the E.P.A. to declare the area a Superfund site, turning the issue over to the federal government, which had more resources to go after the company. “The government exists to protect us from harm, and that pollution is harm,” Johnson said. “Libertarians would say, ‘You and I have the ability to sue Molycorp. We can bring them to bear from a private standpoint.’ But the reality? You can’t.”"

 

 

Article order:

 

"When pollsters include Johnson with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in their surveys, he has been the choice of roughly ten per cent of respondents, and in a Times/CBS News poll released last week he hit twelve per cent. If his standing in the polls rises to fifteen per cent, he will likely qualify to participate in the Presidential debates. “If you’re not in the debates, there’s no way to win,” Johnson said. “It’s the Super Bowl of politics.” Johnson has many flaws as a candidate, but being unlikable is not one of them."

 

"In 1999, after winning a second term, Johnson became the highest-ranking elected official in America to call for the full legalization of marijuana. His approval rating dropped into the twenties, and he returned to his agenda of lower taxes and less spending. He left office with an approval rating in the high fifties. Today, he is willing to make other concessions to the political mainstream. When we met, Johnson wore Nikes with a suit, his signature style since 2012. But, after a lively debate with his campaign advisers, he showed up for his CNN appearance wearing dress shoes."

 

"This year, the unpopularity of Clinton and Trump has created an opportunity for Johnson to at least match Perot’s impressive showing. Last week, Republican delegates in the Never Trump movement attempted to change the rules for the Republican National Convention, in a failed effort to deny Trump the nomination. For anti-Trump conservatives still searching for an alternative, Johnson may be the only option. On the left, anti-Clinton Democrats, including some determined supporters of Bernie Sanders, would prefer a candidate who is more socially liberal and noninterventionist than Clinton."

 

"Clinton’s troubles with Sanders also emboldened Johnson. He tells Sanders supporters to take an ideological quiz at the Web site ISideWith.com. “You get paired up with a Presidential candidate most in line with your views,” he said. “I side with myself the most, and then, amazingly, I side with Bernie next closest.” Polls so far show that Johnson actually takes more voters from Clinton than from Trump. “It’s about everything but economics,” Johnson said, ticking off the issues on which he and Sanders agree: “on legalizing marijuana, on ‘Let’s stop dropping bombs,’ crony capitalism.”"

 

"Weld won a second term in 1994, with seventy-one per cent of the vote. In 1996, he challenged John Kerry for his Senate seat. Weld lost, but the race became famous for a series of eight tough but high-minded debates that the two men staged across Massachusetts. That summer, during the campaign, Weld made a show of demanding that he be allowed to speak in favor of abortion rights at the Republican National Convention, a stunt that was popular in Massachusetts but which isolated him from the national Party.

 

"Like Johnson, Weld found himself out of step with Republicans on numerous social issues. “I was in favor of needle exchanges, all the gay and lesbian stuff, medicinal marijuana,” Weld told me. “They were not typical positions.” In 1997, Bill Clinton nominated Weld to be the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, and Weld resigned as governor to take the job. But Jesse Helms, a Republican senator from North Carolina, who chaired the Foreign Relations Committee, blocked the nomination. As Weld recalled it, Helms claimed that Weld was “soft on drugs and we couldn’t afford to have me in Mexico.”"

 

Johnson’s theory of politics is highly rational. He assumes that voters don’t need to know much more than his positions to make up their minds. In his stump speech, he goes through a long list of his stances on issues in the areas of fiscal matters, social concerns, and foreign policy. It’s the live equivalent of the ISideWith.com quiz. Johnson wants to raise the retirement age for Social Security and to limit Social Security benefits for the wealthy. He wants to get rid of the I.R.S. and replace most of the tax code with a single consumption tax. He wants to abolish the death penalty, expand vouchers for private school, and drastically pull back the American military from its commitments around the world. “The unintended consequence of when you put boots on the ground, when you drop bombs, when you fly drones and kill thousands of innocent people—this is resulting in a world less safe, not more safe,” he told the crowd."

[Lord Liaden]

It's a little disconcerting to see how few of the lineup of scheduled speakers for the Republican convention are other than Trump family members. Most of the prominent elected officials in the GOP are conspicuous by their absence from this convention. If the Donald hopes to create the image of a party united behind him, I have serious doubts he can accomplish that via the convention alone.

[Old Man]

Doubts?  The delegates from Colorado and Iowa literally walked out after the initial voice vote.  Donald then proceeded to castigate Kasich in his opening speech.  I'm honestly surprised no one's thrown a chair yet.

[Old Man]

[megaplayboy]

Particularly fitting that the parts plagiarized pertain to honesty, integrity and hard work. There's also a rick-roll in the speech--Donald trump will never let you down, will never hurt you.

[Old Man]

Does anyone else get the sense that Trump's campaign is really an enormous and terrifying practical joke?

[Badger]

Does anyone else get the sense that Trump's campaign is really an enormous and terrifying practical joke?

 

Going on a year, now.

 

 

Do I get prophet points?

[Starlord]

 

Where's Sam Seaborn when you need him?

[gewing]

Does anyone else get the sense that Trump's campaign is really an enormous and terrifying practical joke?

For a long time... I keep expecting him to say "Gotcha!"

[Pariah]

Does anyone else get the sense that Trump's campaign is really an enormous and terrifying practical joke?

Lex Luthor spent $70 million of his own money on a fake Presidential campaign just to tick Superman off. So it's not without precedent.

[Hermit]

well, I watched part of it last night, not much but maybe an hour of material in total.

.I may have to repair my soul a little

[CaptnStrawberry]

Sheesh, so the Trump campaign a) can't prepare or pay someone to prepare an original speech; b ) figures no-one will notice the plagiarism in this connected, digital age; c) wants to run the country.   As someone who occasionally writes speeches professionally, c'mon!  Even if the themes are similar, it doesn't take much effort to change the verbiage.

[Ternaugh]

[Lord Liaden]

No matter how many gaffs Trump or his campaign team make, nothing seems to phase his supporters. This defies all conventional wisdom about modern election campaigns. It really is boggling to watch.