2016 Election Thread

[Craig Arko]

 

Yes, I am cheering for the destruction of today's GOP. My fear is that Hillary gets the nomination and then is indicted, tossing the election to Trump.

Yes. Would like to see a Grand New Party that is equipped to handle the 21st century.

[twinsnorth49]

 

Well, it was a good run, America. 240 years strong, but it sounds like it's over now. How's the job market looking in Canada, North?

Not too bad Van, unless you're planning on going to Alberta.

 

I'm thinking of taking up masonry as a trade, could come in handy soon.

[Craig Arko]

 

I wonder what happens to all those Trump people if Cruz wins the nomination.

A good old-time burning at the stake?

[TheLeviathan]

 

I wonder what happens to all those Trump people if Cruz wins the nomination.

 

 I don't think many of them vote at all.   I've been trying to find in exit polls if they asked if they were first time primary goers.  I thought that'd be an interesting trend to look at.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Yes, I am cheering for the destruction of today's GOP. My fear is that Hillary gets the nomination and then is indicted, tossing the election to Trump.

1) I can't imagine she'll get indicted by Obama's Dept. of Justice/Attorney General; I still don't know what crime she could even be charged with. 

2) If she were to be indicted, or have some scandal that forces out; Biden could step in and become the Democrat nominee without serious need for vetting; and in the alternative, a third party like Bloomberg would almost assuredly go up against Trump without Clinton.

[Willihammer]

 

It's weird to say but Lindsey Graham was incredibly honest and forthright about the GOP's problems last night (caught it on CBS News and my jaw hit the floor while listening to him speak). He rails on Trump, Cruz, GOP policy, and pretty much everything he can think of in the moment.

 

Stick through and watch the entire thing. It ramps up as the video progresses.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/live/video/super-tuesday-sen-graham-weighs-in-on-race/

Any reasonable, conservative leaning person would have to agree.

Its too bad Graham wasn't this candid while he was STILL IN the race.

[Badsmerf]

The destruction of the gop is embarrassing for our country. The entire world watches who we nominate.

[Vanimal46]

The GOP is the equivalent of the 2012 Minnesota Twins, correct? Meaning they have to do a complete tear down, get back in touch with reality, and cultivate a couple of kids to be the next leaders of the party... 

[Craig Arko]

 

The destruction of the gop is embarrassing for our country. The entire world watches who we nominate.

Well, yes, although plenty of other countries have gone through the same or worse, politically. It's just finally reached 'get off the high horse, USA' stage.

[Mike Sixel]

My cousin, a vacc denier and, fluoride is a conspiracy, guy, has stated clearly on FB that he'll vote for Hillary before Trump.....

[nicksaviking]

This obviously has short term benefits for the Democrats, but I wonder if long term it hurts them a bit.

 

I mean there's no way the Tea Party and the Old Guard Republicans can co-exist in the same party any longer is there? Either Graham, Kasich, McCain, Romney and company are going to have to figure out a way to excommunicate Cruz and the crazies, or the traditional Republicans are going to have to split themselves.

 

So if the party splits, no matter how right of center Graham's group actually is, they are still going to be able to claim the "moderate" mantle as they still will be somewhere between the Far Right and the Democrats. In a three party system, I have to think the one that falls in the middle has to gain some advantage.

 

It would be best for everyone if the party splits and everyone starts labeling Cruz and Trumps various cults as ethnocentric hate groups. Hopefully if everyone marginalizes them, no one will want to join.

[Craig Arko]

 

My cousin, a vacc denier and, fluoride is a conspiracy, guy, has stated clearly on FB that he'll vote for Hillary before Trump.....

I'm not sure that makes me feel any safer.

[PseudoSABR]

 

This obviously has short term benefits for the Democrats, but I wonder if long term it hurts them a bit.

 

I mean there's no way the Tea Party and the Old Guard Republicans can co-exist in the same party any longer is there? Either Graham, Kasich, McCain, Romney and company are going to have to figure out a way to excommunicate Cruz and the crazies, or the traditional Republicans are going to have to split themselves.

 

So if the party splits, no matter how right of center Graham's group actually is, they are still going to be able to claim the "moderate" mantle as they still will be somewhere between the Far Right and the Democrats. In a three party system, I have to think the one that falls in the middle has to gain some advantage.

 

It would be best for everyone if the party splits and everyone starts labeling Cruz and Trumps various cults as ethnocentric hate groups. Hopefully if everyone marginalizes them, no one will want to join.

Something you might be over looking is that Sanders, although he won't get the nomination, has demonstrated there's political viability to the left of where the Democrats have been.  Democrats like Hillary can claim moderation as long as there continues to be a presence from the socialist/liberal wing of the party.  

 

The GOP won't really have any viability (in terms of numbers) without the Tea Party base, which is why they went down the fire-and-brimstone path in the first place to counter the changing demographics that favor the Democrats.  The GOP, for however much it would like to claim moderation, still don't seem to advocate policies that favor the emerging class of people that will make up the middle--I just don't see them peeling off moderate Democrats, without a shift in policy.  As much as we talk about how crazy Cruz and Trump are; Rubio's advocating much of the same, with growing the military, destroying our enemies (ground wars), being tough on immigration, repealing Obamacare, etc. 

 

[Badsmerf]

You're missing the point. The point is, a new Republican party needs to shift policy. They need to embrace lgbt rights, legalizing marijuana, fixing corrupt policies that favor corporations, and income inequality. That needs to happen for this party going forward or they will continue to lose.

[Craig Arko]

 

You're missing the point. The point is, a new Republican party needs to shift policy. They need to embrace lgbt rights, legalizing marijuana, fixing corrupt policies that favor corporations, and income inequality. That needs to happen for this party going forward or they will continue to lose.

Agreed. They need to move into the 21st century.

[DaveW]

 

The GOP is the equivalent of the 2012 Minnesota Twins, correct? Meaning they have to do a complete tear down, get back in touch with reality, and cultivate a couple of kids to be the next leaders of the party... [/quote

Terry Ryan = Jeb Bush

Dave st Peter = Rick Santorum

[TheLeviathan]

 

You're missing the point. The point is, a new Republican party needs to shift policy. They need to embrace lgbt rights, legalizing marijuana, fixing corrupt policies that favor corporations, and income inequality. That needs to happen for this party going forward or they will continue to lose.

 

Correct, in other words - they need to embrace libertarianism.  Many studies have showed a growing number of people who identify with less government/more freedom platforms.  

 

That's the angle Republicans need to embrace.  Drop the social issues, focus on putting more money in the average person's pocket and cleaning up government waste.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Correct, in other words - they need to embrace libertarianism.  Many studies have showed a growing number of people who identify with less government/more freedom platforms.  

 

That's the angle Republicans need to embrace.  Drop the social issues, focus on putting more money in the average person's pocket and cleaning up government waste.

 

so, almost like the party I grew up with.....not quite, but close.....good luck with that.

[TheLeviathan]

 

so, almost like the party I grew up with.....not quite, but close.....good luck with that.

 

I'm not holding my breath either.  Not for another 15-20 years.  I think there is a chunk of the base that just needs to die off as crude as that sounds.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'm not holding my breath either.  Not for another 15-20 years.  I think there is a chunk of the base that just needs to die off as crude as that sounds.

 

So, about 5-10 years short of my death........give or take 15-20 years.

[TheLeviathan]

 

So, about 5-10 years short of my death........give or take 15-20 years.

 

I wasn't advocating all of that age group should die in any sort of systemic effort or anything.....I'm sure they're not all bad.

 

But I'm also saying I'm not totally opposed to taking voting rights away from everyone over the age of 55 either.  

 

(I kid, I kid....sorta)

[stringer bell]

Several thoughts:  How can Republicans be on the brink when there are so many elected from that party? I'm just about eligible to draw SS benefits and there hasn't been a time in my life where so many elected officials nationally are members of the GOP.

 

As long as Roe v Wade exists, "social issues" will be a major part of the Republican platform and its appeal. While public opinion has moved on gay rights and marijuana, the needle hasn't moved on abortion, so any libertarian platform would include overturning Roe v Wade and failing that, nickel and diming "abortion rights" to death.

 

I probably am on the liberal side of the spectrum, but it would be great to have an alternative to flawed or criminal candidates and elected officials. Currently, I can't bring myself to consider voting for one Republican and don't know of one race where I would vote for the Republican if I lived in that state/district. I have voted for Republicans in the past-notably David Durenberger and Speaker Steve Sviggum-but anyone embracing one-tenth of their platform is too crazy for me.

 

The Democratic party has work to do to be an effective representative of the middle class. A rejuvenated GOP might make Democrats better, but only after Democrats fix money in politics, gerrymandering, and labor laws.

 

 

 

 

[stringer bell]

 

 

I wasn't advocating all of that age group should die in any sort of systemic effort or anything.....I'm sure they're not all bad.

 

But I'm also saying I'm not totally opposed to taking voting rights away from everyone over the age of 55 either.  

 

(I kid, I kid....sorta)

Hey, that hurts!

[USAFChief]

I wasn't advocating all of that age group should die in any sort of systemic effort or anything.....I'm sure they're not all bad.

 

But I'm also saying I'm not totally opposed to taking voting rights away from everyone over the age of 55 either.  

 

(I kid, I kid....sorta)

I laughed...sorta.

[nicksaviking]

 

You're missing the point. The point is, a new Republican party needs to shift policy. They need to embrace lgbt rights, legalizing marijuana, fixing corrupt policies that favor corporations, and income inequality. That needs to happen for this party going forward or they will continue to lose.

 

I think this is bound to happen though. I mean it will if there is going to be any kind of political competition any more. The Old Guard, never truly gave a crap about social issues, they just paid them lip service as they had demographics to still appease. Those folks they had to appease are now almost entirely with the Tea Party. There is absolutely no reason for the guys who still want to resemble Bush Sr or Bob Dole to cling to these archaic social issues, they can concentrate on the one thing that they really most cared about, fiscal conservatism and leave the social issues at the door.

[ashbury]

But I'm also saying I'm not totally opposed to taking voting rights away from everyone over the age of 55 either. 

Imagine a world in which Ron Paul could not vote for himself.

[Craig Arko]

 

I laughed...sorta.

I went and re-watched Logan's Run... sorta.

[Badsmerf]

The thing about Roe v wade... Is that the only way to overturn it is in the supreme court. I don't see it happening.... Ever. I don't think it is a serious platform, unless you're Ted Cruz.

 

The only thing a politician can do is vow to nominate a judge that is against it. My mother in law disagrees with me about that, but that is why we have three branches of government.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I went and re-watched Logan's Run... sorta.

 

hahahaha, this made me laugh. I assume the movie, not the tv show.....

[Mike Sixel]

 

I wasn't advocating all of that age group should die in any sort of systemic effort or anything.....I'm sure they're not all bad.

 

But I'm also saying I'm not totally opposed to taking voting rights away from everyone over the age of 55 either.  

 

(I kid, I kid....sorta)

 

No, I was lamenting life would just get good again, politically, and then I'd die........