TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.

Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.

If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.


In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#162551: Dec 15th 2016 at 2:34:12 PM

[up][up]Yeah that's more or less correct from what I've heard.

[up]They probably aren't going to get one and will ultimately vote on party-lines.

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#162552: Dec 15th 2016 at 2:36:56 PM

I thought the electors get picked long before each party's candidate becomes apparent, and thus their loyalties would be with their affiliated party in general.

edited 15th Dec '16 2:38:23 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#162553: Dec 15th 2016 at 2:40:19 PM

Those 50 electors are democratic ones.

But- the vast majority of GOP electors are absolutely going to vote Trump. The hope is that 37 of them will not, and thus deprive Trump of the 270 votes needed. Which is not quite as crazy as it sounds, as he's really hated even among republicans. One source I saw had the number of electors thinking of turning at 20.

And the thing is that the EC isn't chosen all that carefully; people didn't expect them to really be a factor.

Which it probably won't be; if nobody gets 270, which is what will almost certainly happen if Trump doesn't get it, the decision goes to the GOP-controlled congress, who would probably see chasing anyone but Trump as political suicide.

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#162554: Dec 15th 2016 at 2:56:32 PM

Which it probably won't be; if nobody gets 270, which is what will almost certainly happen if Trump doesn't get it, the decision goes to the GOP-controlled congress, who would probably see chasing anyone but Trump as political suicide.

I hate this so much. The republican congressmen must know what a dangerous jackass Trump is, so the right thing would be to vote in literally anyone else. Yeah, sure, it would hurt their numbers with their voters, but who cares since they'll still be millionaires and they get to pass whatever harmful legislation they want for the next four years?

But no. They'll decide that the many, many people around the world endangered by the Drumpf are perfectly acceptable losses for either lining their pockets or screwing over minorities even further.

ThePest179 Since: Jul, 2015
#162555: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:04:54 PM

I think Dylann should be executed, because the alternative - life in prison without the possibility of parole - is what I believe is Cruel Mercy.

MarkVonLewis Since: Jun, 2010
#162556: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:09:10 PM

I've been thinking it over lately, and yeah Trump's victory is a FUBAR clusterfuck. But Hillary winning would have been no better.

Only upside is we have Mattis as Sec Def. Finally we have a Secretary of Defense with some goddamn balls, so to speak.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#162557: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:10:14 PM

Lewis, do you find the idea of a presidency see that is an unholy fusion of the second Bush administration and the Nixon administration appealing? Because that's the best case scenario of Trump.

edited 15th Dec '16 3:11:41 PM by CaptainCapsase

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#162558: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:11:13 PM

How is Mattis appealing exactly?

Oh really when?
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#162559: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:11:53 PM

Because apparently everyone in the US military thinks he's the greatest person in the history of ever or something.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#162560: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:13:23 PM

Cause...ugh...war is all 'bout killin'...ugh...and god emperor Mattis likes killin'...ugh

Inter arma enim silent leges
Spinosegnosaurus77 Ramen Fairy from Ontario, Canada Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: All I Want for Christmas is a Girlfriend
Ramen Fairy
#162561: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:19:12 PM

Obama's hosting a press conference tomorrow at 2:15 PM EST.

Peace is the only battle worth waging.
IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#162562: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:20:29 PM

But Hillary winning would have been no better.

Would you care to elaborate on how you arrived to this conclusion? there's not a single subject I can think about where I could see Secretary Clinton being anywhere near comparable to how terrible Trump is shaping up to be. I could believe you don't believe her to be a good candidate, but at the very least their approaches towards the existential threat of Climate Change if nothing else should have been enough to confirm she would have been a better choice.

[up]Is he going to declare war on Russia? (or the equivalent that doesn't require approval by congress).

edited 15th Dec '16 3:21:32 PM by IFwanderer

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
FluffyMcChicken My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare from where the floating lights gleam Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: In another castle
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
#162563: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:21:28 PM

Some people on this forum think of him as a modern surrogate of Patton.

Nevermind that Patton existed to fight wars in which he was up against other conventional military forces that wore uniforms.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#162564: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:34:33 PM

I think Dylann should be executed, because the alternative - life in prison without the possibility of parole - is what I believe is Cruel Mercy.
Being honest, that's precisely why I believe Dylann shouldn't be executed. I haven't followed this case closely but at least one person mentioned his wanting martyrdom. If so, killing him is the last thing that should be done.

As for Clinton winning being no better than Trump's winning, consider this: Between the election and now Donald Trump has proven himself to be just about everything people accused Clinton of being... But more so.

edited 15th Dec '16 3:34:53 PM by sgamer82

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#162565: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:39:04 PM

Between the election and now Donald Trump has proven himself to be just about everything people accused Clinton of being... But more so.

And to expand on that, one of the things he accused Clinton of doing was rigging the election.

Just sayin'.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
ThePest179 Since: Jul, 2015
#162566: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:39:23 PM

[up][up]The only other (non-horrible) alternative is life with the possibility of parole, and I don't see that happening with Dylann's case.

edited 15th Dec '16 3:40:43 PM by ThePest179

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#162567: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:41:10 PM

Whoah.

Apparently CNN is reporting that Trump's refusal to acknowledge Russian meddling in the election has made the White House decide that an orderly transition of power is no longer a priority.

This could get ugly.

edited 15th Dec '16 3:41:22 PM by RBluefish

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#162568: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:41:20 PM

Just found out that these 33 charges are federal charges. The murder/attempted murder charges (and an additional item about using firearms in a crime) - together 13 counts - are state level charges. I wonder how such things are processed.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Lanceleoghauni Cyborg Helmsman from Z or R Twice Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In my bunk
#162569: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:47:28 PM

I'm totally not enthused that Matthis got chosen for anything, but it makes sense with what we know about trump. Back in 1990 he criticized Gorbachev for being weak by claiming that Tiananmen Square was the right way to handle public unrest

"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#162570: Dec 15th 2016 at 3:50:15 PM

Come on Obama, everyone's said you've been too soft with foreign policy. Now is really the time to do something.

Oh really when?
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#162571: Dec 15th 2016 at 4:04:52 PM

I'm pretty sure Clinton hasn't called into question the credibility of climate change.

That alone makes her far better than Trump and if you keep digging Trump just looks more and more unflattering in pretty much any way you can think of.

Lanceleoghauni Cyborg Helmsman from Z or R Twice Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In my bunk
#162572: Dec 15th 2016 at 4:09:30 PM

plus the whole "every trump appointment wants to destroy the department they're in charge of" thing...

"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#162573: Dec 15th 2016 at 4:10:47 PM

[up][up]Well, you know...

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#162574: Dec 15th 2016 at 4:41:52 PM

@Bluefish: oh shit, here we go.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#162575: Dec 15th 2016 at 4:45:04 PM

Is this the biggest period of political unrest since the civil war, or was there something comparable or worse since then?


Total posts: 417,856
Top