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

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#260901: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:37:50 PM

We should reintroduce the concept of Rotten Burroughs.

Do we have an American name for it?

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#260902: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:40:47 PM

They no longer exist after Reynolds vs. Sims.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Ludlow Since: Apr, 2013
#260903: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:43:06 PM

[up][up] Yeah, that would not go over well in the current environment. Republicans already accuse Democrats of denigrating rural voters and their opinions, if we started redistricting things in a way that gave little to no say I can imagine there would be a huge public relations disaster.

Edited by Ludlow on Nov 7th 2018 at 1:43:22 AM

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#260904: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:44:58 PM

I'd argue that just having a formula and system to point at, rather than actual rotten boroughs with standardised, predefined, indicating borders visible on a map, is what has made gerrymandering almost... normal.

And, that's kind of a worse situation to have than the boroughs. -_-'

Edited by Euodiachloris on Nov 7th 2018 at 9:47:27 AM

Ludlow Since: Apr, 2013
#260905: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:54:15 PM

Thanks to amendment Y and Z, Colorado now has a system where an independent commission which contains equal numbers of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents must now draw and approve of new house districts. This means that, if everything goes as plan, there won't be a partisan bias in our districts going forward.

Maybe people in other states should look at getting similar amendments placed on their ballots for 2020?

Edited by Ludlow on Nov 7th 2018 at 1:54:44 AM

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#260906: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:57:30 PM

Indiana's U.S. Senate race in a nutshell: Braun rallied Republican voters to the polls. Democratic voters weren't as enthusiastic about Donnelly.

Goddammit WE TOLD YOU SO. Almost like... republicans will take a real republican over a fake one... and Dems won’t turn out for you if you throw them under a bus...

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#260907: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:58:29 PM

One thing with Sessions to consider - depending on how quick the GOP tries rushing things, they might have a replacement installed before the new Congress gets sworn in. So it's not "It's nothing to worry about", but it's also not full-blown You Can Panic Now either.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#260908: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:58:48 PM

Michigan and Colorado did enact such rules during this vote, Utah might as well, that vote apparently hasn't been called yet.

Note that this won't stop attempts by parties to influence the map in their favour, nor is it always easy to find a reasonable map due to competing priorities, e.g do you want similar voters and towns to cluster or do you want them dispersed? Are districts strictly geometric or not?

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#260909: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:02:02 PM

[up] Personally, I'm thinking that it should be done by a panel of independent redistricting experts. The New Pennsylvania map is a good example of that.

Edited by megaeliz on Nov 7th 2018 at 5:03:24 AM

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#260910: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:08:18 PM

Wisewillow makes me wonder what the difference was between the red state Democrats who lost their seats vs the ones who kept them is, and if there was a common trend.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#260911: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:09:52 PM

Also parties have an inclination towards trying to produce safe seats for themselves.

It's still completely ridiculous that in the short term, despite there being a well-defined chain of command within the DoJ and a post that exists to be "take over if the AG is for some reason unable to perform any or all of their duties", the president can appoint someone with all the power and influence of that post in an acting measure without any sort of vetting or confirmation hearing thus bypassing the backup that they themselves installed in the first place.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#260912: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:12:12 PM

I almost forgot that Missouri did pass Amendment 1 which also overhauls the districting process ... but in that case fairness/competitiveness is explicitly prioritized over geometry, thus odd shaped districts still exist.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#260913: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:33:53 PM

Fascinating thread by civil rights activist Bree Newsome analyzing the state of democracy in America.

Choice quote:

Five years after the Supreme Court removed all teeth from the Voting Rights Act, the Republican Party is engaging in increasingly blatant attempts to suppress poor, Black, Latino and Native American voters. GOP leaders at state level manipulate outcomes thru gerrymandering, shutting down polling sites, purging voters & voter ID as 45 threatens potential voters that law enforcement is watching for “illegal voting” & “anyone caught will be subject to maximum criminal penalties”... Democracy remains unrealized in US. Much emphasis is placed on engagement of non-voters as key to making democracy work—a kind of truism—but greatest hindrance to democracy is the power structure which suppresses & denies right to vote to those who want to participate

Edited by wisewillow on Nov 7th 2018 at 5:34:26 AM

Ludlow Since: Apr, 2013
#260914: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:34:08 PM

[up][up] That makes sense, though. As much as I hate border gore, its better for districts to be competitive than pretty.

Edited by Ludlow on Nov 7th 2018 at 2:34:22 AM

MrHellboy The Shadow from A world of my own Since: Dec, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
The Shadow
#260915: Nov 7th 2018 at 2:47:15 PM

Evidently, protests are being planned tomorrow due to the Sessions firing.

Overreaction, you think?

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
MrHellboy The Shadow from A world of my own Since: Dec, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#260918: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:11:43 PM

Depends on what the protests are for. If they are for reinstating him, well, I don't think that this is the issue here. If they are about ensuring that Whitaker recuses himself: Go for it!

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#260919: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:17:40 PM

Whitaker would need to have a conflict of interest before he'd recuse himself. Sessions recused himself because he was, himself, a person of interest to the investigation, being involved with Trump's 2016 campaign.

Like I said, time's up. Mueller needs to act now or everything might be lost.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Nov 7th 2018 at 4:18:06 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#260920: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:20:53 PM

Whitaker has a ton of conflicts of interest due to his connections with people Mueller is investigating.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#260921: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:23:06 PM

But he is not, himself, a subject of investigation. If happening to know a dude who was related to the investigation constituted a conflict of interest, then Trump would be right in claiming that Mueller has to recuse himself because of his connection to James Comey.

But he's not. Because it doesn't. Don't expect to see Whitaker recusing himself any time soon; he was brought onboard specifically to not do that.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Nov 7th 2018 at 4:23:50 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
rmctagg09 The Wanderer from Brooklyn, NY (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
The Wanderer
#260922: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:31:46 PM

https://twitter.com/GeorgiaDemocrat/status/1060297388609490947

BREAKING FROM THE @AP: A spokeswoman in Kemp’s office, who has also worked on his campaign, says there are 22,000 provisional ballots. She has shared the county breakdown with only one candidate — Kemp — but has not shared it with the media or the public.

Hugging a Vanillite will give you frostbite.
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#260923: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:33:22 PM

[up][up] He said in the past that he would want to defund and limit the investigation, and that those remarks are most likely part of the reason why he got the job, there are ample reasons why he would need to recuse himself.

Btw, doesn't he need to get confirmed first?

Edited by Swanpride on Nov 7th 2018 at 3:33:31 AM

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#260924: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:36:40 PM

[up]I think it's different if he's the acting interim AG. Someone needs to keep things running until they get someone permanent.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#260925: Nov 7th 2018 at 3:45:07 PM

[up] There is no reason why Rosenstein can't continue overseeing the investigation. Other than the obvious corrupt one.

You know what, I don't really want the Democrats to impeach Trump. I want them to investigate him and his cronies six ways to Sunday while also putting forward positive changes regarding Health care aso. The Senat might stop them BUT if it does the Democrats can point to Republicans voting against those changes the population want in the next election. Meanwhile they need to do whatever possible to repair the voting system.

This way there is a good chance to not just vote out Trump in two years, but take a huge win over the Republicans at the same time. And yes, I know that Trump can still do a lot of damage in the meantime, but the Democrats can block him at every turn while also pointing out how corrupt his demands are.

Edited by Swanpride on Nov 7th 2018 at 3:50:26 AM


Total posts: 417,856
Top