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

AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#271926: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:33:01 AM

[up][up] XD

Incidental note, both #Bernie 2020 and #Never Bernie have been trending on Twitter (at least for NYC, which I set my trends to for some reason). So, omen of things to come...?

Edit: Pagetopper: 2 Page 2 topper

Edited by AzurePaladin on Feb 19th 2019 at 7:33:38 AM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#271927: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:33:25 AM

So presumably we're going to get the same screams about fraud when he loses again.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#271928: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:35:26 AM

I was really, really hoping he wouldn't run.

But I can't say I'm really surprised.

Disgusted, but not surprised
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#271929: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:44:12 AM

I wonder what are the odds of Trump getting reelected.

Back in 2016, I was among MANY people who thought Hilary would win in a landslide, so I kinda gave up on prediction when it comes to anything involving Trump. XP

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#271930: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:51:24 AM

Okay, I only started following the US political system pretty recently, what did Mr. Sanders do to get everyone against him? He used to be the Democrat's darling back in 2016.

Edited by HailMuffins on Feb 19th 2019 at 9:51:35 AM

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#271931: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:52:43 AM

Sanders is going to have plenty of support, but he's facing a much different landscape than 2016. The anti Clinton crowd isn't going to flock to him for obvious reasons, progressives have a much wider field to choose from, and he still has an uphill climb with black and Hispanic voters.

I won't be surprised if he takes a lead in the polls early on but, as candidates drop out, it'll be everyone's second and third choices that start rising.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#271932: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:54:36 AM

[up][up]He was never the darling of the Democratic Party. There's a reason he didn't win the primaries in 2016. And no, it's not because of "DNC sabotage" contrary to what some people (including Elizabeth Warren at one point) claimed.

BTW, has he changed his registration status to the Democratic Party yet?

Edited by M84 on Feb 19th 2019 at 8:57:53 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#271933: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:57:04 AM

I would be surprised if he gets any polling lead. As the folks in 538 said, people like Warren or O'Rourke are going to compete for the same two blocs of the primary electorate.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
golgothasArisen Since: Jan, 2015
#271934: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:57:54 AM

It's because Hillary Clinton's campaign team launched one of the most damaging waves of smear tactics ever, trying to paint him and his supporters as racist for - get this - wanting to stop the death of the working class.

And, yes, it's also in part because the DNC played favorites and fucked him over, which we know happened.

"If you spend all your heart / On something that has died / You are not alive and that can't be a life"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#271935: Feb 19th 2019 at 4:59:38 AM

[up]Right, and that's why he lost by about a million votes. /sarc

Disgusted, but not surprised
Hylarn (Don’t ask)
#271936: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:00:11 AM

[x5]He still has his steadfast supporters so I imagine he has decent chances. Unfortunately.

Bernie's steadfast supporters weren't enough for him to successfully take on a widely unpopular candidate; unless something very strange happens, I don't think he'll do terribly well this time around

Okay, I only started following the US political system pretty recently, what did Mr. Sanders do to get everyone against him? He used to be the Democrat's darling back in 2016

Once the hype settled down people had a chance to really examine who Bernie was, to disappointing results

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#271937: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:03:30 AM

People started realizing Sanders was good for soundbites but overvalued economics at the expense of devaluing the importance of intersectionality when it became clear that Trump voters were heavily motivated by social issues.

Warren fills his niche much better anyway, having actual concrete action to back her words of economic reform.

Edited by AlleyOop on Feb 19th 2019 at 8:06:14 AM

Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#271938: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:05:49 AM

I still don't get where this whole "played favourites" shit came from.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#271939: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:06:29 AM

I was a really big Bernie supporter during the primaries. Quite a few people in here were, actually. But towards the end of the primaries, cracks started to show.

His plans never really extended beyond economics, and thinking that they were the root of all problems. Racism? Fixed by economics. Sexism? Fixed by economics. Foreign policy? What foreign policy?

There’s also various skeletons in his closet, like a paper from decades ago where he may or may not have been defending rape (it could have been satirical, it could have been genuine). Allowing dangerous waste to be dumped near a neighborhood rather than safely disposed of. Taking money from, and defending, the pro gun groups in the country.

He’s also, since the election, mostly wound up in the news for attacking the Democrats (instead of the Republicans), and making a looooong string of tone deaf, if not outright racist and sexist, comments.

golgothasArisen Since: Jan, 2015
#271940: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:08:27 AM

Since when are we painting the 2016 election as Bernie against a widely unpopular candidate? Every pundit on the left and even some on the right said Hillary was a shoe-in throughout, and she had the bonus of name recognition, where as Bernie was a relatively unknown name in households at the start of the primaries.

Believe it or not, but a lot of people are actually genuinely happy that he's running, considering he's been one of the most unflinching candidates in a long time on issues like economic reform, healthcare, support for the working class, environmental action, etc.

"If you spend all your heart / On something that has died / You are not alive and that can't be a life"
golgothasArisen Since: Jan, 2015
#271941: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:09:15 AM

Also, uh, attacking the Democrats isn't inherently a bad thing. You're forgetting about shit like the Blue Dog Coalition. Some Dems need to be taken down a peg.

"If you spend all your heart / On something that has died / You are not alive and that can't be a life"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#271942: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:12:38 AM

[up][up][up][up]Blame Donna Brazile and Elizabeth Warren. Brazile was the one who first made the claim before walking it back, and Warren went right along with it before also later walking it back.

Warren pulling that shit was pretty much the last straw for me. I was already not impressed by her for various reasons, but that populist anti-elite bullshit? No. I don't want that in a President.

I doubt it'll hurt her chances any — I doubt most people even remember that.

Edited by M84 on Feb 19th 2019 at 9:14:56 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
SilentColossus (Don’t ask)
#271943: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:14:38 AM

Dammit.

Unfortunately, I'd give him a bigger chance this time. Some still support him, and I fear others will view establishment Democrats as part of the reason Trump won 2016. And unless there is something preventing it that I'm unaware of, he could win by a pluraity if the number of primaries remains high. Though I'm guessing most will drop out.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#271944: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:15:38 AM

If Sanders hires someone more competent than that fuckwit Jeff Weaver as his campaign manager, he might have a better chance.

Edited by M84 on Feb 19th 2019 at 9:17:00 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#271945: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:16:36 AM

Bernie is still the de facto Leftist candidate so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that he would run.

He will probably do well initially but will sink when all the other candidates sans maybe Elizabeth Warren gang up on him. Alternatively all the other candidates might split the moderate vote enough that a leftist plurality will carry him like it did with Trump in the early primaries, only unlike Trump I don’t think the Democratic Party would rally around him if he did win.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#271946: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:17:11 AM

On a side note...if he loses again who wants to bet on how long he will take to change his registration back to Independent?

I'm going to place my bet on two days, tops.

Disgusted, but not surprised
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#271947: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:17:17 AM

He'd be much more useful alternating between a gadfly and an elder statesman figure who can steer his supporters towards the candidates who are most like him or willing to accomodate him. Running on his own especially if he remains Independent this time is just going to split the vote needlessly.

golgothasArisen Since: Jan, 2015
#271948: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:21:48 AM

Are there really any other candidates as strong as Bernie on the most important issues of our time (economy, healthcare, environment)? I've heard people say Harris, but she's walked back on healthcare a number of times.

"If you spend all your heart / On something that has died / You are not alive and that can't be a life"
SilentColossus (Don’t ask)
#271949: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:23:16 AM

Oh if he runs independent, we will lose. He'll split the vote just enough, handing Trump 2020.

And he knows that.

GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#271950: Feb 19th 2019 at 5:23:59 AM

I mean, that's why he didn't run as an independent in 2016. So of course he knows that.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."

Total posts: 417,856
Top