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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
Speak for yourself, I for one take comfort in the knowledge that there are candy and dance loving human beings in Congress instead of robots and homonculi.
PSN ID: FateSeraph | Switch friendcode: SW-0145-8835-0610 Congratulations! She/TheyThis is a rational strategy, believe it or not. Set your position at "no compromise and we'll fuck you over at every turn," in a situation where you can't simply be isolated and disregarded, is a good way to prevent changes that you don't want, as well as changes that you wouldn't mind. The NRA is my go-to example here - it's a lot easier for them to get what they want by reflexively throwing poop rather than sponsoring good-faith debates.
Certain states are looking to bypass the Electoral college by passing bills that require the state's electors to vote in line with the result of the popular vote. Eleven states including New York, Illinois, and all of New England excluding New Hampshire have passed laws of such a sort, with Colorado looking to be the next. A pretty good idea to make sure the people's voices aren't ignored like last time, in my opinion.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/432061-dem-states-move-to-bypass-electoral-college
Biden is sure sounding like he's going to run.
The same article also looks at the governors of Washington and Maryland potentially entering the field.
“The most important people in my life want me to run,” the former vice president said.
The thing about the popular vote pact is that you essentially have the win the electoral college before you can bypass the electoral college. Since it's basically a "democrats will always win in the future" bill, it therefore requires getting the swing states to voluntarily give up their own power, which I don't see ever happening.
Edited by Clarste on Mar 4th 2019 at 5:49:30 AM
I figured as much, but it was a story that stirred up hope in me, and the optimist in me took that and ran with it. Changing the current political system for the better is sure to be an uphill battle.
Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper
is running for president:
"In a short video released Monday morning, Hickenlooper pledged to fight what he referred to as a crisis that threatens everything America stands for, as a picture of President Trump flashed on the screen, "As a skinny kid with Coke bottle glasses and a funny last name. I've stood up to my fair share of bullies. Standing tall when it matters is one of the things that really drives me."
In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, Hickenlooper said he has his own tactic for dealing with Trump's aggressive tactics.
"You say back what they're saying, but you twist it just enough so the people they're trying to impress see the lunacy, the comedy in what they're trying to say," Hickenlooper said. "When their audience begins laughing at them, it drives most bullies nuts."
The 67-year-old former geologist, beer brewer and mayor of Denver has been considering a presidential bid for some time. He often touts his state's solid economic growth, especially in rural parts of Colorado. Hickenlooper also points to his accomplishments as governor, such as Medicaid expansion, increased infrastructure and public education spending and overhauling state campaign finance laws. He also led Colorado through major challenges, including historic wildfires and floods, and a mass shooting at a movie theater in a Denver suburb.
"I promised Colorado families that we would rebuild our communities better than before, and that just offering thoughts and prayers would never again be sufficient," said Hickenlooper, who served two terms as governor, in his launch video."
I'm not so sure "I Know You Are, But What Am I 2020" is going to get him very far, but sure, buddy, knock yourself out.
It's been fun.I don't know. If he can pull it off, tricking Trump into making an ass of himself isn't hard. Trump makes an ass of himself with zero provocations, and 90% of everything he says is made up on the spot.
Hickenlooper's still far from my first pick. But there might be some merit to what he's saying. Making Trump the butt of the joke and getting the crowd laughing at him instead of with him might just be the key to breaking the spell he has voters under.
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.I can see where you're coming from, but I also think that's the whole problem. Trump routinely says things that are stupid or provably wrong, and no one who's tried to call him on it has succeeded yet - nor have the people who need to start laughing at him started laughing. He says idiotic things, but he also has that weird... I shudder to call it charisma, that is probably not something people want to go toe-to-toe with him on.
If Hickenlooper has an actual platform and presence independent of Trump, and this 'laugh at Trump' plan is specifically his means of dealing with aggro from the Republican camp when it happens but is a sideshow to the actual process of constructive policies, then maybe he stands a chance. But the problem with building a campaign approach around things Trump says is that A) you'll always be reactive and B) you will rarely be able to rise above Trump's level.
Edited by RedSavant on Mar 4th 2019 at 10:28:49 AM
It's been fun.Here's the issue: this is Trump's home turf. We've seen this before back in 2016, trying to engage him in a war of petty insults is a bad idea, because he tends to win those. See Rubio and Clinton. Challenging him on those terms in 2020 is not likely to fair any better, and making it the central theme of your campaign displays a lack of faith in the ability for your ideas to inspire hope or engage constituents.
So, unless I learn anything new about him he's getting sorted into the lower-middle section of my personal rankings.
The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -FighteerI don't think that democrats will always win if we went to the popular vote instead of the EC. I think they might have the advantage for one election cycle, perhaps two. Something to remember is that both Bushes and Regan had popular vote victories. (Both of Regans, Bush Sr's first run, and Bush Jr's reelection). The Republicans are quite capable of winning the popular vote. All that will happen is that both parties strategies will change slightly.
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Well, yes, but it does benefit the Democrats more. And its not even necessarily a strategic move. Its just the right thing to do.
Edited by AzurePaladin on Mar 4th 2019 at 11:07:29 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. -FighteerPerhaps, but since 1888, winning the presidency but losing the popular vote has only happened twice. Both have been republicans, but I don't think it signals a weakness overall for them.
I think that the biggest positive change we could make in our election system is to move to range voting rather then plurality.
Demographics and political borders have shifted so much since the 80s that I'm not sure those elections are valid predictors anymore. That leaves us with 04, which of course had 9/11 hanging over it and a Patriotic Fervor view (at least in part) of the Iraq war, which of "Oh fuck, why did we do that?" 2 and 4 years later.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

I mean that is a modern ideal aesthetic, in terms of PR. You have a bunch of people representing a bunch of places, and they bring a piece of their home with them on display.
There is definitely a lot of love for such an idea, for better or for worse.
Read my stories!