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

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#276551: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:23:10 AM

Biden is floating the idea of just serving one term to counter concerns about dying in office and continuing Baby Boomers grip on Democrat leadership. The implication is that his VP would be picked with the understanding that they would be his de facto successor, a la Harry Truman.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#276552: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:31:50 AM

Why serve at all if that's the case?

i'm tired, my friend
Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#276553: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:32:00 AM

[up][up][up][up] I mean, you say that, but it absolutely is what is implied by that sentence. It may not be what you wanted to imply, but it's legitimately the only way to interpret it.

Edited by Larkmarn on Apr 5th 2019 at 9:32:11 AM

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#276554: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:32:13 AM

Lol, THOSE are definitely the biggest concerns of people who don’t back Biden, yeah, not his policies or condescension to millennials or how he treated Anita Hill or the creepy touching... GTFO Biden.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#276555: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:38:15 AM
Thumped: for switching the discussion from the topic to a person. Doesn't take many of this kind of thump to bring a suspension. Stay on the topic, not the people in the discussion.
i'm tired, my friend
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#276556: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:46:55 AM

Why serve at all if that's the case?

Act as a transition? Get someone younger and less experienced in the VP role but avoid issues about "but they have no clue what they're doing!" later?

Edited by RainehDaze on Apr 5th 2019 at 2:47:52 PM

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#276557: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:56:32 AM

All I gotta say is, Biden had better pick one hell of a VP if that's his strategy.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#276558: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:57:14 AM

We have been saying that whoever comes after Trump will spend their whole term cleaning up after him. A deliberately one term President could do that then pass the reins to a successor who can then get stuff done.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#276559: Apr 5th 2019 at 6:59:06 AM

Biden’s issue with his plan is that he needs to find someone willing to take the VP spot, they’ve tried floating Abrams as an idea but she doesn’t seem interested.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
akanesarumara Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: Abstaining
#276560: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:01:11 AM

Speaking of V Ps and replacement... say Biden finds someone. Say Biden gets elected, does his thing and resigns close to the end of his term. The VP will only be acting POTUS till the next elections, am I right? They will still have to be elected if they want a full 4 year term.

singularityshot Since: Dec, 2012
#276561: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:02:35 AM

hmm... I'm not sold on that plan Joe. It starts to smack of desperation, in that "I always wanted to be POTUS so let me have my time and I'll promise to go once I'm done". Also assumes that the Dems win 2024 despite having to clean up Trump's mess, assumes that the VP will have a clear role in the administration as opposed to the normal assumption of the VP well, being like Veep, assumes that the VP can win the nomination in 2024 despite the fact that Joe and the VP haven't secured 2020...

Lots of assumptions there Joe - are you sure you can make all those promises now?

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#276562: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:05:38 AM

Is he planning to resign, simply not run for re-election? I was under the latter impression

akanesarumara Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: Abstaining
#276563: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:08:00 AM

[up]May have been my mistake, I interpreted "pass the reins" as resigning. Could be because of what singularityshot summed up as "I always wanted to be POTUS so let me have my time and I'll promise to go once I'm done"

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#276564: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:12:00 AM

The appeal of Biden is that he's considered "electable" in the traditional sense. He's a straight, white, old Christian guy with a lot of name recognition and (thanks to memes) cross-demographic appeal. He also has a lot of appeal to those middle voters who could go either way and, for whatever reasonnote  would be uncomfortable voting for a POC or woman.

The problem is that this sense of electibility is... not keeping up with the times. The biggest thing with getting a Dem elected is energizing the base and getting them out to vote. The Dems have the numbers (even with gerrymandering), but without a candidate to really excite them, they may not make it out. And to a lot of people, he's just not energizing for all the reasons brought up.

[down] I mean, he's not saying that. His team isn't saying that. People are saying that about him. That's a bit unfair.

Edited by Larkmarn on Apr 5th 2019 at 10:22:22 AM

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#276565: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:16:58 AM

When one is trying to convince people to vote for them by promising to only serve one term, that's a sign that one is running low on ideas to convince people to vote for them.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#276566: Apr 5th 2019 at 7:22:52 AM

My point is you don't get to mock someone for making women feel uncomfortable when you've bragged sexually assaulting women and probably have several times.

Is that better? Are you satisfied now now that I've spelled out what should've been clear from the beginning?

Fuck's sake.

Seriously, it was eminently clear that your post was pointing out the hypocrisy of Trump criticizing anyone for treating women improperly.

I don't know how they read it any other way.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#276567: Apr 5th 2019 at 8:08:33 AM

You have got to be kidding

Essentally a lawmaker in Albama is proposing a law that .."would make carrying out an abortion at any stage of the pregnancy punishable by 10 to 99 years in jail."

I don't see it getting passed for obvious reasons but that someone actually thought it was a really good idea astounds me,but I think it's because every so often someone proposes a crazy unpassable law this,I think they do it just to see how far they can take plus it makes them the focus of attention perhaps so they can get their actual proposals passed

What can I say,it's a hot button topic for a reason

I think this guy's Used Car Selling.

There's a philosophy of negotiating that you should always start at a batshit crazy place so that there's room to be negotiated down to what you actually want. I might offer to punch you in the dick for $5, and then you persuade me to punch you in the face instead. I still get to punch you really hard while you walk away feeling like you won the negotiation.

He thinks that by proposing this law, he'll get argued down to something like "Abortions punishable by only 2-5 years in jail". Which will still accomplish the end-goal of jailing people who get abortions.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Apr 5th 2019 at 9:09:20 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#276569: Apr 5th 2019 at 8:14:28 AM

Basically. He wants to make the conversation about the correct number of years. That way, all parties involved in debating how many years are acceptable wind up tacitly accepting the basic premise of jailing abortion-seekers.

It's the practice of using absurdity to distract from maliciousness.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Apr 5th 2019 at 9:16:01 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#276570: Apr 5th 2019 at 8:26:20 AM

The other theory is that he's doing this so it's eventually taken to the Supreme Court, where a right-leaning court makes it more likely that Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#276571: Apr 5th 2019 at 8:33:00 AM

I’m surprised Biden is feeling that threatened since as far as I know he’s still the front runner even with the new scandals.

Maybe I was a bit overly cynical about him being able to weather the scandals, but I imagine their still plenty of party members (base and leadership) that would prefer him over anyone else.

ciyinwanderer Since: Dec, 2018
#276572: Apr 5th 2019 at 8:35:08 AM

[up][up][up]

[awesome]

If he can get people to argue the punishment is too harsh, he has succeeded in establishing the premise that is something that should be punished.

Edited by ciyinwanderer on Apr 5th 2019 at 11:35:19 AM

This signature was thumped to preserve the dignity of the moderators.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#276573: Apr 5th 2019 at 10:16:18 AM

[up] Then the question is how to address this without letting them move the goalposts.

Edited by megaeliz on Apr 5th 2019 at 1:17:41 PM

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#276574: Apr 5th 2019 at 10:26:11 AM

Say it shouldn't be punished period?

akanesarumara Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: Abstaining
#276575: Apr 5th 2019 at 10:48:10 AM

[up] Yeah that is the only answer I can imagine working in a productive way in this case.


Total posts: 417,856
Top