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Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#278226: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:10:06 AM

Googling him, he seems to have a law degree so he should at least have a vague understanding of how government works. Compared to Trump.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278227: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:11:23 AM

On another note, he's also got an autistic son, which is his motivation for wanting to destigmatize autism via a federally funded program.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#278228: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:11:28 AM

Remember how his first two Republican Opponents basically said "We don't like the Great Depression, but we're not going to do anything about it because doing anything about it is Unconstitutional"? Pretty hard for anyone to lose against someone who basically says "Do nothing until the problem goes away". Especially when, back then, the Media didn't exist to spin words for Political Parties and Politicians.

Trump certainly isn't going to run a Campaign like that, and even if he did, we now have Fox, Breitbart, and a million other Right-Wing and Fascist/Reactionary Sources that would spin it to be something. So whoever the Democratic Candidate is, they're going to need to have a plan that is both appealing and marketable.

Um... the Republicans would absolutely react like that. There's a reason their economic policy is hideously unpopular and the only reason they have electoral power is harnessing white resentment and the pseudodemocratic nature of our system.

All we need is for Trump to tank the economy before 2020 and we'd get that exact scenario.

The propaganda is a decent point but still not especially strong, the audience they court is one that mostly already supports the Republican Party and it's not like such things did not exist in the past. Perhaps not to the same extent but it's hardly unprecedented, it's not like the laissez-faire economics of the Depression era was unbolstered by such things.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278229: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:13:02 AM

I wasn't kidding about Yang being really scared of automation — his slogan is even "Humanity First".

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#278230: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:14:03 AM

Yang is a single issues candidate, the most he can provide is possibly moving the Party Overton window in interesting directions.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278231: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:15:37 AM

He's way too focused on automation, that's for sure. The only other things he's got going for him are making Tax day a holiday, dealing with the psychological issues resulting from social media, and getting people to accept autism.

He'd probably make for a decent Rep, but President? No.

Edited by M84 on Apr 23rd 2019 at 1:16:29 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#278232: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:17:25 AM

Checking out his website, it sounds like he's got more or less standard left-wing policies on most issues. Medicare for All, Automatic Voter Registration, free community college, etc.

It's a little discomforting how he appeals to the idea of "running the country like a business" though.

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#278233: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:19:02 AM

And it's certainly a little disturbing how the right somehow champions him.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278234: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:20:02 AM

[up][up]More to the point, running it like a venture start-up.

Disgusted, but not surprised
SciFiSlasher from Absolutely none of your business. Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#278235: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:20:41 AM

Yang is a single issues candidate, the most he can provide is possibly moving the Party Overton window in interesting directions.

I mean...no, not really?

That being said, I'll agree with M84 that he should probably become a Rep. or something before going for the Presidency, because his being a businessman while never having had any previous political experience is exactly what Trump is.

"Somehow the hated have to walk a tightrope, while those who hate do not."
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#278236: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:21:07 AM

Wow, this one seems a little out there: Human Capitalism

Lots of bizarre ideas in that one. Getting rid of the GDP as a measure of economic value, creating a new "digital currency" to be awarded to people who create social value, etc.

Edited by Clarste on Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:21:52 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278237: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:21:43 AM

I mean, what else can you expect from someone who thinks "Humanity First" is a good campaign slogan?

And yes, people should be freaked out by that "social value" thing. It's a little too close to the "social credit" bullshit in China.

Edited by M84 on Apr 23rd 2019 at 1:22:44 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#278238: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:23:02 AM

After reading this stuff, the word that comes to mind is "utopian." But, well, I do like that kind of thinking even if it's not going to happen in 2020.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278239: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:23:58 AM

I've come to not trust utopian thinking in general.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#278240: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:33:19 AM

I'm of the mind that if no one ever takes these pie-in-the-sky ideas seriously, then the fact that they won't come true is just a self-fulfilling prophecy. I mean, the same sort of objection would have been made to free education or healthcare just a decade ago.

The important part though is keeping your feet on the ground while you do so.

Edited by Clarste on Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:33:45 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#278241: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:34:53 AM

[up]Free healthcare isn't "utopian", even back then. It's not like other countries haven't already proven that socialized public health insurance isn't impossible.

And that "social value" thing still gives me the creeps. Look up China's social credit system sometime. It's a bit too close to that territory.

Edited by M84 on Apr 23rd 2019 at 1:38:11 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#278242: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:46:29 AM

Yeah I don't trust the whole social credit thing at all.

That's some real dystopian kind of shit that we need to avoid at all costs.

Oh really when?
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#278243: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:46:36 AM

Um... the Republicans would absolutely react like that. There's a reason their economic policy is hideously unpopular and the only reason they have electoral power is harnessing white resentment and the pseudodemocratic nature of our system.

All we need is for Trump to tank the economy before 2020 and we'd get that exact scenario.

Your standard Republican, like John McCain, absolutely would. Trump absolutely would not. I imagine what Trump would do is A)Blame the Democrats for the Recession, and B) Go full on Corporatist Economy; saying he'd force companies to hire people and keep people, even at the lowest of wages, just to say people are working, and to some people that would be appealing. It would be horrific, but it would also be something, not the 'do nothingism' Republicans have normally done.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#278244: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:49:28 AM

Regardless, it seems clear that Yang is not a single issue wonk, but rather a crazy person who wants to rebuild society from the ground up.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#278245: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:51:05 AM

Your standard Republican, like John Mc Cain, absolutely would. Trump absolutely would not. I imagine what Trump would do is A)Blame the Democrats for the Recession, and B) Go full on Corporatist Economy; saying he'd force companies to hire people and keep people, even at the lowest of wages, just to say people are working, and to some people that would be appealing. It would be horrific, but it would also be something, not the 'do nothingism' Republicans have normally done.

The only problem is that his actual time in office shows the opposite, economically Trump has very much been the average Republican. There's a reason that the Republicans have stood by him thick and thin, and it's not just the crazy base.

I don't see any reason for Trump to reject laissez-faire economics now of all times when he's had all the time in the world to do it. He may try to pretend to do that but it will hardly be effective when his Presidency has shown the opposite.

I don't really buy that he would do this.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#278246: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:56:52 AM

[up]Trump wanted to pull out of the World Trade Order until reality kept him from doing that. Because I'm pretty sure it wasn't common sense.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#278247: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:58:32 AM

[insert joke about Frieza here]

Edited by Ultimatum on Apr 22nd 2019 at 5:59:05 PM

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#278248: Apr 22nd 2019 at 10:59:19 AM

Trump wanted to pull out of the World Trade Order until reality kept him from doing that. Because I'm pretty sure it wasn't common sense.

Is this aimed at me?

I never said Trump has good economic policy, I don't consider Lassiez Faire economics to be even slightly efficacious or economically literate. Just that this idea that he would reject it only makes sense in 2016, at 2019 we've clearly seen that he won't do any such thing.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#278249: Apr 22nd 2019 at 11:04:40 AM

“Getting rid of the GDP as a measure of economic value,”

I’ve heard him talk about this one. It’s squarely a shot at Republicans who use GDP growth and stock market rises as proof the economy is perfect, while ignoring rising costs, stagnant wages, unpayable debts, entire regions losing their one source of income.

His plans for helping coal and auto industry regions losing their jobs to automation and clean energy were probably inspired by Clinton’s honestly. I’m pretty sure I heard her proposing the same things during the debates.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#278250: Apr 22nd 2019 at 11:11:04 AM

Since it hasn't come up yet:

Herman Cain withdraws from consideration for Fed seat, Trump says

https://reut.rs/2IzGOIb

Edited by sgamer82 on Apr 22nd 2019 at 12:11:57 PM


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