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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.

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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

MichaelKatsuro Since: Apr, 2011
#337001: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:17:14 PM

Oooh, I bought that one recently. Looking forward to reading it.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#337002: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:17:30 PM

The long term solution is that the overton window of the US shifts enough so that the more centrist wing of the democrats is what passes as a "conservative" alternative.

To me, that's the problem: it's completely insane for the choice every four years to be "flawed, but overall sane and resposible government" versus "authoritarian xenophobia full of grifters and voter supression". That's just way too much at risk. At worst, the government should just be mediocre, not a complete disaster like trump. He makes Dubya's presidency look competent by comparison.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Nov 2nd 2020 at 9:18:45 AM

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#337003: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:17:41 PM

@Ramidel: Yes, lets not forget that historically, the Democrats never lacked for their own form of hypocrisies. I shudder to think what would happen if Establishment Democrats ended up a dynastic party in power with no real opposition. That's why I support more progressive candidates.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
thok That's Dr. Title, thank you! (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Non-Canon
That's Dr. Title, thank you!
#337004: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:20:56 PM

[up][up] I've made the joke that in a healthy 2016 election, Sanders would have been the Democratic candidate, and Clinton would have been the Republican candidate. I'm aware that the difference between Clinton and Sanders is not actually all the much; I'm just saying how much the Overton window needs to swing back.

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#337005: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:21:52 PM

Correct, the postscript for Revolt in 2100.

Could any one sect obtain a working majority at the polls and take over the country? Perhaps not – but a combination of a dynamic evangelist, television, enough money, and modern techniques of advertising and propaganda might make Billy Sunday’s efforts look like a corner store compared to Sears Roebuck. Throw in a depression for good measure, promise a material heaven here on earth, add a dash of anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism, anti-Negroism, and a good large dose of anti-“furriners” in general and anti-intellectuals here at home and the result might be something quite frightening – particularly when one recalls that our voting system is such that a minority distributed as pluralities in enough states can constitute a working majority in Washington.

When I read that, I was like, damn, that's so spot-on it's scary.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#337006: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:22:48 PM

In a sane election, there would be a debate between single-payer healthcare and a public option in a private insurance marketplace, between a carbon tax and a complete ban on fossil fuels, between a minimum wage and a universal income.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#337007: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:23:35 PM

Discounting the unqualified judges pushed through by evil Turtle, most judges care about rule of law and following the processes, even if some of them have interpretations that are a massive stretch. Even Republican judges have an interest in being seen as doing their job by the book, hence this lawsuit getting tossed via technicality.

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#337008: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:24:00 PM

A fair number of very intelligent people predicted much of what is happening today. It really wasn't that hard to see the trends developing, for those paying attention at the time.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#337009: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:26:35 PM

It's hilarious to me that they lost on a standing judgment. Standing doctrine was developed by conservative southern judges to act as an excuse to immunize the government from civil rights lawsuits by the a.c.l.u. and the like.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#337010: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:51:04 PM

Arizona, Nevada and Montana join Hawaii and Texas in surpassing 2016 turnout numbers before Election Day. [1] [2]

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#337011: Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:54:49 PM

High turnout in Montana could be excellent news, as Bullock has a real chance of winning there.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Galadriel Since: Feb, 2015
#337012: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:00:00 PM

I don’t think anyone expects Biden to win Montana, so what would drive split-ticket voting? Is Bullock locally popular?

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#337013: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:02:23 PM

He is. Though Montana isn't competitive at the presidential level, it is at other levels.

Edited by LSBK on Nov 2nd 2020 at 7:03:03 AM

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#337014: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:03:28 PM

Bullock was re-elected as governor in 2016 even though Trump won there by a lot, so it's plausible they could vote the same way this time.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#337015: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:05:53 PM

538 only gives him about a 1/3rd of winning, but that's good for a red state at least.

Looking at 538, if the Democrats can win the seats in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and North Carolina, they've got the Senate tied (which means Harris breaks tied votes, assuming party unity is maintained). Upset opportunities exist in Georgia, South Carolina, Iowa and Montana though.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#337016: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:06:00 PM

Montana is weird in that it's pretty solidly Republican at the federal level but will happily vote for downballot Democrats (see: Senator Jon Tester, reelected in 2012 while Obama lost the state). Bullock is popular from his time as governor, too.


[up] Iowa is pretty evenly split right now, so I wouldn't call Greenfield winning an upset - could go either way.

Edited by nova92 on Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:07:16 AM

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#337017: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:09:35 PM

Georgia stands out in particular because Ossoff's chances have gone up very significantly (like 10%) compared to where they were before recently according to 538's model. It's not implausible he could win if turnout is big enough.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#337018: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:24:50 PM

The Georgia special election is super frustrating because Lieberman + Tarver staying in the race could be the difference between Warnock winning outright and the election going to a runoff. Neither of them has the smallest chance of winning and I can't for the life of me understand why they haven't dropped out.

Edited by nova92 on Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:30:07 AM

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
#337019: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:35:08 PM

Lieberman is a Lieberman I wouldn't put it past him to endorse one of the Republicans come the run-off.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
jjjj2 from Arrakis Since: Jul, 2015
#337020: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:38:33 PM

[up]Yeah that was my answer too, because Lieberman is an ass.

You can only write so much in your forum signature. It's not fair that I want to write a piece of writing yet it will cut me off in the mid
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#337021: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:46:47 PM

[up]x3 No...no, that can't be the same Lieberman from Connecticut? There are two Liebermans like this!?

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
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#337022: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:49:08 PM

[up] It's Joe Lieberman's son, Matt Lieberman. In this case, the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

Edited by nova92 on Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:49:26 AM

thok That's Dr. Title, thank you! (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Non-Canon
That's Dr. Title, thank you!
#337023: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:49:23 PM

The Lieberman running in Georgia is Joe Lieberman's son. [nja]

Edited by thok on Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:49:33 AM

megarockman from The Sixth Borough (Experienced Trainee)
#337024: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:51:14 PM

Huh. For people looking for something to distract themselves from election updates, the New York Times put up an "election distractor" which seems to be a series of vids that have nothing to do with politics.

The damned queen and the relentless knight.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#337025: Nov 2nd 2020 at 5:56:21 PM

So just an indication of how much the world has changed, this time last year November 2nd barely took up a page and a half in this thread. The most pressing matter for us then was abolishing pennies and mocking the fact that Trump's wall only needed a saw to cut through.

It was the primaries back then, and the Liberty and Justice Dinner had ended the day before, which apparently I was the only one to watch, and Beto had just dropped out.


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