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

Artificius from about a foot and a half away from a monitor. Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Norwegian Wood
#104801: Nov 12th 2015 at 9:49:53 PM

The cartels would probably still exist. Their primary income, smuggling and selling drugs into the United States, would still be illegal on the northern side of that operation, and they'd probably still fight each other over turf. It might make things more peaceful in Mexico though, at least until the right positions in the US government got filled with chickenhawks who perceived a Mexican break with US "war on drugs" policy as a soft attack on our regional hegemony and sovereignty, culminating with us pulling a Ukraine on them. The US more than others is the country that needs to change enforcement policy (or simply end prohibition of anything that's popular enough to render an outright ban laughable).

edited 12th Nov '15 9:58:58 PM by Artificius

"I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once."
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#104802: Nov 13th 2015 at 5:56:30 AM

So was the movie Sicario right?

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
BonsaiForest Since: Jan, 2001
#104803: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:28:03 AM

Donald Trump appears to be losing it.

He said he would “bomb the s—” out of areas controlled by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant that are rich with oil and claimed to know more about the terrorist group than U.S. military generals. He ranted about how everyone else is wrong on illegal immigration and how even the “geniuses at Harvard” have now backed his way of thinking. He accused Hillary Rodham Clinton of playing the “woman’s card,” and said Marco Rubio is “weak like a baby.” He signed a book for an audience member and then threw it off the stage. He forgot to take questions like he promised. And he spent more than 10 minutes angrily attacking his chief rival, Ben Carson, at one point calling him “pathological, damaged.”

Gone was the candidate’s recent bout of composure and control on the campaign trail. As Trump ranted on and on, campaign staffers with microphones who were supposed to take questions from the audience instead took a seat, trying to cheer their boss here and there. The audience laughed at times and clapped for many of Trump’s sharp insults. But an hour and 20 minutes into the speech, people who were standing on risers on the stage behind Trump sat down. The applause came less often and less loud. As Trump skewered Carson in deeply personal language, a sense of discomfort settled on the crowd of roughly 1,500. Several people shook their heads or whispered to their neighbours.

Not sure how much he's actually hurting himself, since this wasn't a national display, but a local one. He certainly makes himself sound crazy.

Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#104804: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:30:21 AM

how even the “geniuses at Harvard” have now backed his way of thinking.

Huh?

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#104805: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:32:36 AM

I really hope Trump has a spectacular meltdown during a debate or something.

Oh really when?
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#104806: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:33:37 AM

He seems to be pissed that Carson is stealing his crazypants demographic.

And to think, we all thought everyone that wasn't supporting Trump was supporting other people, so that as people dropped out, it would hurt Trump. Instead, it looks like Trump or Carson dropping out would hurt Rubio.

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
#104807: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:33:39 AM

Even if Mexico legalised the sale and transport of drugs the cartels would still be doing lots of illegal things in Mexico. They'd be unregistered tax-dodging businesses that murdered the competition, at the least.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#104808: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:34:20 AM

Trump lacks the mental composure to survive as a candidate or as a President. Hopefully the voters realize that before it's too late to take him back.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#104809: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:37:25 AM

Hahaha. He totally crashed.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#104810: Nov 13th 2015 at 8:42:57 AM

[up][up] Trump may lack the mental composure to survive as a businessman, let alone a candidate.

And to think, we all thought everyone that wasn't supporting Trump was supporting other people, so that as people dropped out, it would hurt Trump. Instead, it looks like Trump or Carson dropping out would hurt Rubio.

Indeed, might it be possible that some Trump supporters may not support any other candidate?

Keep Rolling On
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#104811: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:02:44 AM

That's an important point. How many voters are being brought out of the woodwork by Trump's and Carson's antics? It seems like one overriding theme of these people's support is their disdain for establishment politicians.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#104812: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:06:54 AM

If those voters were ever of any importance politically they woul have made their appearance in something beyond footnotes about the WBC craze.

The media is overrepresenting these idiots (and I am actually glad about it, so they can be told to fuck themselves more empathically) but that they are numerous is a big assumption.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#104813: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:07:57 AM

I dunno, they're pretty prevalent down here.

Oh really when?
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#104814: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:10:05 AM

Does that make you guys antidistestablishmentarianists?

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#104815: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:15:25 AM

You live in a nation with 300 million people. It is no China or India, but that, by man ystandards what I scientifically refer to as "A fucking shitton", and "Worthy of a Yo Momma joke".

For you, an insider, it seems awful but me as an outsider I only get the bigger picture rather than the inside look and as a larger spectrum, those crazies seem to be not a threat to the overall nation. They might be locally, but if you ask me, which you did not but I am saying it because I am an asshole anyways, they do not seem to be a threat

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#104816: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:17:00 AM

They're not gonna win but they're going to do, and may already have done, some extremely serious damage to the nation's politics and psyche.

Lots of nasties we thought were gone are coming out of the woodwork now. No matter what happens it's gonna be hell living in the South.

Oh really when?
Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#104817: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:22:20 AM

[up][up] I am an outsider and it sure as hell seems awful to me. Not only because I dread the foreign policy of these nasty fucks, but because I have friends in the US who depend on social programs and welfare, the two things Republicans made their life mission to destroy.

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#104818: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:24:19 AM

All I am saying is that they are not likely to get elected. Not that because they are not going to cause "enough" harm they are not awful people

They are awful people and they deserve having been fed acid instead of their mothers milk at birth, but the chances of them getting elected are dim

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#104819: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:27:30 AM

They don't have to get elected to do irreparable damage to the country.

Oh really when?
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#104820: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:31:56 AM

[up] They just have to exist? surprised

Keep Rolling On
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#104821: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:34:06 AM

Actually yeah

Oh really when?
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#104822: Nov 13th 2015 at 9:48:20 AM

They can and do win elections at the state and local levels. We've seen Kansas crushed beneath the weight of Tea Party economic doctrine; we are soon to see Kentucky suffer the same fate at the hands of Matt Bevin. States are the farm league for national politics: they grow the next generation of Congressmen and Presidents, never mind judges. Democrats have lost big at the state level at the same time as they continue to win the White House, but all that does is give them a dude at the top to veto all the stupid. It doesn't let them accomplish anything on the ground.

Thank goodness that the Supreme Court has remained at least partially sane or we'd be up shit creek.

edited 13th Nov '15 9:49:09 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#104823: Nov 13th 2015 at 10:06:11 AM

(Washington Post) "Time for GOP Panic, the Establishment is worried Carson or Trump might actually win"

Basically, despite propping up Jeb! and Rubio, the Establishment insiders are failing to see Trump or Carson's polling numbers actually get a real dent, while their guys flounder. And it's absolutely terrifying them (and expecting it to cost them the election.)

BonsaiForest Since: Jan, 2001
#104824: Nov 13th 2015 at 10:47:52 AM

Aren't people learning from these fucking disasters? How long can they watch right-wing policies fail without learning that they're bad policies?

Maybe they need to utterly fail to learn their lesson. That might finally scare them into running in the opposite direction.

Ogodei Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers from The front lines Since: Jan, 2011
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
#104825: Nov 13th 2015 at 10:56:52 AM

It's going to be very interesting once voting actually starts. I still can't see Republicans in states like MA or NJ (whose votes are just as valid, mind) gunning for a nutter like Carson.

Really, what makes Trump dangerous to the establishment is that he's mild enough on some core policy points to play in the more moderate states (in terms of the GOP field).

A Trump nom is a gift to Hillary in terms of driving Hispanic turnout, though.


Total posts: 417,856
Top