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

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#115576: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:35:37 AM

[up] Quite possibly at gunpoint?

Keep Rolling On
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#115577: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:37:04 AM

At this rate, maybe they'll both be too busy annoying each other to win the primaries! Hooray!

Leviticus 19:34
FieldMarshalFry Field Marshal of Cracked from World Internet War 1 Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Field Marshal of Cracked
#115578: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:40:02 AM

[up][up][up]probably end up like every time UAF (Unite Against Fascism) marches against the various fascist groups who have popped up here over the decades, the fascists will go home missing a few teeth and their tails firmly between their legs

advancing the front into TV Tropes
SolipsistOwl Since: Jan, 2016
#115579: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:43:52 AM

[up][up]Ever since Trump and Sanders began attacking each other over the weekend, I've heard little about Clinton. This is probably good for at least one of those two.

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#115580: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:45:51 AM

Could Trump get into trouble if his supporters do anything at Sanders' rallies? After a comment like that, I feel like their actions could be pinned on him.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#115581: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:48:01 AM

@Solipsist: I am talking about a Trump presidency. Midterm elections mean losses for the incumbent. Which would be the Republicans in that scenario.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
TotemicHero No longer a forum herald from the next level Since: Dec, 2009
No longer a forum herald
#115582: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:48:22 AM

[up][up][up] By "one of those two", do you mean Sanders and Clinton, Trump and Clinton, or Sanders and Trump?

edited 13th Mar '16 11:48:32 AM by TotemicHero

Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#115583: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:49:26 AM

[up][up][up]Possibly. The problem is that Trump's campaign is helped by No Such Thing as Bad Publicity. Everything society can do to make him look worse in the public eye has more or less already been done. Indeed, it probably just makes him stronger because at least people are talking about him now.

Of course, this can only go so far, but I don't think this will seriously hurt him in the long run.

Leviticus 19:34
Julep Since: Jul, 2010
#115584: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:49:46 AM

So I was rewatching the season 1 of Veronica Mars, and...

Veronica: "There is also a jungle tribe who worships Donald Trump's hair. It's a tabloïd."

Logan: "So the girl with the pig arm can't really bowl?"

I didn't realize Trump's hair has been famous for more than a decade.

GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#115585: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:51:38 AM

I don't think Trump will win the election, but I do think he could win the Rust Belt against Clinton, paving the path for the Republicans to potentially win over the Rust Belt in addition to their already stable Southern and Western support. It would be a definite shift in the political parties, but one the Republicans could theoretically make since most of the current manufacturing jobs in the US are in the South which is solidly Republican.

Wizard Needs Food Badly
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#115586: Mar 13th 2016 at 11:56:05 AM

The Rust Belt is already Republican thanks to 2010.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
SolipsistOwl Since: Jan, 2016
#115587: Mar 13th 2016 at 12:04:12 PM

Sanders/Trump benefit the most from Clinton being closed-out from a weekend media cycle before Super Tuesday².

I definitely think if Democrats lost to Trump we might see the progressive wing of the party justified to rally voters into the midterms. That's the only benefit to his presidency.

Clinton would probably depress Democrat voter turnout further and lose re-election to the Trump/Tea Party wing of new Republicans in 2020. After the first $1billion re-election campaign.

edited 13th Mar '16 12:05:10 PM by SolipsistOwl

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#115588: Mar 13th 2016 at 12:05:12 PM

Speaking of, seems like the Snyder knot may be reaching a comb. A "six year itch" local version?

Also, I've noticed that when I looked at Donald Trump's campaign website, I was asked for a Captcha, while I can access the others' websites without any conditions (aside from a "can we notify you?" question from Kasich's).

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
SolipsistOwl Since: Jan, 2016
#115589: Mar 13th 2016 at 12:34:23 PM

Police Frustrated with Clinton Campaign Over Unpaid Bills

The Clinton campaign says as soon as they receive an invoice, they'll pay the Des Moines Police Department for the services they provided at the Katy Perry concert last October. City Hall provided us a copy of the invoice that has already been sent. The invoice is dated November 19, 2015. The bill is nearly $1,800.

The Marshalltown Police Department is dealing with the same problem. “We have requested reimbursement from the Clinton campaign. We haven`t received that payment yet,” said Marshalltown Police Chief Michael Tupper.

Former President Bill Clinton was in Marshalltown on January 15, and he requested and received security assistance from the police. The Marshalltown Police Department has not been paid for the services they provided that day.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a much larger campaign event in Marshalltown on January 26. On February 3, Chief Tupper sent a letter to the Clinton campaign, detailing the charges (of both her event and her husband’s) and asking to be paid. Tupper says he hasn't received a response, so he sent out another letter today. The bill is nearly $2,700.

“In my 23 year career, the Trump campaign actually paying this large bill is the first time that`s happened to me in my career,” said Tupper. “I’ve been doing this job for 23 years and quite honestly the Trump campaign actually reimbursing for these kinds of expenses is the first time that’s ever happened to me in my entire career, with one exception.” Tupper says the one exception is Bernie Sanders, who also had an event in Marshalltown in January and made arrangements to pay up front.

Bank of America paid Clintons speaking fees, too – more than $1M worth

Hillary Clinton’s paid speeches to Goldman Sachs Group have drawn criticism on the campaign trail, but they’re not the only talks she’s given to big banks.

Bank of America has also paid the Democratic presidential candidate and her husband more than $1 million combined to deliver talks to the Charlotte-based bank and its Merrill Lynch unit.

The Clintons collected the combined figure from Bank of America over four appearances from 2011 to 2014, according to financial disclosures posted by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Former President Bill Clinton was the speaker on three of those occasions, once taking in $500,000 for a 2014 gathering in London.

Danny Devito Surprises Bernie Sanders Rally

pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#115590: Mar 13th 2016 at 12:49:42 PM

[up]@Clinton's unpaid bills — That's elitism at its worst. It reminds me of Leona Helmsley saying: "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes."

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#115591: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:02:28 PM

[up][up]"She's not on the corporate side, she's not too rich to relate to you, she's totally on the left for realzies, and 2 + 2 = 5..."

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#115592: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:06:12 PM

I love Danny De Vito

Oh really when?
Ekuran Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#115593: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:14:15 PM

So, it looks like Sanders is going to tie or win in Illinois too, and I'm guessing it'll be the same or better in Ohio.

edited 13th Mar '16 1:14:47 PM by Ekuran

SciFiSlasher from Absolutely none of your business. Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#115594: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:25:10 PM

So, it looks like that lunatic might be getting off scot free.

"Somehow the hated have to walk a tightrope, while those who hate do not."
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#115595: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:26:45 PM

I pray he doesn't. I don't want him to follow up on his idea of murdering a protester.

Artificius from about a foot and a half away from a monitor. Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Norwegian Wood
#115596: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:32:17 PM

I remember reading that traditional campaigns such as Clinton's suffer from a tremendous burn rate, so it wouldn't be surprising if it's common to try to skimp on paying the police in the towns they visit. Still, good on Sanders.

edited 13th Mar '16 1:32:57 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."
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
#115597: Mar 13th 2016 at 1:32:42 PM

Trump paying the guys legal fees shouldn't stop him being convicted.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TheWanderer Student of Story from Somewhere in New England (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Student of Story
#115598: Mar 13th 2016 at 2:18:35 PM

No, but it might mean the guy is out on bail and attending more Trump rallies, and possibly assaulting more people during times when he'd otherwise be sitting in a cell waiting for trial.

Obviously I can't be sure he wouldn't get bail or whatnot otherwise, but it's certainly a possibility. And if Trump actually were to pay the legal bills, the guy might have a much better lawyer than an overworked public defender. (The need to put more money into the public defender system and bring it anywhere close to the level of funding that prosecutors is a pet issue.)

And of course, it's going to encourage Trump's other violent fans to follow this example.

edited 13th Mar '16 2:25:22 PM by TheWanderer

| Wandering, but not lost. | If people bring so much courage to this world...◊ |
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#115600: Mar 13th 2016 at 2:44:39 PM

Trump has repeatedly claimed that instances of crowd violence at his rallies occurred when protestors - "bad dudes" - attacked his supporters and his supporters fought back.

Yes, but are they bad enough dudes to rebutt the presidential candidate?

edited 13th Mar '16 2:45:55 PM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Total posts: 417,856
Top