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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.

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

Last_Hussar Since: Nov, 2013
#118576: Apr 9th 2016 at 4:32:32 AM

If somebody uses '-istas' to describe supporters, you can usually ignore anything they say, and they are probably on the Right, and don't understand Central American politics (unless they want to describe their opposition as illegally funded by the CIA by corrupt CIA officials selling arms to the US's enemies, with the connivance of advisors at the Whitehouse, in order to impose a right wing dictatorship. If that's you, feel free to call those you disagree with -istas)

edited 9th Apr '16 4:35:54 AM by Last_Hussar

Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#118577: Apr 9th 2016 at 4:41:03 AM

[up]

Or the pun is just appealing. What a bizarre post.

edited 9th Apr '16 4:49:44 AM by Achaemenid

Schild und Schwert der Partei
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
#118578: Apr 9th 2016 at 5:55:47 AM

Wait TYT are associated with the Sanders campaign?

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#118579: Apr 9th 2016 at 6:00:55 AM

[up]

Fighting in his corner would be a more apt description. As far as I can tell.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#118580: Apr 9th 2016 at 6:09:46 AM

Fighting in his corner would be a more apt description.

I haven't seen much of TYT but it's obvious they are definetly for Sanders. Like Krugman is for Clinton, since he claims "coal is on the way out" is proof that Clinton is undeniably against all fossil fuels and the rest of his arguments are borderline textbook Clinton campaign drivel.

His arguments are not exactly the most logical or honest out there, to say the least.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#118581: Apr 9th 2016 at 6:17:23 AM

[up] That was the last straw, Luminosity. You were warned, many times.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
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
#118582: Apr 9th 2016 at 6:39:57 AM

[up]X3 Sure but that applies to anyone, Krugman is fighting in Clinton's corner, but you wouldn't call him a "Clintonista", people fight for the corners they belive in.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#118583: Apr 9th 2016 at 6:48:14 AM

Fighting smart and fighting for what you believe in are not the same thing, which I think is the dividing line here.

Also, satire.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
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
#118584: Apr 9th 2016 at 6:53:49 AM

Sure both both sides seem to be fighting stupid, even just in this thread you could flip the contents of the many angry pro-Clinton posts and angry pro-Sanders posts and they'd seem pretty much the same.

“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
#118585: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:05:37 AM

One can discuss the tactics, statements, and policies of the candidates and their supporters without resorting to savage, direct personal attacks on the people in question.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#118586: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:07:03 AM

If anything it highlights how important this election is. Frustrations built over decades are getting out, good or bad.

The fact that the system didn't wash out Sanders or Trump shows a very fundamental crisis at the core of both parties and the nation.

edited 9th Apr '16 7:09:25 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#118587: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:11:30 AM

The fact that the system didn't wash out Sanders or Trump

Umm, what? Comparing Sanders and Trump is absurd. I would not be ashamed to have Sanders as President. I could wish he had more nuanced policy positions, but that's not even in the same ballpark with the clown car of the GOP race.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#118588: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:19:00 AM

[up]

Rather what I meant was democratic systems tend to be robust/slow/conservative enough to not allow radical changes to the status quo. No matter what they may be.

edited 9th Apr '16 7:28:41 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#118589: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:21:20 AM

Huh - pretty sure "inertia" is not a defining criterium for a democracy.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Eschaton Since: Jul, 2010
#118590: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:22:50 AM

The similarity here is that they are both largely unwanted (or perceived to be, at the very least) by the people in charge. But for fundamentally different reasons.

And now, that goes on to make them more popular with large segments of the population, again for fundamentally different reasons.

TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#118591: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:30:25 AM

[up][up]

Not a criteria, but a trait. Which is why everyone's in gridlock.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
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
#118592: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:39:26 AM

One can discuss the tactics, statements, and policies of the candidates and their supporters without resorting to savage, direct personal attacks on the people in question.

I'm not sure that that's what we're doing when we get posts like "The straw-grasping from the Sanderistas is really becoming tedious. It's like Orwell's "transferred nationalism", only transplanted onto a political candidate. Just finished watching Cenk "What Armenian genocide?" Uygur telling his audience that Krugman doesn't know much about economics. And Sanderistas calling Krugman a liar, a VSP (particularly hilarious if you know the history of that term), and saying he has no credibility. It's comical."

We kinda stop talking about tactics and statements when we start throwing around derisive nicknames for those who disagree with us.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#118593: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:40:52 AM

Inertia isn't a trait of democracy (indeed, one of the more valid criticisms of democracy is that voters can change their minds on a whim, which can lead to wildly inconsistent policy), it's a trait of bureaucracy. Of course, any government on the national level inevitably has a sizable bureaucracy — civil servants are still the same people regardless of who's holding elected office.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#118594: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:44:05 AM

TLDR about everything

  • If you want the country to go back 350 years elect Cruz.
  • If you want the country to be the Fourth Reich elect Trump.
  • If you want to keep the status quo then elect Hillary.
  • If you want the country to progress forward then elect Bernie.

edited 9th Apr '16 7:50:57 AM by Memers

TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#118595: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:49:04 AM

[up][up]

I was talking more about opposing ideologies not compromising, but that's a good point as well.

edited 9th Apr '16 7:51:04 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#118596: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:52:07 AM

I'd say it's more precise to say "crash forward" or "trip forward" in the part about electing Bernie.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
DrDougsh Since: Jan, 2001
#118597: Apr 9th 2016 at 7:56:05 AM

Wouldn't going back by 350 years mean turning the original states back to Britain and give the rest to the native population?

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#118598: Apr 9th 2016 at 8:04:22 AM

[up][up] Possibly but progress isn't without a few falls.

[up] I was more thinking about the religious nutbags who were too crazy for Britain. Seriously all the social progress that's happened would be thrown out the window and kids would end up being about as smart as they were back then too since he wants to dissolved the Department of Education.

The amount of damage both republican candidates would do could scar the country for decades. *Shrug* It gives me nightmares.

edited 9th Apr '16 8:25:11 AM by Memers

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#118599: Apr 9th 2016 at 9:04:27 AM

I can't help but notice you left out Kasich.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#118600: Apr 9th 2016 at 9:07:27 AM

[up][up]Which is why we should hope that Trump gets the nod; his negative approval among women and Latinos makes him unelectable. And he's probably not as bad as Cruz. Plus he might just well crash the GOP as a whole when he goes down in flames come November.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

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