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

InAnOdderWay Since: Nov, 2013
#147901: Nov 1st 2016 at 5:45:24 PM

[up][up][up] o man i am laffing. The issue isn't that the Democrats don't take Midterms seriously, it's that the Midterms benefit conservatives inherently. Conservatives tend to favor the old, who have more consistent dedication, while liberals tend to be more based around large overwhelming waves, basically political hype. So while liberals might make more of a difference with regards to large pushes and active movements, conservatives really push with the day to day shit, like caring about local, state, and national legislative elections more. There's a sort of ad campaign running right now trying to convince millennials to vote in these upcoming elections, maybe we could see that applied to the midterms?

[up][up][up][up] I saw what you were trying to get at there, it's just that it's important to emphasize how "progress" is a very, very subjective term.

[up] Too many, I fear.

AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#147902: Nov 1st 2016 at 5:45:46 PM

[up][up]For Trumpteers? All of them, you could film him shooting an eagle with a broken wing in the head and they would win the gold medal in mental Olympics to justify the act.

But probably they will justify the actions as some sort of defiance against a government that is oppressive against business or as not being the same because those were private emails and not government stuff.

edited 1st Nov '16 5:45:54 PM by AngelusNox

Inter arma enim silent leges
Discar Since: Jun, 2009
#147903: Nov 1st 2016 at 5:48:06 PM

Once again, Trump proves that anything he accuses someone of, he has already done.

Writing a post-post apocalypse LitRPG on RR. Also fanfic stuff.
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#147904: Nov 1st 2016 at 6:01:42 PM

Why doesnt the media play THIS up? I mean its all Clinton emails all the time but trump gets a free pass.

Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#147905: Nov 1st 2016 at 6:11:36 PM

Well, because it's a fairly new story, for one.

IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#147906: Nov 1st 2016 at 6:14:36 PM

[up][up]Nice of you to ask, since I was just about to share something relevant to that:

Know why polling trends over the campaign look like periodic waves? That's the media milking it, recklessly playing both sides to make it close and ratchet up the drama.

We talk about "the news cycle" as if it's a natural phenomenon, but it's a very deliberate and cynical set of decisions by media corporations to focus on one type of information while ignoring another.

In a presidential campaign, what happens is that the media spends an enormous amount of time trying to make the weaker candidate seem stronger by obsessing for a time on what they deem to be the stronger one's weaknesses. Hillary Clinton was way ahead early this Summer, so the media went into an orgiastic frenzy of spam reporting on the DNC email leaks despite their basically showing dick.

It wasn't about the information, it was just about undermining Clinton to make a closer election. They hammered so insanely at her that her 538 probability dropped to dead even with Trump, and then, of course, having had their fill, they turned the tables and started actually doing their jobs by reporting on the crazy shit Trump was doing.

That's when Clinton sprang back up to the top for the second time, way up in the high 80s percentile chance of winning. But, of course, that wouldn't do for their purposes, so the "news cycle" (i.e., the news business being run by reckless parasite fucks) turned again and they started hammering away, repeating psychotic Trump talking points as if they were real because there was nothing legitimate to talk about that would help him.

Again her numbers fell, and again they went back to doing their job to reverse the damage they had done. But now we're in the third interval where the media is spamming anti-Clinton propaganda while totally ignoring explosive news against Trump (e.g., the FBI investigating him as a Russian spy, and the KKK endorsing him).

The media is deliberately trying to tank her numbers to make for as close and dramatic an election as possible. They are perfectly willing to risk the end of media freedom, if not of the country as a whole, just to milk a single damn election for clicks and views. And that's assuming they don't want Donald Trump in the White House.

Fear sells, and that loon in power would be a daily exercise in terror and outrage. They've done it before, and they already have their scripts written if they do it again: The same old practiced pontificating and affected hand-wringing.

People's opinions of a candidate do not change that radically, that many times over the course of a campaign if they knew them to begin with. The media simply avoids reporting anything that would cement opinion too early, and spends all of their effort constantly trying to reverse trends so that it's always a tossup.

Even when the candidate is pure evil, they simply won't report anything that would tank their campaign, relegating it to editorials and political cartoons. Commentators can tell the truth, but the one stone-carved commandment of headline news is: Though shalt keep the circus going by any means necessary.

The source is this post on /r/EnoughTrumpSpam, an anti-Trump subreddit that's stylized to look like a parody of a pro-Trump one.

EDIT: Freaking nutjob Jill Stein outright states that she'd rather have Trump as a president than Clinton. How long until she erases this because her base reacts badly?

edited 1st Nov '16 6:24:28 PM by IFwanderer

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#147907: Nov 1st 2016 at 6:25:46 PM

I just got a phone call from a pollster — a legitimate pollster, not somebody canvassing for some candidate. Normally, I don't bother answering surveys and simply hang up on such people, but I was feeling magnanimous, and I decided that I ought to do my bit to help make the polls more accurate — what with Pennsylvania being an important state in the election...

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#147908: Nov 1st 2016 at 6:31:26 PM

@Inanodderway So basically Democratic voters don't take the midterms seriously.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#147909: Nov 1st 2016 at 6:47:21 PM

Oh, how times have changed...

BonsaiForest Since: Jan, 2001
#147910: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:08:10 PM

I've been thinking that for a long time. Drag down the winner, prop up the loser. The media is a business, out to make money. I mean, that's obvious if you stop and think about it, but people don't stop and think about it.

Ratings ratings ratings. That's the whole thing. Back in college (~2000 for me), I had a professor who said that the media loves nothing more than a tight race. Those words have stuck with me since. I thought even back then that maybe the way to report on a tight race was to pretend their was one, or to make one.

edited 1st Nov '16 7:08:19 PM by BonsaiForest

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#147911: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:14:45 PM

Honestly, this election cycle has made me very bitter towards the mainstream cable news networks as a whole.

Disgusted, but not surprised
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#147912: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:17:22 PM

what with Pennsylvania being an important state in the election...

Just in the off chance that someone doesn't already know this, Pennsylvania is usually a swing state. In this election it's been pretty strongly pro-Clinton in most/all polls I've seen, as well as in the polling aggregators. (As a side note, that's what 538 is - it doesn't do polls, it aggregates them by putting them into its algorithm, which then runs simulations of the election based on all of the polls in it, weighted according to all sorts of rules.)

Pennsylvania is part of Clinton's "firewall" - the states that are considered mostly "safe" for her in the polls that put her near or over the line to be elected President. Pennsylvania has loads of electoral votes, so it's very important for Clinton to have a result that matches the polls there. If Clinton keeps Pennsylvania, she only needs most of the rest of her firewall and one of Ohio, Florida, or North Carolina - and she's currently losing Ohio and just about winning Florida and North Carolina. (Her "firewall" includes states in the Midwest - Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota - where she's got a pretty safe-looking lead. If she carries all of those and the rest of her firewall, she won't even need Florida, Ohio, or North Carolina.)

The Senate candidate for the Democrats in Pennsylvania is also doing very well in the polls. Naturally, that doesn't mean anything unless people actually vote to reflect that polling. Considering how many people seem to be going full ticket on one party this election, this should be pretty much in the bag for Clinton. Still, and once again, it's not in the bag if voters stay home.

My understanding is that Pennsylvania doesn't have early voting. Obviously it would be best to have it in all states but there you go. Turn up and make it count. (Incidentally, states that don't have early voting will probably take way longer to start releasing vote counts that are reliable predictors of where the state is going, so it might be pretty late until we hear from Pennsylvania on election night.)

edited 1st Nov '16 7:19:07 PM by BestOf

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#147913: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:23:33 PM

[up] I just hope the Democrats' greatest enemy, voter apathy, doesn't rear its ugly head again.

Disgusted, but not surprised
InAnOdderWay Since: Nov, 2013
#147914: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:25:15 PM

[up] Trump has done like 90% of the job in ensuring that doesn't happen. Voter apathy is a lot harder to pull off in this election. You either vote Hilary because you don't want Trump, or you vote 3rd party if you don't want either.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#147915: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:38:43 PM

African American turnout appears to be down, at least in early voting, though Latino turnout is way up.

edited 1st Nov '16 8:22:51 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#147916: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:46:58 PM

Well, I have seen in this thread the whole "Trump is getting this far because half of the country is insane/broken/evil" is.....self indulgence to a high degree.

I mean, for me Trump antics dosent surprise me at all, it remind me a lot of ex president of my country, Chavez(who unlike Trump was more consistent and didn't have such a horrible track record) and I can said is the same story playing again: he come and cast himself as "just some guy here" who is not bound to "big government" which is why he was able to shrug almost any accusation: everything throw to him are just slanders,lies and conspiracies, everything HE throw out is "telling like he is" because his voter already cast him like hero of the story and give him protagonist central morailty and Trump clearly milk it.

In fact I have to said that, if something, you american are lucky because Trump show man are good but he lack focus, meaning he just blow off the moment he cant dominate the scenario and making everything about him(which in my opinion is one of the reason he manage to beat Bush,Rubio,Cruz and many others) this is because contrary of what many think the democrats actually seen united in taking him down.

So in my opinion...I dont think it will be to likely to see another Trump, dont get me wrong, you will have to deal with more shitty people who used racism and fear....BUT, it take also a certain level of charm in order to pull the "outsider strong men who want to fix everything" which is not something I can see with republican party....or whatever if left of it after this election is done.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#147917: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:54:25 PM

It's kind of to be expected that African Americans wouldn't like Clinton as much as Obama, if you ask me. I don't have actually stats for this, but I'd be surprised if there was an actually low turnout as opposed to just a 'not as big as Obama' turnout with them.

Shippudentimes Since: Dec, 2012
#147918: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:55:37 PM

Speaking of, The Daily Show last night did a very chilling/funny/sad episode last night for Halloween, as a prediction of the aftermath of Trump's first years:

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/zqbtxj/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-envisioning-president-trump-s-first-term

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#147919: Nov 1st 2016 at 7:56:44 PM

As far as I've seen, older black people are pretty enthusiastic about her, while college age ones (such as myself) are on the general bandwagon of "She's just as bad as Trump" or at the very least she sucks. That's my anecdotal experience anyway.

edited 1st Nov '16 8:01:59 PM by LSBK

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#147920: Nov 1st 2016 at 8:27:49 PM

Same here, none of them are voting Trump but the older ones are all pro-Hillary, while the younger ones are either only voting for Hillary because she's considered the lesser of two evils, or a significant portion of them are voting third party for Johnson and Stein.

blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#147921: Nov 1st 2016 at 8:28:17 PM

Apparently, there's a reason Clinton has been silent on the DAPL debacle. She's having to choose between her political allies and her conscience, apparently.

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#147922: Nov 1st 2016 at 9:34:58 PM

"She's triangulating and you shouldn't triangulate on issues of social justice."

Uh...yeah, you do. Her labor allies have valid interests that shouldn't just be brushed aside without examining the repercussions of doing so. This is doubly the case when you're dealing with a coalition as broad as the Democrats'. I speak from gaming experience, if nothing else.

edited 1st Nov '16 9:40:52 PM by Ramidel

blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#147923: Nov 1st 2016 at 9:38:06 PM

I'm disappointed she's not at least speaking out against the dog attacks, the human cages, and the rubber bullets.

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#147924: Nov 1st 2016 at 9:41:37 PM

Agreed. But I'm not going to blame her for being slow and careful to respond.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#147925: Nov 1st 2016 at 9:42:33 PM

[up][up]Dog attacks and human cages? Ugh.

edited 1st Nov '16 9:43:30 PM by LSBK


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