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

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#153401: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:05:18 PM

No, that is a new information.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#153402: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:06:07 PM

So, that means the Senate is evenly split, right? 50/50 Split?

Still, with Mike Pence as VP-Elect, the Senate is still firmly in the hands of Republicans.

Grounder Main Character Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: All is for my lord
Main Character
#153403: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:06:10 PM

[up][up][up][up]Implying that it hasn't been since the dawn of time?

edited 10th Nov '16 1:06:19 PM by Grounder

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#153404: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:07:03 PM

^^No. Needed a few (2-3) more gains.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153405: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:07:05 PM

@Smokey, Depends on how many of them get in. Obama's two appointments are probably safe (that's 2), Kennedy swings liberal on LGBT issues (abortion is iffy, but let's say that's 3), Roberts values the integrity of the system above all use and is probably unwilling to overturn precedents without cause (that's 4). He might swing right on abortion though.

On the other side we have Scalia's replacement (bad). Then we have Bayer and Ginsberg, who you better hope live and don't retire while Trump is Fuhrer. Thomas and Aliito are just as bad as Scalia was.

So, assuming Trump gets to appoint one judge, gay marriage is at 5-4 in favor, while abortion is iffy. If he only replaces right-wing judges that holds out.

If Ginsberg, Bayer or even Kennedy die or retire? Things get ugly and fast. And stay that way for decades.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:08:09 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#153406: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:08:00 PM

First of all we'd need a challenge from the lower courts regarding abortion or gay marriage, and Kennedy has already signaled that he'd side with the other four liberal justices in the case of gay marriage. And Roberts hasn't been outright against gay marriage but treated it as a matter of popular mandate, which could be his way of covering his ass over personal biases, but not entirely wrong.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153407: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:09:52 PM

Abortion is the bigger risk I think, marriage equality is probably secure thanks to Kennedy and Roberts.

Now if the worse happens and Trump gets to replace the three older liberal/moderate Justices in addition to Scalia (Ginsberg, Bayer, Kennedy), yeah the US is probably screwed and there's nothing anyone can do about it short of major reform or waiting generations.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:10:27 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#153408: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:10:06 PM

That was never in the cards anyway. She promised Kaine the VP spot a couple years before the election even started, if he would give Debbie Wasserman Schultz his job at the DNC.

I'm getting very tired of this conspiracy theory BS. Post a link from an actual news source if you're going to claim garbage like this.

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
#153409: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:10:26 PM

Yeah it comes down to if Trump gets to replace a liberal/moderate judge or not, he may need to replace two to get things overturned due to the moderate judges not wanting to trash the S Cs reputation. But one could be enough if the moderate republican judges swing towards crazy town.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153410: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:11:19 PM

[up][up] Wikileaks had a leaked email that said as much. Whether or you not you believe it was authentic is up to you, but the DNC really needs to look at their nomination process in the post-mortem in this election, in addition to looking at the causes of their defeat in the general election.

Magical thinking didn't stop President-Elect Trump from becoming a reality, and while conventional wisdom would indicate Sanders was a vastly inferior candidate to Clinon, his massive upsets in the midwestern primaries (which eerily foreshadowed Trump's rust belt victories) merits serious investigation by the party.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:17:42 PM by CaptainCapsase

xanderiskander Since: Mar, 2012
#153411: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:16:45 PM

If Trump's SCOTUS nominees get on the bench, is there any way to keep them from banning abortion, gay marriage, etc.?

I know previous courts weren't willing to overturn a predecessor's ruling, but I doubt his picks would care.

I can't blame you if you missed what I said before, because this thread moves so fast. But I'll say that it's very unlikely a case will even make it to the supreme court. Even if one did they'd have to bring whole new evidence to the case to overturn it, and I'm not sure how they'd even do that. If they don't bring a new argument they'd probably just reiterate the previous decision.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153412: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:19:06 PM

Trump only needs to appoint political hacks to the bench to use any case caused by the GOP get oppressive at the state level. He already has two, and Roberts and Kennedy are unreliable on certain issues. Two or more justice from Trump, and the Supreme Court becomes a rubber stamp for the GOP.

Honestly, the US Supreme Court is a total disgrace by any standard. Judges are supposed to be apolitical.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#153413: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:20:37 PM

The DNC will probably need to take up a dramatically laissez-faire approach, funding whichever candidate wins and immediately falling in line — it would stymie the accusation of tampering if they're completely hands off.

[up]Being completely apolitical is impossible.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:21:39 PM by CrimsonZephyr

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
tsstevens Reading tropes such as You Know What You Did from Reading tropes such as Righting Great Wrongs Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: She's holding a very large knife
Reading tropes such as You Know What You Did
#153414: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:21:38 PM

Don't think this has been posted yet. Jim Cornette has something to say about the election. For those who don't know Cornette was a wrestling promoter, he is a Caustic Critic of the promotions and talent. He is a proud atheist and staunch Liberal. He is essentially a traditionalist and model of stereotype of a Republican except he is all for gun control, all for Obamacare, and here...well, he admits he has anger problems and he cuts a promo here.

Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than Yours
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153415: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:25:37 PM

[up][up] I hate to say this, but they also need to take a long, hard look at whether or not they did in fact push down on the scale hard enough to change the result. If wikileaks is to be believed, they scheduled the primaries in a way they thought would benefit Clinton over a potential challenger from the left, presumably in response what happened in 2008 with Obama. They have those emails, and they know whether or not that actually happened.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153416: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:34:53 PM

[up][up][up]Maybe. But its clear that the American judicial system is too politicized by democratic standards. At the highest levels it looks and acts like a Banana Republic.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153417: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:37:34 PM

[up] Insert argument about the relative merits of Presidential and Parliamentary democracy.

Bat178 Since: May, 2011
#153418: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:39:10 PM

[up][up] And this election proved the US aren't any better than their southern neighbors in Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:39:18 PM by Bat178

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#153419: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:40:50 PM

Around campus I'm still feeling an annoying air of "they were both terrible so, eh."

But I will say, I don't see the part against arguing "Bernie should have gotten it" one, because if he couldn't get enough people to vote for him I don't particularly care if most millennials (of which I am one) wanted him or not, and two, when the stakes are Trump it just makes the "lesser of two evils" argument even stupider than I already think it is. There was no meaningful "principled" vote here.

As an aside, I had a conversation with a Bernie turned Stein supporter and I really hope the Dems don't take away from this what he wants them too.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:44:23 PM by LSBK

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153420: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:40:52 PM

Presidential systems don't necessarily have more politicized judges, though the entire system is prone to authoritarianism (the US being one the most successful examples by comparison).

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#153421: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:41:18 PM

[up][up]Are you capable of doing more than parroting the same five or so platitudes about how much you despise the US over and over again? I'm starting to wonder why you even hang around here if you're not going to actually contribute anything useful to discussion.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:41:33 PM by AlleyOop

Bat178 Since: May, 2011
#153422: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:41:57 PM

[up] Because I'm pissed off both my countries (The UK and the US) betrayed me.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153423: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:42:32 PM

EDIT: Misread

edited 10th Nov '16 1:42:50 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#153424: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:42:42 PM

[up][up][up]Word. Like it's fine to be critical of the US and you have a TON of good reasons to do that right now but if you must do so please be a bit more constructive.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:43:13 PM by Draghinazzo

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153425: Nov 10th 2016 at 1:44:39 PM

@LSBK: I agree, but I'm still fairly confident in my assertion that Sanders would have won; his primary upsets in the midwest (beating polls by around 13 points in Michigan IIRC) mirror Trump's critical states far too well for me to dismiss it as a coincidence (though obviously without extensive study into what happened we can't be certain), and while he probably would've done much worse in southern swing states like Florida and North Carolina, Trump won those anyway.

He might very well have lost Nevada to Trump, which means a Trump victory if he couldn't have contested PA, but that's a much closer race electorally than what we got.

edited 10th Nov '16 1:49:17 PM by CaptainCapsase


Total posts: 417,856
Top