2016 Election
Feb 28th 2016, 12:05 pm
#4937
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2011
Location: "LA LA Land"
Posts: 2,448
Re: 2016 Election
Hillary Clinton is a foregone conclusion. The Republican nominee isn't. Participation in the Democratic primary is less likely to have any influence on the outcome, and there usually isn't much else on a primary ballot that will get voters interested.
On the whole, there isn't much of a correlation between primaries and general elections.
On the whole, there isn't much of a correlation between primaries and general elections.
But this election season has turned reason downside-up and turvy-topsy; so far it's defied common sense and challenged expectations.
Looking to correlations with past election cycles for reassurance - may very well lead to ensnarement in a complacency trap.
I believe that voter enthusiasm becomes self-generating and infectious.
So too, I feel, does voter apathy.
I pray I'm wrong about all this. If not .....
Feb 28th 2016, 12:30 pm
#4938
Banned
Joined: Feb 2016
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 348
Re: 2016 Election
Dismayed by Democratic voter turnout numbers so far......
There's been a 26% decline over '08. This, in contrast to a similar size spike for Republicans.
If the alarm this should be setting off isn't reflected by a substantial increase in Dem poll-goers getting off their butts and voting on Super Tuesday - it won't auger well for the general in Nov.
I'm worried. And scared for this country.
There's been a 26% decline over '08. This, in contrast to a similar size spike for Republicans.
If the alarm this should be setting off isn't reflected by a substantial increase in Dem poll-goers getting off their butts and voting on Super Tuesday - it won't auger well for the general in Nov.
I'm worried. And scared for this country.
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
Feb 28th 2016, 12:47 pm
#4939
WTF?
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Homeostasis
Posts: 79,449
Re: 2016 Election
This could escalate.
Feb 28th 2016, 12:49 pm
#4940
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: 2016 Election
Well, what you say is reasonable and makes sense.
But this election season has turned reason downside-up and turvy-topsy; so far it's defied common sense and challenged expectations.
Looking to correlations with past election cycles for reassurance - may very well lead to ensnarement in a complacency trap.
I believe that voter enthusiasm becomes self-generating and infectious.
So too, I feel, does voter apathy.
I pray I'm wrong about all this. If not .....
But this election season has turned reason downside-up and turvy-topsy; so far it's defied common sense and challenged expectations.
Looking to correlations with past election cycles for reassurance - may very well lead to ensnarement in a complacency trap.
I believe that voter enthusiasm becomes self-generating and infectious.
So too, I feel, does voter apathy.
I pray I'm wrong about all this. If not .....
He spews hate, and hate sells. Nobody should be surprised that a certain segment of the US would attach itself to a xenophobic action figure.
What surprises the pundits is that Trump has run without any regard at all for a message that might sell to swing voters. He has high unfavorables, which are particularly surprising given that he has been a reality TV star but not a politician -- a lot of people don't like him.
Feb 28th 2016, 1:18 pm
#4942
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Posts: 27,078
Re: 2016 Election
[/B]
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
Feb 28th 2016, 1:20 pm
#4943
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: 2016 Election
[/B]
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
Feb 28th 2016, 1:43 pm
#4944
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,270
Re: 2016 Election
Well, what you say is reasonable and makes sense.
But this election season has turned reason downside-up and turvy-topsy; so far it's defied common sense and challenged expectations.
Looking to correlations with past election cycles for reassurance - may very well lead to ensnarement in a complacency trap.
I believe that voter enthusiasm becomes self-generating and infectious.
So too, I feel, does voter apathy.
I pray I'm wrong about all this. If not .....
But this election season has turned reason downside-up and turvy-topsy; so far it's defied common sense and challenged expectations.
Looking to correlations with past election cycles for reassurance - may very well lead to ensnarement in a complacency trap.
I believe that voter enthusiasm becomes self-generating and infectious.
So too, I feel, does voter apathy.
I pray I'm wrong about all this. If not .....
Feb 28th 2016, 1:51 pm
#4945
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,270
Re: 2016 Election
Actually, I think it would be more accurate to say, the republican party establishment has driven the current batch of Republican primary voters to it. Neither the 'establishment' candidates (eg, Bush, Kasich) nor the 'tea party' candidates (eg, Cruz) are satisfying the 'angry white (under-educated) male' demographic. So Trump is sweeping them up, and it's a wonderful thing to see in many ways (simply because it's great to see him highlight a lot of the hypocrisy in the party). But once the primaries are over, we will see that the majority of the country is OK with the direction set by Obama, and has no taste for the bile that Trump spews forth. We shall see.
Last edited by Steerpike; Feb 28th 2016 at 1:54 pm.
Feb 28th 2016, 1:51 pm
#4946
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,643
Re: 2016 Election
So this presidency is coming down to a Hillary vs. Trump ; yuck ! yuck and double yuck!! 2 of the most selfish selfcentered assholes possible
Feb 28th 2016, 4:54 pm
#4948
Banned
Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: 2016 Election
[/B]
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
Why
You think this country needs another liberal apologist as president who wants America to be more like Europe? More liberal pandering and striping away at everything that makes this country what it is? So desperate not to offend, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the link between Islam and terrorism despite the many passages in the Quran that explicitly instruct to murder and behead none believers?
I don't know about you but I love this country because it's so different to the UK and Europe. Because you can own a gun if you want, or go to your local range and fire them. Because having money isn't seen as inherently wrong or immoral. Because being positive and smiley isn't seen as fake or somehow wrong (a very common pov Brits have of Americans). Because you can fly the American flag and be unashamedly patriotic and not be accused of white supremacy or instantly looked down upon as a tabloid reader
There's a fundamental reason Trump has risen to prominence, Obama has driven people to it
This isn't about comparing America to Europe. It's irrelevant. It's about whether Trump represents America's values and so far the board room bully is coming up far short of that
Feb 28th 2016, 6:09 pm
#4949
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: 2016 Election
Do you think America would be a better country under a President like Hillary?
Feb 28th 2016, 9:59 pm
#4950
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Mallorca
Posts: 19,367
Re: 2016 Election
All the candidates apparently aspire to "save the country". But from what, exactly?
In a global context, the US is doing rather well. Politically dysfunctional, but things aren't nearly as challenging as in most other regions of the world.
And frankly, the issues most seem to aspire to "save the country" from (e.g., immigration, economy, security, etc) are things the US demonstrably has much more under control than many others. I'd reckon somewhere in world's top 10, if not top 3,4, or 5..
Me thinks you can't "save the country" unless you have a crisis to "save" it from. So, I reckon immigration, terrorism, and the impoverished US economy are good starters, even if there really isn't any crisis at all.
In a global context, the US is doing rather well. Politically dysfunctional, but things aren't nearly as challenging as in most other regions of the world.
And frankly, the issues most seem to aspire to "save the country" from (e.g., immigration, economy, security, etc) are things the US demonstrably has much more under control than many others. I'd reckon somewhere in world's top 10, if not top 3,4, or 5..
Me thinks you can't "save the country" unless you have a crisis to "save" it from. So, I reckon immigration, terrorism, and the impoverished US economy are good starters, even if there really isn't any crisis at all.
