Re: 2016 Election
 

Rolling out Romney and McCain was pathetic. All it did was give Trump an easy target.

Sadly, a lot of people fall for Trump's nonsense. But indeed it's a totally bizarre situation that the Republican Party is essentially pulling itself apart.

Re: 2016 Election
 

Are these guys running for president or leadership of a high school clique?

Shame Kasisch doesn't have a stronger personality.

Re: 2016 Election
 

This was supposed to be the time they came back in force, after Bush's mess left them scattered and they put forth a token candidate for Obama's second re-election. Problem was that they encouraged the tea party a little too much and now there are whole droves of people who fell for it and don't like the establishment politicians that the Republicans have tried to force on them for this election. So the top three runners are a businessman, a newbie, and a guy who everyone hates (even his own party).

They won't win this election, and if nothing interesting (wars, global slump) happens for the next four years then they won't win the next. Long term strategy would be building good reputations for Republican figureheads, softening social morality and concentrating of fiscal conservativism. But they never go for long term strategies any more - always short term gains with high-risk of going badly.

Re: 2016 Election
 

As he said last night...he's the only adult...

They are handing the 2016 election to Clinton...one debate at a time.

Re: 2016 Election
 

This sensible op-ed was published a few days ago, but I only just saw it. Don't think it has been posted before:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/01/op...e-routine.html

Re: 2016 Election
 

Good read and spot on.

Re: 2016 Election
 

"Biased leebrul media"

Re: 2016 Election
 

So talking to friends, it seems many are seriously contemplating leaving if Trump wins. I know, lots of people say that every cycle but never actually leave. The Dems put up with Dubya for 8 years and lived despite him being in charge as the economy tanked. The Reps put up with Obama for 8 years despite him being in charge while the economy was fixed.

But I hear people saying this time it feels different. Yes, Trump's "policies" would be financially disastrous but there seems to be this sentiment that the vocalization of the hate groups would get out of hand very quickly.

I don't know. I personally just hope the Dems mobilize the vote on a scale beyond what Obama managed to make sure he doesn't win.

Re: 2016 Election
 

I arrived in 1983, and friends of mine said they would leave if Reagan was re-elected; he was and they didn't. Of course, back then Thatcher was in power in UK so it was a frying pan/fire situation for sure.

The question is - what do you gain by leaving, and what would happen differently if you didn't? In reality, the president has little effect on daily life so it's really just a rhetorical statement. As remarkable a Trump presidency would be, I don't think he would actually get to do most of the crazy things he wants to do, especially if he continues to alienate the R party, and especially if the D's get control of congress. And if he starts bombing foreign countries, the only difference 'moving' would make is which TV news show you would watch the reports on. So if it actually happens, I plan to sit back and laugh for a few years.

Re: 2016 Election
 

I don't think it is a fear of what Trump might do so much as what his supporters might do.

Re: 2016 Election
 

They are certainly wound up and based on some the assaults on Muslims and blacks recently...it could be a harbinger of things to come.

Re: 2016 Election
 

:confused:

Re: 2016 Election
 

No offence but your "friends" sound like children spitting their pacifiers out

How has Obama fixed the economy? Biggest national debt in US history, unemployment among African Americans higher now than when he got in, more people on food stamps, etc

http://www.heritage.org/~/media/F21A...63C12A0C6.ashx

If people want to leave the greatest country in the world because the potential president says things that don't fit in with their idyllic liberal view of the world, then I hope they close the door on their way out

Re: 2016 Election
 

I will wager it's hyperbole. You'd have to be pretty naive with regards to how immigration works if you think you could just up and leave on a whim and live somewhere else.

Those of us who are expats at least have an option I suppose.

Highly subjective. Unless you've been to the other 195(disputed number) countries, that's a really unsubstantiated claim, usually made by very blinkered jingoists who are seemingly unaware that a whole world exists beyond the (admittedly often very beautiful and geographically stunning) borders of the US. I don't even presume to say the UK is the greatest either. Both are lovely places, but the desire to travel the world makes me want to find out what the greatest is myself.

Anyway, if you want to argue that the US is the greatest country in the world, then surely you should also concede that someone like Trump shouldn't be able to simply buy their way into the highest office just by laying the populist verbal diarrhea on thicker than his wife's makeup.

Re: 2016 Election
 

In percentage terms, the deficit has increased less under Obama than it did under Bush, and way less than it did under Reagan. And a big chunk of the increase was for spending in '09 when Obama inherited an imploding economy.

As for black unemployment, it's now over 20% lower than it was when Obama took office. Not sure what the numbers are for food stamps.