US Politics Thread |OT| THE DARKEST TIMELINE

[Sausage]

Not sure I'd underestimate him, at least not for the primaries. He's a better debater and will raise more money than the other fringe candidates (Carson/Huckabee/Santorum/Jindal/etc). And there are a good amount of southern primaries early scheduled, especially in March.

Still think Scott Walker will be the nominee though.

Exactly why I think it's going to be fun. He's not going to trip over himself and fall like the Perry's of the world and he's a great republican in that all of the shit he spews plays really well with the base so he'll get a decent amount of funding and support. I'll be able to just sit back and enjoy the fireworks.

[benjipwns]

https://news.yahoo.com/fictional-tv-presidents-more-popular-obama-reuters-ipsos-053009188.html

A Reuters-Ipsos poll taken this month found 54 percent of Americans held an unfavorable opinion of Obama, known for his cool and cautious presidential style, while 46 percent were favorable.

In contrast, asked to imagine that David Palmer of "24" was president, 89 percent of those who had seen the real-time Fox counterterrorism drama said they held a favorable rating of the decisive president played by Dennis Haysbert.

Martin Sheen's Jed Bartlet of "The West Wing" - beloved by Democrats, including many who work in Obama's White House - was rated favorably by 82 percent of its NBC viewers.

In the dark universe of "Battlestar Galactica" on SyFy, president Laura Roslin, played by Mary McDonnell, drew a 78 percent favorable rating among fans of her quest to find earth and escape the Cylons, a race of humanoid killer robots.

...

Of those who watch ABC's steamy drama "Scandal," 60 percent had a favorable view of Fitzgerald "Fitz" Grant, the philandering, scotch-swilling president played by Tony Goldwyn.

Frank Underwood also beat Obama.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

In "House of Cards," Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, kills a passed-out congressman by leaving him in a running car in a garage, and pushes a journalist into the path of a subway train.

[close]

Imagining Spacey's scheming character as president, 57 percent of respondents who have seen the Netflix political thriller said they held a favorable opinion of him.

...

There was one result from the online poll, conducted from March 5 to 19, that could give some solace to Obama: He is more popular with Americans than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Seventy-six percent of Americans had an unfavorable view of Putin, according to the poll, while 24 percent were favorable.

[ToxicAdam]

It's going to be so fun to watch Ted Cruz to try and run for president.

I guess it shows how little I care for politics anymore, but yesterday was my first time ever seeing the man. I've only read about him online.

This is very superficial (but most presidential choices usually are), but he looks 'off'. His face is weird.

[Mandark]

It's the eyebrows.

[I'm a Puppy!]

Yes!
The first republican announces his presidential bid and he's:
- A canadian born American with a latino last name that's anti-immigration
- Anti-climate change
- Anti- Healthcare
- Says he'll shut down the IRS
- Says he'll shut down the education department

AiA this election is going to be AWESOME!!!

[Great Rumbler]

Attendance at Cruz's speech was mandatory for all Liberty students.

Also, somebody please photoshop Cruz's American flag tear drop onto a picture of an eagle, please:

[Fortus]

I think a lot of Americans mistakenly think of Israel as an American aircraft carrier, ergo not supporting it is not supporting America by proxy.

Please understand, these are people who objectify human beings to such a degree that the actualization of national self-determination is assessed by whether or not it facilitates the return of their god to judge the living and the dead like it's the Cadaver Synod outchea.

Fun fact: Some ultraorthodox Jews actually conspire with 'terrorists' to bring about the demise of the contemporary nation of Israel. Since Ben Gurion wasn't of the House of David the current state is an abomination and directly insults YHVH (please don't cast stones...)

[Brehvolution]

Cruz's dad has said Ted has been chosen by God to be president and anyone who criticizes Ted will be condemned by God.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I can speak for all my black republican constituents...

...arbitrary...




That none of us want Cruz anywhere near the White House.

[Great Rumbler]

Cruz's dad has said Ted has been chosen by God to be president and anyone who criticizes Ted will be condemned by God.

Yeah, Rafeal Cruz is a real loon. It's going to be fun to watch him completely destroy his son's [admittedly small] chances.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

He fought for Castro during the Cuban revolution.

[close]

[Rufus]

It's the eyebrows.

He has resting concern troll face.

[Joe Molotov]

https://vine.co/v/MMVTYBhqVOd

[Great Rumbler]

Yeah, Cruz is one of the most annoying dudes in politics, doubly so if you happen to disagree with him on anything.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://www.salon.com/2015/03/24/ted_cruz_i_stopped_liking_rock_music_after_911/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[Joe Molotov]

[Rufus]

Fun With Country Music

[Great Rumbler]

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), whose push to defund Obamacare led to a government shutdown, now plans to get insured through the federal exchange.

"We will presumably go on the exchange and sign up for health care and we're in the process of transitioning over to do that," Cruz told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday.

[Kara]

I think a lot of Americans mistakenly think of Israel as an American aircraft carrier, ergo not supporting it is not supporting America by proxy.

Please understand, these are people who objectify human beings to such a degree that the actualization of national self-determination is assessed by whether or not it facilitates the return of their god to judge the living and the dead like it's the Cadaver Synod outchea.

Fun fact: Some ultraorthodox Jews actually conspire with 'terrorists' to bring about the demise of the contemporary nation of Israel. Since Ben Gurion wasn't of the House of David the current state is an abomination and directly insults YHVH (please don't cast stones...)

This doesn't sound like fun OR a fact.

[Phoenix Dark]

I think a lot of Americans mistakenly think of Israel as an American aircraft carrier, ergo not supporting it is not supporting America by proxy.

Please understand, these are people who objectify human beings to such a degree that the actualization of national self-determination is assessed by whether or not it facilitates the return of their god to judge the living and the dead like it's the Cadaver Synod outchea.

Fun fact: Some ultraorthodox Jews actually conspire with 'terrorists' to bring about the demise of the contemporary nation of Israel. Since Ben Gurion wasn't of the House of David the current state is an abomination and directly insults YHVH (please don't cast stones...)

[Mandark]

You know, music is interesting. I grew up listening to classic rock, and I’ll tell you sort of an odd story. My music tastes changed on 9/11.  And it’s a very strange — I actually intellectually find this very curious. But on 9/11, I didn’t like how rock music responded. And country music collectively, the way they responded, it resonated with me. And I have to say, it just as a gut level — I had an emotional reaction that says, ‘These are my people.’ And so ever since 2001, I listen to country music.

First, this is obviously a crazy way to approach music.  But if he means mainstream classic rock (a reasonable assumption given his age and cacness), it's doubly insane.  There were at least two huge benefit concerts involving Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, etc.  I'd get a bit misty if I rewatched David Bowie doing "Heroes" at the big concert in NY, dedicating it to first repsonders.

Also early aughts Toby Keith-Charlie Daniels jingocountry was the worst fucking music.  Just awful.

[Dickie Dee]

You know, music is interesting. I grew up listening to classic rock, and I’ll tell you sort of an odd story. My music tastes changed on 9/11.  And it’s a very strange — I actually intellectually find this very curious. But on 9/11 I didn’t like how rock music responded. And country music collectively, the way they responded, it resonated with me. And I have to say, it just as a gut level — I had an emotional reaction that says, ‘These are my people.’ And so ever since 2001, I listen to country music.

First, this is obviously a crazy way to approach music.  But if he means mainstream classic rock (a reasonable assumption given his age and cacness), it's doubly insane.  There were at least two huge benefit concerts involving Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, etc.  I'd get a bit misty if I rewatched David Bowie doing "Heroes" at the big concert in NY, dedicating it to first repsonders.

Also early aughts Toby Keith-Charlie Daniels jingocountry was the worst fucking music.  Just awful.

How willing were your false gods to put a boot in an Arab ass tho?

Edit: Just getting off two weeks of pneumonia, that probably didn't make sense but neither do I

[I'm a Puppy!]

Of all the things a presidential candidate could have an opinion on, I'd consider his taste in music in the weeks post 9/11 one of the most important.

[jakefromstatefarm]

That is literally some Tobias Fünke shit.

"Well, I don't wanna blame it all on 9/11."

[Phoenix Dark]

I have a feeling he's gonna bless me with some epic trolls on hip hop music+Obama.


shout outs to Marco Rubio for being a 2pac stan btw

[benjipwns]

lol what

there were so many other ways to answer this softball question

i still don't know what we're doing if i go over on saturday night

[benjipwns]

this is still amazing, how does this not have 1 million plus views

Zackary Bernhardt3 months ago
 
Ron Paul 2016!
Reply  ·  21

[Mandark]

By the end of the decade Toby Keith was telling people he had always been against the Iraq war, which is a nice microcosm of that whole clusterfuck.

[benjipwns]

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-24/on-global-warming-ted-cruz-says-he-s-galileo-not-a-flat-earther

"Today the global warming alarmists are the equivalent of the flat-Earthers," Cruz said. "You know it used to be it is accepted scientific wisdom the Earth is flat, and this heretic named Galileo was branded a denier."

Cruz says he trusts satellite data that he believes shows that the Earth's temperatures have held steady over the past 17 years.

"Anyone who actually points to the evidence that disproves their apocalyptical claims, they don't engage in reasoned debate. What do they do? They scream, 'You're a denier.' They brand you a heretic," Cruz added.

...

Cruz maintained that the U.S. shouldn't turn to government regulation that would raise energy prices in order to try and combat climate change.

"We shouldn't be causing millions of hard working men and women to have their energy bills go through the roof," he said. "It causes real harm and suffering when people all across this country lose jobs because the federal government wants to take control of aspects of our lives."

[Mandark]

Can't tell if quoting to ridicule or agree...

[jakefromstatefarm]

Conflict Thesis :blessed

being used by American conservatives, wait what?

[benjipwns]

Since you've been away for a while. I'll recap in case my views have changed since we last discussed.

I can't agree with anyone who uses the Galileo thing, which even the news story uses to explain the reference. He got in trouble with the Church for insulting it like every other week. His scientific theories weren't even controversial at the time. Even flat Earthers weren't dominant in their time!

I don't agree with the "pause" caterwauling conservatives do.

I obviously agree with the regulation thing. Like what's his face, Bjorn Lumberg? And I have problems with the methodology.

If the data shows global warming is occurring I'm cool* with that, I just have some questions about the extent to which man plays a role and that relates to the methodology.

*see what i did there, COOL

[Mandark]

Ugh, Bjorn Lomborg.  If you care about methodology and shit, Lomborg is not your dude.  I've probably got a tl;dr post in me about him, but I'm gonna make some hot chocolate.  I'd need the sugar.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I had to look him up to make sure it was who I was thinking of and not the COSMIC RAYS!!! guy (that's Henrik Svensmark).

[close]

[benjipwns]

Oh, I don't mean his science or anything (I don't even remember what his field is and I am refusing to look it up on principle) just the stance about how there are things we should be focusing on that we can do now with fairly little effort and improve lives, like fresh water, expanding electricity into Africa, using already existing technologies to reduce pollution as China and India grow, denting AIDS rates in Africa etc. rather than chasing schemes that even some climate crisis people admit wouldn't do much of anything.

That's the last of him I've ever heard about, though he's not the only one to take that stance (there were some similar arguments in the 1970s against the anti-nuclear movement) he was one of the first as stuff like TED Talks (I'm using this as an example, do not take as endorsement of TED) took off who was arguing that a lot of discussion focuses on things we can't really do anything impactful on when we have stuff like golden rice that can easily do a lot for people now. But that the main problem is those things don't fire up people in the West anywhere near as much, especially when there isn't money in it.

Plus he looks like Gordon Ramsey. And dresses like him too.

[Kara]

By the end of the decade Toby Keith was telling people he had always been against the Iraq war, which is a nice microcosm of that whole clusterfuck.

Even John Kerry was for the war before he was against the war.

[benjipwns]

By the end of the decade Toby Keith was telling people he had always been against the Iraq war, which is a nice microcosm of that whole clusterfuck.

Even John Kerry was for the war before he was against the war.

You just don't understand the nuance, let me spend 20 minutes to explain it to the people here at Wendy's.

/Kerry campaign

[Mandark]

Almost everyone would agree with the general premise: society ought to spend its resources in the most effective ways possible.

Problem with Lomborg is that he's sloppy about examining that problem, and wildly overconfident in how he presents the results.  Know how you always throw shade at publicized "studies" that don't come near to actually proving the headline conclusion?  Lomborg's basically doing a bunch of back-of-the-napkin calculations then presenting the results as definitive costs and benefits of huge global policies, helpfully denominated in dollars.  I mean, look at this shit.  And here's his think tank using the same reasoning to see if military intervention is effective (spoiler: it totally is!).

Plus the underlying assumption that there's a zero-sum game between limiting carbon emissions and fighting AIDS/easing immigration laws/etc.  And the tendency to compare real-world policies which have at least survived part of the political process (eg Kyoto) to the Platonic ideal of "improve nutrition."  Because helping to feed the global poor would definitely be implemented quickly, smoothly, efficiently, and without any sort of political interference.

[benjipwns]

Okay, fuck Lomborg then, even if he does look like Gordon Ramsey. I didn't even read his book.

I still think climate crisis "solutions" are too nebulous to be as effective as deploying resources to areas we already have a handle on. A stronger case could probably be made for reducing carbon emissions outside of the climate crisis. Especially with all the doomsday stuff that makes it seem already like we've already been defeated. I was watching a segment a week or so ago (in a waiting room) on MSNBC/CNN or something where all the guests basically talked as if the GOP Congress not taking action meant we were all dead in a hundred years* from it and there was no turning back. And they played a clip of Al Gore at some recent conference saying the same thing that we lost our opportunity five years ago or some shit. That fatalism seems counter-productive. Unlike the fact that the state is going to round us up into camps, Hillary Clinton just the other day announced that she wanted to force adults into camps.

*Technically true I suppose.

[benjipwns]

Lindsey Graham discusses the ongoing international diplomatic process on Iran’s nuclear program.

[Van Cruncheon]

i dunno, benji may have a legit concern here:

http://allnewspipeline.com/FEMA_Death_Domes_Pop_Up_Across_Texas.php

[benjipwns]

[Joe Molotov]

Mad Max Beyond FEMA Death Dome

[Steve Contra]

(Image removed from quote.)

Someone should break it to those people that the Jews are behind FEMA #protocol57

[Great Rumbler]

I wish those FEMA death camps actually were real, so that all those loons would finally get rounded up and put away somewhere that I don't have to accidentally see their nonsense occasionally.

[Human Snorenado]

GOP Primary 2016: So many clowns, such a small car

[Joe Molotov]

Only 6 million Jews died during the Holocaust, but how many more Americans have died spiritually due to Obama's handouts?

[Phoenix Dark]

pretty baffled that Carson and his people would greenlight a GQ piece. Those quotes are insane.

[Great Rumbler]

Carson heard some noise from a construction site, and he flinched. "Was that machine-gun fire?" he asked.

[Joe Molotov]

pretty baffled that Carson and his people would greenlight a GQ piece. Those quotes are insane.

I think he may be permanently stuck in "CPAC Applause Line" mode.

[Joe Molotov]

"If that's true, and if I accept the figures that the gentlewoman, the ranking member of the committee, said of the number of people who are on ObamaCare, Affordable Care Act, about 12 [million]. If you just do simple multiplication, 12 million into $108 billion, we're talking literally every single recipient would be costing this government more than $5 million per person for their insurance. It's staggering," Sessions said.

"If it really is true that everybody that is on this Affordable Care Act, that the true cost, cost to the taxpayer, is over $5 million for each person, then shame on us. For not knowing, asking, and understanding," Sessions added.

However, $108 billion divided by 12 million is only $9,000.

[Rufus]

I move to demote the term "neurosurgeon" to "brain mechanic".

[Great Rumbler]

"If that's true, and if I accept the figures that the gentlewoman, the ranking member of the committee, said of the number of people who are on ObamaCare, Affordable Care Act, about 12 [million]. If you just do simple multiplication, 12 million into $108 billion, we're talking literally every single recipient would be costing this government more than $5 million per person for their insurance. It's staggering," Sessions said.

"If it really is true that everybody that is on this Affordable Care Act, that the true cost, cost to the taxpayer, is over $5 million for each person, then shame on us. For not knowing, asking, and understanding," Sessions added.

However, $108 billion divided by 12 million is only $9,000.

12 million times $5 million is $60,000,000,000,000. Or $60 trillion, 15 times greater than Obama's 2015 budget proposal.

[benjipwns]

The woman answered Carson's question about political parties, telling him that there were Labor and Likud and a host of other factions in the Knesset. "And what is the role of the Knesset?"

"Who is this Knesset fellow to tell Israelis what to do, don't they have the right to defend their homeland like we have the right to defend our homelands, our bodies, from the evils of ObamaCare? Thank you and God Bless America."

*walks away from interview as if there's a cheering crowd to wave to and imaginary peoples hands to shake*

[benjipwns]

[Kara]

Even though it will accomplish nothing, I'm going to convince a group of liberal arts college drama students to gatecrash a Ben Carson event with a performance of "The Jewish Wife," "Judicial Process," and "The Chalk Cross."

[benjipwns]

If you wanted to actually accomplish something you'd have them read BA's synthesis outloud instead.

Or make noises to remind Carson of the time he was under machine gun fire in Ferguson after his chopper was shot down by black youths.

[Madrun Badrun]

Pretty sure the jews DID think it would happen but all the foreskinners said nope and closed their boarders. 

[benjipwns]

‘But what about the evident similarity between your “valuations” and the market prices of a capitalist economy?’ asked Boyarskii, who was sounding rather strained.

‘It’s true that there is a formal resemblance,’ said Leonid Vitalevich. ‘But they have a completely different origin, and therefore a completely different meaning. Whereas market prices are formed spontaneously, objective valuations — shadow prices — must be computed on the basis of an optimal plan. As the plan targets change, the valuations change. They are subordinate to the very different production relationships of a socialist society. Yet, yet, the scope for their use is actually bigger under socialism. The capitalists actually agree with you, Dr Boyarskii, that the mathematical methods we’re talking about should only be applied on the small scale, on the level of the individual firm. They have no choice: there is no larger structure, in the economy of West Germany or the United States, in which they can be set to work. They have had some success, I believe. I’m sorry to say that, since George Danzig and Tjalling Koopmans made their discoveries of “linear programming” in America during the war, the techniques have been adopted there far more eagerly, far more quickly, than in the Soviet Union. Linear programmers in the USA calculate routes for airlines, and devise the investment policies of Wall Street corporations. But we still have an opportunity before us which is closed to the capitalists. Capitalism cannot calculate an optimum for a whole economy at once. We can. There is a fundamental harmony between optimal planning and the nature of socialist society.

kara

[Kara]

Pretty sure the jews DID think it would happen but all the foreskinners said nope and closed their boarders.

Emanuel Bronner's parents didn't.

The last time he heard from them was a note saying "yeah, we ".

[Joe Molotov]

Pretty sure the jews DID think it would happen but all the foreskinners said nope and closed their boarders. 

Yeah, but Border's had been on the verge of bankruptcy for a while, so it wasn't that surprising.

[benjipwns]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/hillarys-nerd-squad-116402.html

Hillary Clinton is assembling a technology team that signals a significant departure from her 2008 presidential run, led by Obama veterans and geared toward recasting her analog-era image.

With the hiring of 2012 Obama campaign alumni Teddy Goff as chief digital strategist, Elan Kriegel as analytics director and Andrew Bleeker as a top outside adviser, the campaign is indicating a greater emphasis on the kinds of cutting-edge techniques that both parties now routinely use to tap into every possible fundraising dollar and seek out every available voter. Just as important, the new hires point to a candidate who’s learned from a 2008 campaign marked by its inability to harness technology to its advantage.

The presumptive Democratic front-runner is building a New York-based campaign that senior party operatives say could ultimately be staffed with more than 1,000 data geeks, techies and digital gurus. Interviews for more tech-focused slots are happening “on the half hour for what will be dozens of early hires,” one longtime Clinton aide explained of the operation, which could see its technology fleet grow roughly three times larger than Obama’s 2012 reelection effort.

...

“All those guys are great,” Harper Reed, Obama’s 2012 chief technology officer, said of the Clinton hires. “If that’s who they are picking then they’re focused on the right thing. They’re not focused on B.S. politics. They’re focused on how to get this shit done. And they know it’s going to be hard because Republicans are focused on the same thing.”

Goff, who had a pivotal role shaping Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012, is also expected to have a direct line to Clinton that should give his tech team better leverage during the shaping of budgets, public messaging and ad buys. Goff, who did not respond to requests for comment, said in an interview last summer that he thought Clinton was already doing a solid job building her tech credentials in the aftermath of the 2008 campaign
.
“They get it,” Goff told POLITICO last June. “And they don’t get it in a ‘Check the box, I get it’ way.”

Taken together, the Clinton team constitutes a who’s who of the Democratic digital world. Bleeker, who handled online advertising for her 2008 primary campaign before moving into Obama’s orbit for the general election, founded the Democratic tech firm Bully Pulpit Interactive. He returned to work for Obama in the 2012 campaign and also partnered with Mook on the McAuliffe 2013 race. Dowd has some of the closest direct ties to Clinton after serving most recently as her senior tech adviser at the Clinton Foundation, as new media director at the State Department and as digital fundraising chief during the 2008 campaign — when she helped raise more than $100 million. Dowd’s close relationship with Clinton “will empower the rest of the squad,” said one Democratic tech operative.

...

While Clinton has started building an “A-team” of Democratic tech experts, Rasiej, the founder of civic tech non-profit Personal Democracy Media, warned that she still faces a much bigger challenge showing that she’s “engaged, present, listening, involved and understanding the two-way dynamic of the medium.”

“If they build a fortress around her and they’re tweeting and videotaping from a fortress,” he said, “the public will notice.”

So Hillary will build a fortress for herself but won't build a fortress on our border to keep out the illegals from stealing our welfare and our elections. This used to be a great country like in 1884 and 1924 when important things got done without any of this brain dead gadgetry.