US Election 2016

Republican debate:
Trump just told America he’s a Big Dick- oh, wait, he has a big dick.

Rubio tells us the problem with ignoring lead poisoning of thousands of mostly black kids to save $100 bucks a day is that Democrats are politicising it.

Trump gets a big hand for saying he’ll do much worse torture than waterboarding.

Also that he respects the press too much to ask the NYT to release the tapes, plus he’ll put the First Amendment through the shredder to stop them saying bad things about him.

Cruz: Release the tape to prove you’re not a liar. Trump: “No, you’re the liar, lyin’ Ted.”

Cruz: “Breathe, Donald.” Trump: “Lyin’ Ted.”

“Little marco”… “big Donald”

[quote] Wallace was trying to refocus the raucous debate back to policy.

“I have a policy question for you, sir,” Wallace said.

“Let’s see if he answers it,” Rubio chimed in before it turned into a total schoolyard war of words.

“I will. Don’t worry about it, Marco. Don’t worry about it,” Trump said to an applauding crowd. Don’t worry about it, little Marco, I will."

“Let’s hear big Donald,” Rubio said.

“Don’t worry about it, little Marco,” Trump said.

Wallace exhausted by the exchange finally broke in.

“Gentlemen, you have got to do better than this,” Wallace said.[/quote]

I dunno- they’re talking to Republicans, after all- seems about the right intellectual level.

Trump delivering his message at a 4th grade level, with insults at a 2nd grade level, and Republicans just can’t get enough. They love him ! Thought we hit rock bottom with Bush, but here comes Trump. Is the world ready for thunderdome? Televised torture? Targeting terrorists families? No freedom of the press. A new frivolous lawsuit every week? Maybe he’ll get Mexico to not only pay for and build the wall, but build him a pyramid while they’re at it.

Say what you want about Romney but damn ! That was the most factual on point anti Trump speech anybody has put forward in the last year.

I said it a year ago, Romney is not out of the race just yet. If they can find a way to contest it at the convention, they may throw Romney in there again… He does look the part of President, well spoken, obviously intelligent, and seems to have found some spirit.

Come now, it’s not like many people are enthusiastic about Romney, any more than they were for JEB.

Sure granted, but can you honestly say that speech wasn’t the best you’ve seen from a GOP candidate this year? Point me to a single one that was that well delivered, that factual, that presidential. I’ve not seen one. Romney didn’t look so great the last couple times around, but compared to this years lot of Trump, Rubio, Cruz, etc, he puts them to shame.

Sure granted, but can you honestly say that speech wasn’t the best you’ve seen from a GOP candidate this year? Point me to a single one that was that well delivered, that factual, that presidential. I’ve not seen one. Romney didn’t look so great the last couple times around, but compared to this years lot of Trump, Rubio, Cruz, etc, he puts them to shame.[/quote]

Yeah, the formerly pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-immigration reform pro-government mandated health-care guy is attacking Trump for flip-flopping.

Sure, bring in the guy who was scared out of the race by Jeb! (and I mean that sincerely - Mr. 47% would launch a civil war inside the party that would make Syria look like Woodstock).

I did love FOX being shocked, shocked, that Trump’s tax numbers didn’t add up- just like every Republican tax plan since Reagan swallowed voodoo economics, complete with rosy scenarios and magic asterisks (including everyone on stage).

Too true!

Too true![/quote]

I know words are hard for some people so here are some pictures:

Here’s one going back to the 1930s
google.com.tw/imgres?imgurl … 52&bih=581

You’ll note that after Coolidge/Hoover got the country into the Great Depression, Roosevelt increased the deficit to get it out, resulting in a baalnced budget in 1938 (a mistake in policy, BTW).

Then came WWII followed by a long paydown until Reagan abandoned traditional Republican budgetary policies and we entered the stage of permanent Republican deficits. Bill Clinton got the country back to a surplus after the Reagan/Bush I deficits; then Bush II really let her rip, and Obama’s been pulling the country out of the hole Dubya dug since then.

A vision of the Republican future


Interesting result from Louisiana:

Early voters (pre-election day)
Trump 47%
Cruz 23%
Rubio 21%

Election Day voters
Cruz 40.9%
Trump 40.5%
Rubio 9.4%

Big swing for Cruz from both Trump and Rubio supporters- on to March 15!

I’ve been with you from the start on this one. The US economy has done really well all things considered, far better than any of the other major economies and far better than anybody expected in 2008. But I know things today would be even better today if along with aggressive monetary policy, Obama also had the political will to ramp up some major fiscal policy at the same time. Those first two years were key and unfortunately he dropped the ball, then lost any hope for change after that.

There is a silver lining though. A global recession is likely right around the corner. I’d be shocked if we made it too far into 2017 without a global plunge. Central banks around the world are mostly out of ammunition, but the US government still has the big fiscal policy bazooka to shoot off. I bet the US will recover from the next global recession better than all it’s competitors as well, just like it did this time around.

Very Presidential…

[quote=“BrentGolf”]I’ve been with you from the start on this one. The US economy has done really well all things considered, far better than any of the other major economies and far better than anybody expected in 2008. But I know things today would be even better today if along with aggressive monetary policy, Obama also had the political will to ramp up some major fiscal policy at the same time. Those first two years were key and unfortunately he dropped the ball, then lost any hope for change after that.
[/quote]

I may have been a bit rough on Obama in previous comments. He was a bit too centrist to start; as well he thought he was dealing with a normal opposition, not a bunch of fanatics who decided it would help them politcally to destroy the economy.
I mean a lot of people thought they would be obstructionist (that’s why I supported Hillary in 2008; I figured she’d be tougher on the Republicans); I don’t think anyone figured on them launching a scorched earth policy on the entire country.

So Obama gets a bit of a pass on that; the other point is that even when he had a majority 2008-2010 he had a lot of Blue Dogs to deal with: Baucus, Evan Bayh, not to mention Lieberman.

Also, good post on what actually happened in the 90s; serves as a reminder that Kasich was not a “moderate”; he was a conservative rightist just as wrong- even wronger!- than most of his colleagues.

washingtonpost.com/news/won … id-he-did/

So we have a Republican convention with a popular front-runner expected to clinch the nomination on the first ballot- but the Party establishment is opposed; the candidate has made wild and extremist statements and the leaders are afraid he will drive away moderates. Elected officials -governors, senators, reps - in swing states are especially adamant that this candidate will be a disaster down-ticket.

The alternatives have problems of their own. One of them is a favorite of the party’s ideologues, but is viewed as too extreme for the general election; besides he’s widely disliked within the party for his open egotism, blistering denunciations of his fellow elected Republicans willing to compromise, and obvious belief he was especially chosen by God for the nation.

Another is a genial Mid-Westerner hailed by the MSM and Establishment pundits as a uniter who can bring the country together, but who is too centrist to appeal to Republican voters, who doubt his commitment to their core values.

The final candidate is generally well-liked but originally too little known outside his own state, and is regarded as too inexperienced and too much of a lightweight. However, he’s still seen as an acceptable compromise by all factions- except the leading candidate.

However, after much maneuvering, some somewhat questionable actions by the Convention committee, and three rounds of voting, he emerges as the eventual nominee, to howls of outrage by supporters of the front-runner and furious denunciations of backstage deals.

But, in the end, compromise candidate Abraham Lincoln (“everybody’s second choice”) beats out front-runner William Seward, party ideologue Salmon Chase, and centrist Edward Bates for the 1860 Republican nomination.

Meanwhile, back in the 21st Century- Feel the Bern!

Sanders was down 20 points in the RealClearPolitics average- Nate Silver gave Hillary a 99% chance of winning. Sanders took 1/3 of the African-American vote.

Polling averages has her up 37% and 20% in Illinois and Ohio next Tuesday.
It’s going to be an interesting day all around. Funny if the Republican race gets locked up early while the Dems are still fighting it out.

[quote=“MikeN”]
I may have been a bit rough on Obama in previous comments. He was a bit too centrist to start; as well he thought he was dealing with a normal opposition, not a bunch of fanatics who decided it would help them politcally to destroy the economy[/quote]

You keep saying this. Whom are you trying to convince?

[quote=“rowland”][quote=“MikeN”]
I may have been a bit rough on Obama in previous comments. He was a bit too centrist to start; as well he thought he was dealing with a normal opposition, not a bunch of fanatics who decided it would help them politcally to destroy the economy[/quote]

You keep saying this. Whom are you trying to convince?[/quote]

Nobody- just pointing out the historical record. As the argument with fred on the Donald and Hillary thread shows, facts are useless when trying to convince conservatives- who are you going to believe, Fox News or your lying eyes?

Anyway, here’s something to make you happy- the convention where the KKK dominated the Democratic Party - two weeks, 103 ballots to try to pick a nominee :astonished:
Here’s a speech by a Democratic Senator

prospect.org/article/trump-and-k … -old-roots

[quote=“MikeN”][quote=“rowland”]

You keep saying this. Whom are you trying to convince?[/quote]

Nobody- just pointing out the historical record. [/quote]

Oh, never mind.

fivethirtyeight.com/features/the … eats-most/

I absolutely love this analysis. It goes ever every transcript of the past Republican Debate to see who repeats themselves the most. Also, to get an idea of what message each candidate is bringing to the table, plus the overall tone that they are using.

Nce to see Meet the Press keeping it fair and balanced as usual: Trump, Kasich and Cruz, plus a panel consisting of two Republican activists, one reporter from the WP, and one reporter from CNBC.

So… there’s a new way for people to make predictions: 270towin.com/

Click on the states to change the outcome.

This is my prediction: