The General American Politics Thread

[Tani Coyote]

I have registered to vote. Since this is Nevada and Harry Reid does a lot of good, I suspect we're going to stay solidly Democrat. Will probably only vote for local and state positions.

On the Presidential election, my thoughts are as follows: While I've heard lots of hateful things about Romney, they're usually from archliberals, so I'm not exactly inclined to believe them. I by no means consider him a "good" candidate, but people act like Fred Phelps has been given the nomination.

My thoughts on Obama are that he is relatively lackluster. He's very bad at passing his policies, and "a conservative Congress" is no excuse. See Johnson and FDR. It is -very- possible to get some big liberal initiatives rolling if you're savvy enough. His Presidency has definitely advanced the cause of gay rights, which is good for me, but not enough to sway me really.

Obama's main pro, at least, is that he will rein in the most extreme parts of a GOP agenda. He's already demonstrated that he isn't very good at commanding a majority (though as memory serves, the Democratic Party usually isn't), but at the very least I think he'd keep the more extreme nonsense of the Tea Party in check.

Overall though, I'm not suspecting any major changes in the country with an Obama win, and I'm not inclined to think much good would come of a GOP victory either.

I'll be hoping for the day we get a strong Democrat like Johnson, FDR or Clinton, though. Until then, I'm not really enthusiastic for any Democratic candidate so much as I want to divide the government.

If I'm not mistaken, Australia uses a ranked voting system, though. The biggest obstacle toward the US getting a viable third party is that most voters know that a ballot that doesn't go towards the Democratic or Republican party candidate has the same effect as flushing it down the toilet. And even if it wasn't, you'd be splitting the vote away from the whichever of the two dominant parties is closest to your position.

Aye. I would love some instant run-off voting. But surprise surprise, to do that you would need the consent of the GOP and Democrats. See if you can find the issue there.

Fortunately changes can be made at the state level which, while not perfect, could at least open the system up to some more competition.

While I dislike the Tea Party's ideas, I will give them credit for being able to actually show the power of mass movement. That they threw out so many incumbent GOP politicians is inspiring (if frightening).

[Patticus]

My thoughts on Obama are that he is relatively lackluster. He's very bad at passing his policies, and "a conservative Congress" is no excuse. See Johnson and FDR. It is -very- possible to get some big liberal initiatives rolling if you're savvy enough.

It isn't merely a "conservative congress" Obama has been up against, it's one in which half the GOP members were elected not because of what good they'd do, but because their agenda was "stop Obama from being re-elected." Obstructionism regardless of the cost to America, pure and simple. Without a filibuster-proof majority in the house, a great many good bills which might have made Obama look good come the election (jobs bills, veterans bills et al) have been blocked, and it was thanks to the Republicans last summer during the Debt Ceiling Crisis that America's credit rating was downgraded. It didn't have to be that way, but because they saw another opportunity to bitch about Obama, they decided the economic impact was worth it.

He wouldn't even have been able to pass bills and enact policies even if he had stolen them from the Tea Party itself! As their one goal is to get him kicked out of office, so long as they get it done, they don't care how much damage they inflict on the country as a whole.

Patriots they ain't.

Oh yeah and Harry Reid is a problem, corrupt as they come (allegedly), although you could probably say similar things of any politician in this country today, but Reid is a special case. Without him the Democrats will be in a much better position if they should command a house majority in the next 4 years.

Edit: Many people have dismissed the idea that Sarah Palin might one day run for high office again, and hopefully they'll be proven right, but the woman herself hasn't ruled it out:

“I’m not sure what the future holds… Que sera, sera,” she said with a coy smile when asked by celebrity gossipers Extra if she had any plans to get back in the ring. She had come close to jumping in the mix this year, before eventually standing down.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/palin-wont-rule-out-future-white-house-run/

I'd love to see Palin go up against Ryan in a nominee debate. That'd be comedy gold for sure.

[Autosaver]

*Law and Order sound plays*

I usually don't care about these ads but BD Wong reprising his "Doctor" role made me happy.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Autosaver

[Patticus]

The VP debate's on any minute now, if anybody's interested in watching the live birth of (hopefully) innumerable new memes, gifs and other miscellaneous funnies.

With any luck, it'll do something to put the brakes on the momentum Romney gathered last week.

[Balding Spider]

I am prepared to be let down once more.

[Dark Qiviut]

And it begins.

And already, we already got a zinger from Biden.

[Balding Spider]

'Bout damn time we got a moderator that knows how to be a moderator.

[Solkia]

Have Romney and Obama had their Pokemon battle yet?

[Balding Spider]

Biden's unleashing his inner political beast tonight. Good lord.

[Dark Qiviut]

Biden's unleashing his inner political beast tonight. Good lord.

I don't know if you're saying that as a good thing or a bad thing.

[Balding Spider]

I don't know if you're saying that as a good thing or a bad thing.

Well I meant it as a good thing at first, he was going straight after Ryan. Now he's just acting like a jerk laughing it all over the place and constantly cutting off Ryan. Unprofessional.

Edit: Though I do like that he's actually facing Ryan.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Balding Spider

[Conando]

Acting like a jerk is how Romney "won" the first debate.

[Autosaver]

I would laugh at Bullshit too.

Edit: Even the moderator is having fun poking at Ryan!!!

Edited October 12, 2012 by Autosaver

[Balding Spider]

Acting like a jerk is how Romney "won" the first debate.

Nobody should take anything from Mittens, EVER.

And besides I thought it was being a better speaker than Obama while simultaneously evading answers and being vague with how he'll make America a greater nation that made him the winner.

[Conando]

People hardly care about the actual policy in debates. All they care about is whether you made the other guy look like an idiot.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Holy hell, I just tuned in and Biden is tearing into the guy.

Okay, so he's being a jerk, but it's still funny.

[Autosaver]

Nobody should take anything from Mittens, EVER.

The problem with Mitt Romney is that he was aggressive while LYING or FLIP FLOPPING his views. So when Barack Obama stated a fact, Mitt Romney said "NO. THAT'S FALSE!"

This time Paul Ryan is spouting a bunch of crap. Joe Biden is CALLING HIM OUT or cutting him off on ideas that DO NOT ADD UP.

I see a big difference here.

LMAO!

Edited October 12, 2012 by Autosaver

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Yeah, I kinda figured Ryan was sounding like a Know Nothing Know-it-all here by the way he was talking.

[Nepenthe]

I just tuned in, and Ryan's giving a talk on how the administration is attacking religious freedom.

Why would you do this with Biden as your opponent?

[Patticus]

Biden calling Ryan's spiel "a load of old malarkey" was hilarious. He clearly wanted to say BS.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Funny how you talk about infringing upon the freedom of religion and your party would do JUST THAT in the other direction, Ryan. You talk about everything Christian, but what about those who aren't christian or even religious?

[Autosaver]

Bill Maher tweet:

'Someone call 911 an old man is beating a child on my TV'

[Nepenthe]

I don't think Ryan has directed any part of his answer to the actual question regarding the negative tone of the campaign. At least Biden had the good sense to call it out as an abomination.

[Autosaver]

Martha was AWESOME!!!

[Conando]

Now that is how you moderate a goddamn debate.