Guard Dog

@Chippy: forums where everyone agrees are incredibly boring. The best thing about this one is there are so many different opinions. Looks at the presidential poll thread.. It's a four way tie between very different candidates. It would not be so good if elections actually turned out that way but for forums where discussion and debate happen that is ideal. I know we all pick on Bruce a lot and he does post some off the wall stuff but he does have a lot to add. Even if you don't agree with him (and most of us don't) you a brief moment he makes you think about something from a different perspective. That is a good thing.

In this election, it is two fold for me. For one, and this is true of any election the US and its policies have a definite effect on the world, so it is something that I feel affects me. The second and more important one is the slow rise of the extreme right in America, of which the Trump phenomenon is a terrible symptom, Regardless of the outcome, this is worrying and it is both a consequence of global forces pushing the population, and the Republican Party pushing an agenda of ignorance among its base over the past 40 years, That the horrible positions taken by Republicans over the past decades in issues like health insurance, women's health, climate change, religion, science, gun control and taxes led to this election. The fact that someone so much in the pocket of corporate interests, like Clinton is, gets my unwavering support is a terrible indictment of Republicans. Republicans talk about how Trump is a terrible break from Republican tradition, but he really is the logical culmination of the party's evolution since the democrats gave them the racist vote on a silver platter. The only thing Trump did to win the primary was go farther in his fear-mongering and extremism than his opponents were willing to go. So the rise of the extreme right in Western civilization interests me because it is in direct opposition to the cushy, relatively safe life we have enjoyed since the extreme right was soundly defeated in WW2. OK, most of the issues you just mentioned affect no one outside the United States. How can health insurance, gun control, etc. seem so horrible when they have no impact on you? I'm not picking on you Pidesco, I'm genuinely curious. As for the current political passions of the right, I wouldn't worry about it. In the US both passion and politics are cyclical. This too shall pass and sooner than you think. The reason why we have Trump now is there were like 17 candidates and support was spread so thin between them for so long by the time there were few enough to coalesce it was already too late and all we were left with was frick and frack, I mean Trump and Cruz. The truth is the base was not going to tolerate Republican lite and like 10 of the candidates met that description. Had Jeb Bush not damaged Rubio, had Scott Walker not been damaged by Christies and others and had there been 6-7 fewer candidates before Iowa & NH this would have worked out differently. Remember Trump was not winning more than 30% of any vote. But with 10-17 names on the ballot that was more than enough. Besides, Presidential candidates say a lot of things and promise a lot of things they can't do. As I said before, a President is not all powerful. They are not even all THAT powerful when Congress controls the money. That's why you heave read me saying no matter who wins I hope congress is controlled by the other party.

Clinton and Trump are both looking like heavy handed, big government authoritarian types to me. That they want to use (abuse) the power of the government to do different things does not make it OK. No matter how much you might agree with what a President is doing, if they are exceeding the power of the Government or their office as defined in the US Constitution it is a very bad thing. The 10th Amendment has been virtually nullified by Federal Government overreach. This is NOT a good thing. It doesn't matter if the outcome of the overreach is considered good if it means accepting that the political power of the State and people is lessened and the Federal Government is strengthened. The ends don't justify the means. The only way to "fix" this problem is to elect people whose very political philosophy is founded on rolling back government power. The Republicrats and Dempublicans like power. The will not give it up on their own. It has to be taken away from them. The only way to do that is be electing someone else. The only political party right now that meets that description is the Libertarian Party. And in 2 of the big 5 polls their candidate is within the margin of error to be in the debates.

Well, really who is in the White House used to not matter so much as who controlled Congress. Our government is supposed to be designed so each branch is a check on the other. The President is a check on the Supreme Court, the Court is a check on the Congress and the Congress is a check on the President. Unfortunately Congress has rolled over on it's back and pissed on itself these last 16 years as the last two Presidents did whatever the f--k they pleased. Obama in particular has done a great deal of damage to the balance of power between the Executive and Legislature. That imbalance my soon be in the hands of Donald Trump. Not good. If a Trump Presidency causes Congress to wake up and remember who and what they are and to reassert themselves it may be the greatest service Trump could ever give his country. I'm not holding my breath though. The President is not supposed to be the driving force of the USA by themselves. In foreign policy then yes. The President of the United States plays a huge role in that. But as far as the ability to shape the country the President has far less power than most folks realize. Although now they will have far more power than they should. Until Congress remembers that are congress.

This is an interesting (albeit very long) article on what an American journalist thinks about what European journalists thing about the US election: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/09/16/postcard_from_europe_how_the_us_election_plays_there_131807.html Personally if I want to know what Europeans think about anything I'll come to a forum like this and ask them.But that's me. You know there is one thing I am always surprised about. How interested everyone is in the electoral process here. How invested they get in the outcome. Don't get me wrong, I follow politics in a lot of other nations but it's more out of curiosity than anything else. I've never been personally invested in which party ends up forming the government in Canada, or Great Britain, or elsewhere.

Well the President could not eliminate gerrymandering if they even wanted to. It's state governments that draw district lines. They could and would tell any federal intrusion to bugger off.

I was surprised Jill Stein got so many votes. I figured KP but that's about it.

The last rabbit died today. I bought them for cooking and they both die of old age. The best laid plans and so on... I was thinking of using the enclosure for chickens. It would be nice to have fresh eggs around.

Well I do hunt occasionally. But only for food. I've never trophy hunted and have never made trophies on any thing I've hunted or caught. But that's just my thing. As long as they are obeying the law and not behaving in a way that is cruel or endangering anyone else I'd say "who cares". Some of the worst evil acts in this world begin when one person figures they know better how another person ought to be living.

I'm curious who is showing love to Darrell Castle. But I wouldn't ask. Asking who you voted for is considered impolite in the US.

The Manchester Union Leader newspaper in New Hampshire has endorsed Gary Johnson for President.: http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/14/politics/gary-johnson-joe-mcquaid-union-leader-new-hampshire/

When Jake Smith was 17 years old he was a groundskeeper at Lake Olmstead Stadium in Augusta GA. That is the home of the Augusta Greenjackets of the South Atlantic League of minor league baseball. They are a "low A" affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. One fateful day he begged the Giants staff at Augusta for a pitching workout. They granted him one and he was drafted by the Giants in the 48th round the following year. 48th rd picks usually do not see an inning in the majors so it was no surprise when the Giants released him after reaching as high as AA in Richmond VA. But that is not the end of the story. He was picked up again by the Padres on a 10 day contract. Basically it's what they call a Look-and-See contract. They sent him to the Arizona Summer League, as far away from the Majors as you can get in affiliated ball. But he succeeded. They promoted him to San Antonio and he still pitched well. Finally after the MiLB seasons ended he was called up to a Padres team long out of the running and ravaged by trades and injuries. But it didn't matter he was in the Show at last. And then he got his first call to the mound for the Padres on Tuesday night. He was nervous at first and walked the first two batters he faced. He then forced a pop fly out and a double play grounder to retire the side and earn his first Major League win.... against the San Francisco Giants. How can you not be romantic about baseball?

I had another meme in mind but that one was better.

That cannot affect Presidential elections. Congressional elections however.... different story.

Unlike in November this poll is open to all. Even crazy Russians with a tank fetish and South African SJWs! Here we love you all!

I figured we'd limit it to candidates that can get to 270. The Constitution Party is a strech because they are only on the ballot in 34 States. They would need to run the table to win.

OK folks we have been discussing the election for over a year. We are down to less that 60 days until the election and early voting in the US begins today.Who has your vote? Please limit discussion of the current election thread. This is for polling only. Thanks!

Johnson & Weld took out a full page ad in the NY Times to publish an open letter to the Commission for Presidential Debates. It's worth a look: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/7950131d6fef31d276b1efbe8/files/Johnson_Weld_Open_Letter.pdf

Vin Scully has said no to doing any post season games. His last game as the Dodgers play by play will be October 2, I do hope it's broadcast nationally. I'd love to hear him one more time. I'm regretting not renewing my MLB Field Pass subscription. http://m.mlb.com/news/article/201163088/vin-scully-announces-final-game-will-be-oct-2/

I.... just can't gin up an interest in this. Sorry Oby. I just filed this one in the "don't care" file.

I TOTALLY would have done that if I were him!

It's a hell of a thing. There were three candidates (one Democrat and two Republicans) I thought might make a decent President that actually ran this year. They were all out by Super Tuesday, or near enough. I can think of maybe 10 more, 8 republicans and two Democrats who have the intelligence, temperament, and leadership for the job. None of them seem interested because they have never even mentioned running. That's just 13 political figures I think would be good for the job right now from the two major parties. From the LP I can only think of two and we have one of them now. And unless something miraculous happens the 45th President will be either Clinton or Trump. Everytime I think of that I feel the urge to stockpile more ammunition and canned goods.

I would take this with a grain of salt. Or a whole can. If they were polling Biden vs Trump word of that would have gotten around.