Road to the White House 2016

[Namutree]

Since Bioware chose to make Cassandra Pentaghast look like a man and toss a transgender into the game for no good reason, I'm voting for any republican in 2016.

Hopefully one day you'll get over it.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Namutree

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I just found out my former governor is running.

 

This ought to be interesting.

[Namutree]

I just found out my former governor is running.

 

This ought to be interesting.

 

Why does he even bother?

Edited June 6, 2015 by Namutree

[JadedWolf]

I just found out my former governor is running.

 

This ought to be interesting.

 

Hmm, oh, yes. I see him.

 

There appears to be a mob carrying torches and pitchforks behind him. Not a popular man, is he?

 

Sure can run, though.

Edited June 6, 2015 by JadedWolf

[ShadySands]

It's going to be hilarious

[Barothmuk]

I do hope for a Sanders vs Paul as final candidates.

Band-Aid Vs. accelerationism?

 

I support a 3rd way.

 

 

BURN IT ALL DOWN

[Meshugger]

 

I do hope for a Sanders vs Paul as final candidates.

Band-Aid Vs. accelerationism?

 

I support a 3rd way.

 

 

BURN IT ALL DOWN

 

 

Someone has been reading Spengler, i see.

[Barothmuk]

What? No.

 

Man just wants to bring Fallout to life. No other candidate has a better platform than that.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Barothmuk

[Guard Dog]

Right now Rand Paul has my vote.

[BruceVC]

Right now Rand Paul has my vote.

If you don't mind sharing what are the key reasons you will vote for him?

[Guard Dog]

 

Right now Rand Paul has my vote.

If you don't mind sharing what are the key reasons you will vote for him?

 

Lack of acceptable alternatives to tell the truth. Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, & George Pataki are all democrats who think registering as a republican will fool the voters. Kaisch & Santorum are neo-cons and we've had more than enough or their ilk. Rick Perry & Mike Huckabee are pandering to the religious right which (despite my own religious convictions) is not a group I want to have any political clout. Ted Cruz is a neo-con that wants to cut taxes but otherwise toes their line. I really like Carly Fiorina & Ben Carson but unless they come up with a hell of a lot of money & support they don't currently have they have no shot. 

 

Which brings us to the only candidate that has spoke put and actually taken action against the Patriot Act and the other Big Brother BS this current admin and the one before it shoved down our throats. He is the only candidate that has ever championed the 10th Amendment in any situation where the Congress has usurped the state governments by legislative fiat. In short he is the closest thing to a libertarian that is likely to be able to win in my lifetime.

[Rostere]

 

 

Right now Rand Paul has my vote.

If you don't mind sharing what are the key reasons you will vote for him?

 

Lack of acceptable alternatives to tell the truth. Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, & George Pataki are all democrats who think registering as a republican will fool the voters.

 

It's funny you should say that - Bush, Rubio and Graham (if he can get his campaign going) plus Walker are the people I think are the most likely to clinch the nomination.

 

I think that while Paul taking action against Patriot Act might have increased his national appeal, it's probably lowered his appeal among those who count in the Republican primary. I predict the Republican primary will be about who wants to bomb Iran, who wants more interventions in the ME, who supports Israel with the least amount of reservations (same point as the last one, I guess), who takes a "tough" stance on Russia and who supports the maximum amount of surveillance. Those are all points Paul can never win, as far as the Republican establishment is concerned. The Republicans already have Congress, so I predict that the most important questions will be those who are more central to the sphere of the executive branch.

 

IMO Graham would be the perfect Republican candidate - he's moderate enough to not scare away voters dependent on government programs, and in foreign policy matters he just wants to bomb all Muslims. Think of him as GWB and **** Cheney merged into one person. The only thing that speaks against him is that Bush and Rubio would probably resonate better with minorities.

 

The most interesting thing to see is probably if there is any as of yet unpublished scandal which will sink Hillary. Maybe strategically-minded Republicans are holding on to something, in order to snipe Hillary once she gets the Democratic nomination.

[Calax]

The thing about Graham is that the minute he wins the primary, the Republican party has lost it's general election. He's known for being pro "murder the crap out of everyone who disagrees" and the nation in general isn't exactly ready to support his ideal of "Team America! World Police". Rubio could work because of his appeal to minorities but at the same time, if he wants to appeal to the genera population he has to cut back on a few of his harsher policies about the US financial situation.

[Rostere]

The thing about Graham is that the minute he wins the primary, the Republican party has lost it's general election. He's known for being pro "murder the crap out of everyone who disagrees" and the nation in general isn't exactly ready to support his ideal of "Team America! World Police". Rubio could work because of his appeal to minorities but at the same time, if he wants to appeal to the genera population he has to cut back on a few of his harsher policies about the US financial situation.

 

But are you really sure? I'm sure there's a lot of people who disagree with Graham, but I think most of those who do vote Democratic anyway. Maybe you're right though. But I still think his opinions are perfect for winning the nomination - if John McCain could win the nomination in 2008, Graham can win it now. By the time he has won the nomination, he will tone down this aspect of his policies and just pray he can just sail into office as a "compassionate conservative". VP would be Carly Fiorina, probably.

 

Why did John Bolton step down after announcing his interest in a candidacy? Maybe he is eyeing a post in the cabinet of some other candidate.

[BruceVC]

 

The thing about Graham is that the minute he wins the primary, the Republican party has lost it's general election. He's known for being pro "murder the crap out of everyone who disagrees" and the nation in general isn't exactly ready to support his ideal of "Team America! World Police". Rubio could work because of his appeal to minorities but at the same time, if he wants to appeal to the genera population he has to cut back on a few of his harsher policies about the US financial situation.

 

But are you really sure? I'm sure there's a lot of people who disagree with Graham, but I think most of those who do vote Democratic anyway. Maybe you're right though. But I still think his opinions are perfect for winning the nomination - if John McCain could win the nomination in 2008, Graham can win it now. By the time he has won the nomination, he will tone down this aspect of his policies and just pray he can just sail into office as a "compassionate conservative". VP would be Carly Fiorina, probably.

 

Why did John Bolton step down after announcing his interest in a candidacy? Maybe he is eyeing a post in the cabinet of some other candidate.

 

 John Bolton ....

 

Can you imagine him being president of the USA !!!  Remember when he was Bush's public  attack dog and UN ambassador...that was when you saw USA arrogance at its worst .

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

[Guard Dog]

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

[Guard Dog]

 

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

 

I'm leaving for work in 10 min. Check back tonight. I can come up with 4 off the top of my head.

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

 

I'm leaving for work in 10 min. Check back tonight. I can come up with 4 off the top of my head.

 

Later

[Namutree]

 if John McCain could win the nomination in 2008, Graham can win it now. 

That was in the past. The nation is more war weary than before.

[kgambit]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

 

I'm leaving for work in 10 min. Check back tonight. I can come up with 4 off the top of my head.

 

Later

 

 

While we wait for GD, why don't you list the examples of things that you think he did right?   I'll give you Ebola as a free drop but in honesty any US president would have done the same thing.  

Edited June 8, 2015 by kgambit

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

 

I'm leaving for work in 10 min. Check back tonight. I can come up with 4 off the top of my head.

 

Later

 

 

While we wait for GD, why don't you list the examples of things that you think he did right?   I'll give you Ebola as a free drop but in honesty any US president would have done the same thing.  

 

 

You rather give me 3 things he did that have now made the global community dislike the USA even more. I support his foreign policy decisions, you guys don't. The onus is on you to produce examples

[kgambit]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

 

I'm leaving for work in 10 min. Check back tonight. I can come up with 4 off the top of my head.

 

Later

 

 

While we wait for GD, why don't you list the examples of things that you think he did right?   I'll give you Ebola as a free drop but in honesty any US president would have done the same thing.  

 

 

You rather give me 3 things he did that have now made the global community dislike the USA even more. I support his foreign policy decisions, you guys don't. The onus is on you to produce examples

 

 

You claimed "The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better."  I'm asking you to provide examples to back up that claim.    The onus is on YOU to back up your assertion.  I mean didn't you claim some time ago that you liked to debate on facts?  So provide some. 

Edited June 8, 2015 by kgambit

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better. Of course there will always be haters but you just need to dispute what they say or ignore them

 

You & I are definitely reading different news sources Bruce.

 

 

So I am referring to foreign policy decisions that influence global sentiment

 

If you think Obama's foreign policy decisions have been wrong and have made people think less of the USA can you give 3 examples of things you would have done differently 

 

For example would you have ignored the UNSC and bombed Syria, attacked Iran  despite the sanctions bringing  Iran back to the negotiation process, not gone to Africa to help combat Ebola ?  Just 3 examples

 

I'm leaving for work in 10 min. Check back tonight. I can come up with 4 off the top of my head.

 

Later

 

 

While we wait for GD, why don't you list the examples of things that you think he did right?   I'll give you Ebola as a free drop but in honesty any US president would have done the same thing.  

 

 

You rather give me 3 things he did that have now made the global community dislike the USA even more. I support his foreign policy decisions, you guys don't. The onus is on you to produce examples

 

 

You claimed "The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better."  I'm asking you to provide examples to back up that claim.    The onus is on YOU to back up your assertion.  I mean didn't you claim some time ago that you liked to debate on facts?  So provide some. 

 

 

As I said I support his foreign policy decisions, all of them. And if people don't like the USA because of them thats there issue, the decisions were correct

 

So pulling out of Iraq, not attacking Iran and Syria, the ISIS bombing campaign and the killing of Bin Laden to name a few 

[kgambit]

 

 

You claimed "The USA has really done well under Obama to make its global image better."  I'm asking you to provide examples to back up that claim.    The onus is on YOU to back up your assertion.  I mean didn't you claim some time ago that you liked to debate on facts?  So provide some. 

 

 

As I said I support his foreign policy decisions, all of them. And if people don't like the USA because of them thats there issue, the decisions were correct

 

So pulling out of Iraq, not attacking Iran and Syria, the ISIS bombing campaign and the killing of Bin Laden to name a few 

 

 

 

Killing Bin Laden was a covert military action.   Doing so without consulting the Pakistani government first and violating Pakistani territory was a policy decision.  

 

 

Before I begin remember that you asked this:  "give me 3 things he did that have now made the global community dislike the USA even more " 

 

Just remember that this is about what the global community believes and not necessarily my personal opinions, lord knows there are enough things in the US I can take shots at Obama about.

 

You asked for three?  Here's more than a dozen .... (apologies for the wall of text)

 

 1.  Ignored the UNSC resolutions in Libya that justified NATO military intervention by repeatedly calling for Qaddafi's overthrow when the resolutions provided for no such thing.  The unintended consequences was that China and Russia as well as the emerging powers on the Security Council (Brazil, India, and South Africa), are no longer willing to countenance UN Security Council resolutions that could lead to military interventions to overthrow regimes elsewhere in the Arab world. At the very least that made it more difficult for Obama to isolate the Assad regime. 

  

 2.  Ignored calls for increased security at the Benghazi embassy leading to the death of Stevens et al and then tried to cover it up.   (Okay this is really an internal US reaction but the US is part of the global community.)

 

 3.  Promised a secure and stable Iraq after the troop withdrawals.   How did that work out?    Obama didn't even make an effort to negotiate a SOFA extension.  By reducing the proposed troop contingent from the 20,000 man force recommended by the US military to 3,000 he virtually guaranteed that there would be no SOFA.  This despite the fact that Maliki was willing to agree to a smaller 8000 man commitment.  Obama seriously overestimate the combat readiness of Iraq's military.  And he's about to repeat the same mistake in Afghanistan.   The current bombing of ISIS a direct result of Obama's overconfidence in the Iraqi military; it is simply an attempt to correct a massive ****-up of Obama's creation.  

 

 4.  Yemen's government collapsed despite massive US support and the US is now directly involved in the Yemen-Saudi War.  The US is providing targetting information, intelligence and aerial refueling of Saudi airstrikes.  “American military planners are using live intelligence feeds from surveillance flights over Yemen to help Saudi Arabia decide what and where to bomb, U.S. officials said.” These video feeds are being provided via U.S. drones, because American manned aircraft are reportedly not presently flying over Yemeni airspace. In 2011, Hillary Clinton said Washington had "rebalanced" its spending priorities to help create a "unified, stable, democratic and prosperous Yemen where civil society has room to operate but al-Qaeda does not."   Really?  Tell that to the Houthi.   

Source: ForeignPolicy

 

 5.  Obama already-gasping Middle East peace process went from simply being on life support to being declared DOA for the remainder of Obama’s presidency.    Obama pressured Israel for a settlement freeze as a necessary concession for peace and downplayed Palestinian terror, anti-Israel incitement and the terror group Hamas’ role in Palestinian government as impediments to it.   The increasing frustration between the two countries has resulted in US/Israel relations being at an all time low.  So bad in fact, that the US has threatened to abandon Israel at the UN and Israel has threatened unilateral action against Iran if the nuclear talks break down.   

 

 6.  Obama's claims of no boots on the ground are BS.   Obama and JSOC have run thousands of covert operations using Seal Team 6 or CIA/Seal Team 6 joint ops in foreign countries, often without the permission of the host countries.  They are now the go-to force whenever Obama wants to flex his military muscle.   He overuses the force to the extent that the unit had to be tripled in size to accommodate all of the requests for its use.  

(Source: NYTimes)

 

 7.  Ran a world wide program that eavesdropped on the governments of Brazil and Germany (among others) with almost universal condemnation from those leaders.  Then he compounded the issue by failing to adequately secure the information to prevent it from being leaked. 

 

 8.  Issued a red line in the sand ultimatum to Syria with no clear plan to follow it up.  Although he managed to secure destruction of the Syria WMD with Russian help, oh wait he didn't since Assad has used chlorine gas against the Syrian civilian population.  The civil war is still raging and please ask the Jordanians how they are doing coping with the massive refugee influx. 

 

  9. Obama’s plan to pull out all U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2016 after the massive troop surge makes little sense. Afghanistan has just navigated a difficult democratic transition of power (Iraq spring to mind here at all?)  . But it also deprives the United States of operational bases from which to carry out possible strikes against future Al-Qaeda, ISIS and other extremist targets in South Asia. There is no viable alternative location from which to monitor and if necessary attack America’s enemies throughout the Afghan-Pakistani Pashtun belt. 

 

10. Obama has failed to establish a consistent strategy for Pakistan, alternating between embrace and embarrassment in ways that often make our policy as inconsistent and frustrating as the Pakistanis are themselves. It’s hard to figure out even what our stated policy is, much less to implement it.   China is now viewed as Pakistan's greatest ally and not the US.

 

11. Obama's wavering between the Muslim Brotherhood and General Sisi's government have left both feeling betrayed.  Egypt's most powerful man, Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, has said, "You [the U.S.] left the Egyptians; you turned your back on the Egyptians, and they won't forget that." 

 

12. One of Obama's stated goals was resetting the U.S. relationship with the Muslim communities around the world.  Given the failures in Palestine, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Yemen, how do you think that's working out?  The entire middle east is a complete mess.   

 

13. For all of Obama’s success using drones, and he has massively ramped up their use, they are not viewed favorably around the world.   Many feel that the precedents the United States is setting with drone attacks will come back to haunt us. Now is the time to begin to develop an international consensus around rules governing drones and other means of individualized 21st-century warfare.   Opposition to Obama's use of drone strikes appears to be the most significant driver of his drop in worldwide popularity. The United States is the only nation among the 22 surveyed that showed majority support (62 percent) for the use of drone aircraft to strike at targets in the war on terrorism.

 

http://www.christianpost.com/news/global-opinion-of-obama-falls-due-to-use-of-drone-strikes-76610/

 

14.  The IRAN nuclear deal has not yet been finalized and may never be.  As part of the tentative agreement reached in April in Switzerland, Iran was to implement a so-called Additional Protocol giving the IAEA more intrusive access to facilities in Iran. Iranian officials have been giving conflicting messages about what kind of access would be granted to crucial military sites.  Iran is stalling.   Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear capability will lead to reciprocal action by the Saudi government. After all, Saudi Arabia’s long-term financial support for Pakistan’s nuclear program has never been just about Islamic beneficence. Instead, that funding was a down payment for future opportunity.  

 

Source:  http://www.nationalreview.com/article/418410/obamas-ludicrous-middle-east-policy-tom-rogan

 

15.  Only 19% of Turks and 12% of Jordanians offer a favorable opinion of the U.S., and at 10% Egypt gives the U.S. its lowest rating in the survey.

 

  http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/07/14/global-opposition-to-u-s-surveillance-and-drones-but-limited-harm-to-americas-image/

 

Obama's foreign policy is one of soaring rhetoric and undelivered results.   It's a total failure.  

 

http://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2015/05/06/obamas-foreign-policy-realism-has-left-the-middle-east-an-unstable-mess

Edited June 8, 2015 by kgambit