Politics Episode 7: Remake of Episode 4

[HoonDing]

"Again, this is the same bilge spewed by the angry left, from pathetic schmucks like Hodgkinson, to any MSNBC host, all the way up the Democrat leadership. This is who they are. They hate you, they hate Trump, they hate America and they basically want to silence or kill you.

This is who they are."

 

interesting site, this jammie

[Bartimaeus]

Gerrymandering is one my personal issues that I like to speak out against (and do nothing else) every once in a while

 

On paper I kinda like California's system :ducks:

Don't hold your breath: though it would obviously be beneficial for our democracy, from what I understand, it'd be tough to establish political gerrymandering (as opposed to something like racial gerrymandering, which was actually deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in NC recently) as being unconstitutional, and while the more liberal justices may use some...creative reasoning for calling it unconstitutional, it's pretty unlikely that the more conservative justices will. It's something that would have to be fixed in Congress...and given that both parties use it at least some degree, I think that's unlikely to happen any time soon.

[SonicMage117]

What if you're a mixture of republican/democrat? Who says you have to be one of the other? Is someone here going to preach to another "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways"... or be truthful about the pros and cons of each in an unbiased manner.

 

Oh crap... hope I didn't step on any toes with this one. That'd not be my intention

[Hurlshort]

Well I do not mind stepping on toes. Party loyalty is dumb and a terrible way to operate as a voter.

[Guard Dog]

What if you're a mixture of republican/democrat? Who says you have to be one of the other? Is someone here going to preach to another "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways"... or be truthful about the pros and cons of each in an unbiased manner.

 

Oh crap... hope I didn't step on any toes with this one. That'd not be my intention

 

I think finding anyone who is 100% for any political party here would be tough to do. Voting here in the US has become an exercise in choosing the people you despise the least. Last year few people liked our choices but ended up picking the lesser of two evils. Unless they voted for Johnson, Stein, or the other guy whose name I've already forgotten. 

 

You can be a mix of both D & R. You can be neither. That is what I'd call myself. I wouldn't want to cast my vote for either of them. It's like choosing which butt cheek to get a shot in. In the end your political opinions are entirely your own and you come to them through your reading, education, and life experience. They need not conform to any ideology. 

[Guard Dog]

Well I do not mind stepping on toes. Party loyalty is dumb and a terrible way to operate as a voter.

 

There is an exception I think. Voting for members of legislative bodies really has become an exercise in picking a party rather than an individual. Congressmen, State Legislators, etc who are willing to buck the party line are becoming rare because they are punished be getting primaried or having re-election funding withheld. 

[Amentep]

Party loyalty is dumb and a terrible way to operate.

 

Fixed that for you.

[Guard Dog]

In other news last night Republican Karen Handel defeated Democrat John Ossoff in a special election for a vacant congressional seat in Georgia's 6th District. That district includes parts of Atlanta and it's suburbs. The Democrats invested heavily in this one as a referendum on Trump (which is what they said about the ones in Kansas, Montana, and South Carolina too) but the outcome really should not be a surprise. Ossoff out raised Handel by a margin of 5:1. He raised $23M to try to win a job that pays $170k per year. But most of his donations came from outside Georgia, let alone the 6th District. He didn't even live in the district he was running for. He could not even cast a vote for himself. Factor all these things in and consider Georgia is a place where the term "carpetbagger" is still in the vernacular.

[Malcador]

Money is a bit more even than that. Handel had 13 MM spent by PACs.

 

Elections are good for the economy!

[Guard Dog]

Yeah counting Handel's fundraising and all the soft money spent this election ran up a tab of over $40M. If that's not the most ever for a congressional seat it has to be close.

[Wrath of Dagon]

The real problem isn't gerrymandering, it's the corrupt two party system. But since both Republicans and Democrats are invested in it, it won't change unless (very unlikely) the voters realize the problem and there's a mass movement to fix it.

 

 

"Again, this is the same bilge spewed by the angry left, from pathetic schmucks like Hodgkinson, to any MSNBC host, all the way up the Democrat leadership. This is who they are. They hate you, they hate Trump, they hate America and they basically want to silence or kill you.

 

This is who they are."

QFT

[Hurlshort]

Sure, but the angry right is just as bad.

[redneckdevil]

What's shown by both sides of the other is like asking an ex who u cheated or screwed over to tell someone about you.

 

Usually best to ask a comedian for truth.

 

https://youtu.be/oa_z4wMub1U

[Wrath of Dagon]

 

Classic

[SonicMage117]

Ohhh speaking of...

 

My favorite is Fox news because of all the hot women on there... which I think is the real reason people don't like Fox news. They don't like when their journalists to wear short dresses and high heels I guess. My wife doesn't like Fox news either so I guess women are more sensitive to Fox news? I always pondered this....

[Amentep]

That district includes parts of Atlanta and it's suburbs.

 

Pretty sure the 6th district avoids Atlanta's city limits.  Its North Fulton, North DeKalb, and East Cobb counties.

 

He didn't even live in the district he was running for. He could not even cast a vote for himself. Factor all these things in and consider Georgia is a place where the term "carpetbagger" is still in the vernacular.

 

Eh, he lives a mile and a half from the 6th district while his girlfriend is attending Emory medical school.  Supposedly he grew up and lived previously around Northlake, which is currently part of the 6th district but wasn't part of it until 2013, I think.

[ShadySands]

Yeah, pretty sure that I read somewhere that district is solid Republican territory and the only reason it became an arms race was because the Democrat was doing so well and they hoped he could pull off a major upset.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Not that solid, Trump only won by 1.5%. A lot of upper middle class Trump haters, hence competitive.

[Amentep]

Yeah, pretty sure that I read somewhere that district is solid Republican territory and the only reason it became an arms race was because the Democrat was doing so well and they hoped he could pull off a major upset.

 

Its been republican since 1979 when they first elected Newt Gingrich, IIRC.  That said, it used to not have North DeKalb in it but instead part of Walton County.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Amentep
misplaced comma

[Guard Dog]

 

 

He didn't even live in the district he was running for. He could not even cast a vote for himself. Factor all these things in and consider Georgia is a place where the term "carpetbagger" is still in the vernacular.

 

Eh, he lives a mile and a half from the 6th district while his girlfriend is attending Emory medical school.  Supposedly he grew up and lived previously around Northlake, which is currently part of the 6th district but wasn't part of it until 2013, I think.

 

You're right. He did grow up within the district. I read that a little while ago. He was not the stranger the AJC made him out to be yesterday.

[Guard Dog]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-dissolving-illinois-kass-met-20170620-column.html

 

Get out now Gfted1. While you still can!

[Gfted1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ8GeTBa944

 

See everyone, our most benevolent leader is even trying to figure out how to save Mexico some dinero.

[Wrath of Dagon]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-dissolving-illinois-kass-met-20170620-column.html

 

Get out now Gfted1. While you still can!

The only state Venezuelans laugh at.

[Gromnir]

vid

 

See everyone, our most benevolent leader is even trying to figure out how to save Mexico some dinero.

 

mexico paying for the wall is one o' trump's more ridiculous claims... which is kinda impressive given the catalog o' whoppers available. 

 

was talking with a conservative friend o' ours recent 'bout obama eye-roll worthy claims, and there were no shortage o' such.  am knowing gd likes, “if you like your health-care plan, you can keep it.”  our personal faves is, “more young black men languish in prison than attend colleges and universities across America,” and “90 percent of the budget deficit is due to george w. bush’s policies.”  off by a factor of 5x for the college claim and obama's policies were responsible for more than 40% o' total deficit in less than 4 years as President when claim were made. there were much chuckling at obama's expense. the thing is, the good-natured banter ceased when Gromnir pointed to trump's mexican wall payment claims and a half-dozen other doozies such as electoral college and popular vote totals for 2016, trump impact on military contracts negotiated long before he were elected, coal, etc. 

 

...

 

laughing stopped.  weren't funny no more.

 

*shrug*

 

bs has no party affiliation as far as Gromnir is concerned, but US politics has become so polarized and emotionally charged that folks cannot admit that their guy might be full of it. 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps at times such as this, Gromnir sighs relief recognizing just how little the President qualifies as our "leader" in any meaningful sense.  our biggest obstacle when discussing US politics, particular with europeans and asians, is trying to get such folks to understand how much more limited is the National government o' the USA compared to what they know.  is an even bigger problem trying to get folks to understand how a President in our fed government ain't a genuine National leader except regarding public dialogues and possible in war time. 

[Guard Dog]

 

ps at times such as this, Gromnir sighs relief recognizing just how little the President qualifies as our "leader" in any meaningful sense.  our biggest obstacle when discussing US politics, particular with europeans and asians, is trying to get such folks to understand how much more limited is the National government o' the USA compared to what they know.  is an even bigger problem trying to get folks to understand how a President in our fed government ain't a genuine National leader except regarding public dialogues and possible in war time. 

 

Exactly why I get so angry when the President usurps the powers of the legislature and Congress does nothing. We NEED Congress to remember that is is a co-equal branch of the government. That is can and must be a check on the President even when, hell especially when, the President is in the majority party. Sadly there are no Arthur Vandenergs, Tip O'neils, or Newt Gingriches around these days.