General Political Thread

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I was referring to the CIA, NSA, FBI, NRO, etc., not the ridiculous monstrosity that is the DHS. As far as I'm concerned, it should be dissolved.

Another thing we agree on!

Seriously, dude, you and I have a better record together than Congress. Too bad they don't read this thread!

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I think the 95% of the Latino vote is a huge stretch.  Considering Obama won the Latino vote with 70% and the African American vote by 93%.  Yes more Latinos will probably vote for a fellow Latino, but 95% is a huge number.  It is bordering on offense to suggest that the reason someone will vote for someone else based upon race.

 

   

 

 

...riiiiight

[KevinG]

...riiiiight

 

Well it is, the African American votes for a Democrat has been above 80% since 1976 and the Hispanic vote has been above 60% and steadily increasing.  Now to imply that all of a sudden a minority will flip its vote solely based upon the race of the candidate is offensive.  It says that the minority is more interested in the color of the candidate then their politics.  It is not say that there would be no "race bump" but to the level of 95%?  The GOP candidate would have to get 70% more of the Hispanic vote to get to that level.  If the GOP wants the Hispanic vote they will need change their policies.  

 

The reason African Americans voted for Obama was not because of his race it because he spoke to what they needed in a president.  They reason Clinton got 83% and 84% is because he spoke to what they needed in a president.  The reason Dukakis got 84% is because he spoke to what they needed in a president.  It had nothing do with the color of their skin.  

[bleedorange]

I've already said it in this thread.  Ted Cruz is an embarrassment to this state.

[lost highway]

Cruz is a clown.  He doesn't stand a chance.  The GOP platform won't put him up.  It's gonna be a classic (Jeb) or someone that will stay quiet until the primaries.  Remember when Michael Steele was the hot shot?  They love putting someone up as cannon fodder for the media and saving the real deal for game time.

[Tweedling]

Good lord, if Biden is the Dem nominee in 2016, they have serious problems.

I'd love to see ol' sloppy Joe as the nominee! Haha

[lost highway]

It wont happen, but I'll never forget the time he mopped the floor with Paul Ryan's pretentious ass on national television.

[Guest Jules]

Revisionist history.

 

[IRememberDBoon]

when the President is only 3 or 4 months into his second term I don't know why anyone would enter this shitty thread. bye

[Tweedling]

I like this thread.

[lost highway]

Yeah I do too.  I don't really think the main purpose of it has been presidential speculation.

 

I strongly disagree with Hixter on many issues, as well as Tweedling, Jules and a few others.  That's why I've been posting here.  It's a worthwhile exercise in articulating thought.  If everyone on here had the same views as me it would be boring to discuss.  I appreciate spirited debate with people who land on some other part of the spectrum.  Thanks conservatives, you keep this interesting.  Also: you're wrong.  I have proof.

 

For a political thread on a messageboard it has been delightfully free of trolling, misogyny, racism and other pointless crappyness.  Yes, there have been raised tempers, and tinges of classism, but that's what happens when people discuss politics.

[Hixter]

when the President is only 3 or 4 months into his second term I don't know why anyone would enter this shitty thread.

 

Heaven forbid someone should criticize a president.

Thanks conservatives, you keep this interesting.

Who are you calling a conservative? 

 

Honestly, I'm as liberal as I am conservative. Middle of the road, I am.

[KevinG]

Yeah I do too.  I don't really think the main purpose of it has been presidential speculation.

 

I think presidential speculation at this point is pretty silly, though I did bring it up because Ted Cruz because his presidential aspirations were in the news and wanted to get others (ie Texans, etc.) thoughts on the man.  

 

when the President is only 3 or 4 months into his second term I don't know why anyone would enter this shitty thread. bye

 

But yet you decided to post in it.  You have the power to change the conversation.  If you look back over the 600 odd posts I think a relatively small amount has been focused on 2016 presidential race.  So I guess we have to live without your insightful comments, which I am sad about.  

 

 

 

Honestly, I'm as liberal as I am conservative. Middle of the road, I am.

 

Hmmm, I would have pegged you as a libertarian rather than having liberal views, just based upon comments in this thread (I mean you like Ted Cruz for some reason).  I am sure you would peg me as a liberal.  I did spend the late 90's in a pretty right wing frame of mind when I worked for one the most conservative  senators (Rod Grams R-MN) as an aid in DC.  I now considered myself as Progressive and I am pretty left on many issues.    

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I know we have gotten off the NRA in this thread, but here is an interesting article about their recent convention in Houston. I know there are some NRA members in this thread, and I'm not saying anyone who has posted in this thread is anything like these people represented in the article. I just think it's important to know what type of organization you have joined, or at least who some of its members are, and the views they espouse publicly.

 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/05/nazi-bloomberg-zombie-obama-target-at-nra-party.html

[Hixter]

I just think it's important to know what type of organization you have joined, or at least who some of its members are, and the views they espouse publicly.

 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/05/nazi-bloomberg-zombie-obama-target-at-nra-party.html

It would take me about 3 seconds of Googling to find hundreds of photos of Nazi-themed, anti-Bush imagery. Is it offensive? Yes. Is it offensive when Glenn Beck does it? Yes. Is it indicative of of the official policies of the NRA/Democratic party? No. Does it represent the views of the overwhelming majority of the two groups' members? No.

[KevinG]

It would take me about 3 seconds of Googling to find hundreds of photos of Nazi-themed, anti-Bush imagery. Is it offensive? Yes. Is it offensive when Glenn Beck does it? Yes. Is it indicative of of the official policies of the NRA/Democratic party? No. Does it represent the views of the overwhelming majority of the two groups' members? No.

 

But you are leaving out a specific thing here, Glen Beck was a speaker at the convention, thus the NRA is endorsing his views (and accepting of his imagery), unless they say otherwise.  If they have backed off from what Beck said, please let me know.     

 

There are liberals who have done the same thing with people on the right, I do not doubt that.  But I don't know of a major liberal group who have let something like that fly.  So I guess I get to your googling and find a major liberal lobbying organization, that has condoned or accepted such imagery.

[lost highway]

My favorite part of the Beck speech on gun control was "The dark doesn't understand the light."  I'm reminded of something Obi Wan Kenobi once said about speaking in absolutes.

[Sir Stewart]

But isn't "Only a Sith deals in absolutes" an absolute itself?

[KevinG]

But isn't "Only a Sith deals in absolutes" an absolute itself?

 

Another fine example of George Lucas' prowess a writer.  

 

You actually remind me of a bit Stewart did a few days back on the NRA convention where the speakers complained that the anti-gun groups used emotions for their arguments instead of facts and then proceeded to show the very same speakers uses fear as their pro gun arguments.  

 

I would have more respect for the NRA if they were more honest with their members.  

[lost highway]

But isn't "Only a Sith deals in absolutes" an absolute itself?

 

He should have said, "Many Sith's have been known to speak in absolutes frequently.  I'm sure there are exceptions, but there is a pretty clear pattern."

[KevinG]

So this is where we should bring up Bengazi.  As you have probably seen Issa and his committee have brought up another hearing on Bengazi.  While I the events in Bengazi are tragic and 4 people lost their lives I honestly question the motives of the GOP.  It seems they are more interested in making PBO and Hillary Clinton look bad rather then actually solving and preventing future attacks.  

 

Was there a cover up?  If so a cover up of what?  I really fail to see the point of the whole hearings.  

[Hixter]

Was there a cover up?  If so a cover up of what?  I really fail to see the point of the whole hearings.  

The gist of it is that it happened just weeks before the election and the administration knew that it was a September 11th terror attack from the very beginning, but spun it as a garden-variety riot caused by a Youtube video. They kept everybody quiet about it until after the electionn

[KevinG]

The gist of it is that it happened just weeks before the election and the administration knew that it was a September 11th terror attack from the very beginning, but spun it as a garden-variety riot caused by a Youtube video. They kept everybody quiet about it until after the electionn

 

So that is the need for several hearings?  Regardless of why it occurred shouldn't we be more focused on making sure it never happens again?  It is just a politically motivated blame game really nothing more.  

 

And by the way the President called it an act of terror the day after the attack.  Do you really think if the administration really focused on the terror aspect that would have caused PBO to lose?  Really what is the point?

[lost highway]

Yeah, that whole deal has gotten pretty stale.

 

Here's some fresh outrage:

 

http://pitchfork.com/news/50672-catholic-league-disses-david-bowies-the-next-day-video/

 

Apparently David Bowie can't do what he wants with Christian imagery without infuriating the Catholic league.  Apparently they consider calling him "bisexual" a great big dis.

[Tweedling]

I think the best way to prevent something like this from happening again is to find out exactly how it happened in the first place. Even Hillary said, "It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again".

 

I'm sure the families that lost a relative at the embassy don't think it's pretty stale...