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2016 American Presidential Campaign

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Another upset in Florida would be pretty amazing. Grabbing two of the largest swing states two weeks in a row after being doomed to lose WILL shift the campaign in a big way.


treezy z said:
Higher education needs to be defunded and lose tax exempt status. (BTW my autocorrect wouldn't let me type defunded 3 times in a row, usually I choose when to autospell.)
....

College these days is teaching kids not to think for themselves or question authority. It is the belly of the beast. Shut it down.
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I'm sure you were an exemplary student.

My first class was Ethics, which was a requisite for a sociology pathway. There were no right answers or wrong answers, so one literally had to think for themselves. It was a bit like math, it didn't matter which position you took, it's how well you can defend your reason for taking it. Your grde depended literally on how well you could argue against your professor.

You're a smart dude though, I can tell. More so than these stupid liberal fasc-cats. So why are you "out there grindin'" instead of being successful?
 
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Whoa, surprised that woman just admitted taking her 'little one' on drug runs with her. It was both courageous and cringeworthy.

Nazi Socialism- anti-individualist, racist, homophobic, nationalist, xenophobic, ethnocentric, etc

Democratic Socialism- opposite
 
Anyone who thinks marxism or socialism had anything to do with Naziism simply hasn't read their history. The jews weren't their first target. The Burning of the Reichstag wasn't blamed on plain ol' jews. Marxists and socialists (a long with labor unions, labor power over capital, collective action, and democratic participation) were the original enemy of Hitler's version of the Nazi Party.
 
Bardeaux said:
Anyone who thinks marxism or socialism had anything to do with Naziism simply hasn't read their history. The jews weren't their first target. The Burning of the Reichstag wasn't blamed on plain ol' jews. Marxists and socialists were the original enemy of Hitler's version of the Nazi Party.
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I was referring to that other guy. Yea, Marxist ideals have never really existed in reality. Better off just saying Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Nazism, and leave the words communism and socialism out of it.
 
Hillary Clinton has DEFINITELY been coached by speech professionals leading up to this town hall. Her tone and pace of speech is wayyyyyyy more similar to Bernie's than it's ever been in any town hall or debate. Listen to how slow and paused her words are. She's literally trying to mimic Bernie's way of speaking.

A lot of people don't realize presidential candidates have people on the payroll whose only job is to teach them how to speak, what tone to use, what colors in their wardrobe project certain emotions, etc.

Hillary Clinton sounds COMPLETELY different tonight than she did a couple days ago in the last town hall. Go Youtube it and then listen to this one and you'll laugh.
 
Ho-ly fu-cking SHIT. Hillary Clinton just said "We need to shut down private prisons and stop Democrats from taking money from the private prison industry."

ANYONE that knows anything about Hillary Clinton knows her campaign has taken millions from the private prison industry. My head is literally about to explode. SNL's video from last night appears to be prophetic. I feel like I'm living in a madhouse if someone, anyone, doesn't acknowledge how insane Hillary's "transformation" has been tonight. She's completely given up on her platform and is trying to sounds like Bernie to draw his supporters. This entire campaign by her up until tonight was more focused on blowing past Bernie and arguing her strengths against the Republicans. Tonight proves that her campaign has completely refocused on beating Bernie because they consider him a threat.

 
Trump will 'look in to' paying legal bills for man who punched protester

By Kevin Robillard

03/13/16 10:22 AM EDT

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, said Sunday he would consider paying the legal bills of an elderly man who was arrested after sucker-punching a protester at a Trump rally in North Carolina and defended his claims a man who rushed the stage at a Trump rally was linked to the Islamic State.

“We’ll see,” Trump said on NBC’s “Meet the Press. “I’m going to take a look at it.”

Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 78-year-old John McGraw on Friday after video of him sucker-punching a young black man who had been protesting at the rally rippled across the Internet. McGraw told “Inside Edition” he didn’t regret throwing the punch because the man “might be with a terrorist organization.”

Trump said he doesn’t condone violence but asserted that the punch might have been justified because the victim flipped off the crowd before the punch was thrown.

“From what I understand, he was sticking a certain finger up in the air,” Trump said. “And that is a terrible thing to do in front of somebody that frankly wants to see America made great again.”

NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Trump about the legal bills after quoting Trump telling a crowd he would pay for the legal bills of anyone who attacked a protester. Trump said his stance was justified at the time because protesters were threatening to throw tomatoes at him.

“Now, if you get hit in the face with a tomato, let me tell you, with somebody with a strong arm, at least, let me tell you, it can be very damaging. Not good,” he said, adding later: “I have no objection to what I said. I would say it again. People are there doing harm, you have to go and you have to use equal force.”

The billionaire businessman and entertainer also defended his spurious claims the man who rushed the stage at a Trump rally in Kansas City was tied to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Thomas Dimassimo of Fairborn, Ohio, was quickly arrested after he jumped a barrier at a Trump rally and rushed the stage. Later Saturday, Trump tweeted out a video of the man at an earlier protest overlaid with Arabic text and music. But that video appears simply to be an altered version of an original video that didn’t include any Arabic. And no law enforcement agency has indicated Dimassimo has any ties to terrorism.

After Todd confronted him about the video, Trump said all he knew about the situation was “what’s on the Internet.”

“He was dragging a flag along the ground and he was playing a certain type of music. And supposedly, there was chatter about ISIS,” Trump said. “Now, I don’t know. What do I know about it? All I know is what’s on the Internet.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/...s-for-man-who-sucker-punched-protester-220685

This is the man they're talking about for those that don't know...

donald-trump-rally-punch-protest.gif


Clearly it was justified since the guy flipped the crowd off while walking away. And remember, if you protest a Trump rally, you might be tied to a terrorist organization. 8(
 
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GenericMind said:
And once they do, they have the perfect road map of the individual counties all over the country that need to targeted with higher quality education simply by looking at which counties voted heavily for Trump.
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I've always said this country is in dire need of a second round of Radical Reconstruction :-)
 
Looks like clinton had all those questions ahead of time. It was like she was giving a scripted speech. In fact, the whole thing seemed staged. Makes me sick.

Heres a guy that was wrongly imprisoned for 34 years and on death row, he says he is undecided.
Heres a anti-fracking activist, she says she is undecided.
Heres a person that wants major criminal justice reform, she is leaning towards clinton.

LOL.
 
Reading what the average person on the street thinks about the candidates and policy has convinced me that it was a mistake to let everyone vote. The world is a more complicated place than it was in 1776 and too much is at stake for all of us.
mal3volent said:
Looks like clinton had all those questions ahead of time. It was like she was giving a scripted speech. In fact, the whole thing seemed staged. Makes me sick.

Heres a guy that was wrongly imprisoned for 34 years and on death row, he says he is undecided.
Heres a anti-fracking activist, she says she is undecided.
Heres a person that wants major criminal justice reform, she is leaning towards clinton.

LOL.
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My old man often plays the devil's advocate with me by saying the "two party system" entrenched in a lot of western countries (like United States and Australia) isn't always a bad thing, because by enforcing a some kind of "moderate", ideal/relative t"status quo" ideologies in government, it keeps the more dangerous extremes under control.

In a sense i think there is an element of truth to this argument - usually.

It frustrates me because a mechanism like this usually prevents some of the more ambitious and progressive ideas that interest me from findind any traction in the mainstream and governing parties.

The further left and right get much more electoral support in countries experiencing crisis.

From the far right in Greece to the numerous democratically elected leftist regimes in South America over the years (not to mention the political environment that led to the democratic election of Hitler) - countries with reasonably stable economies and social situations tend to be self-moderated from either extreme.
As someone with views that stray into the far-left end of the spectrum at times, i can find this 2 party monopoly on what passes as "acceptable policy" ridiculous and restrictive - but as it works to suppress fascists from taking power, it is something i can live with.

The current US elections are an interesting reflection of what is happening in the country, if viewed from this perspective - assuming that it carries any weight.

Most Presidential nominations and to a lesser extent, elections are a battle for the middle, so-called centrist ground.

Not this time - especially if the observation that Hillary is aping some of sanders' tactics.
Very interesting - and a sign of the times for sure.

Is this the death of neo-liberalism?
 
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I agree with him on the two party system keeping less mainstream ideas at bay. I think the wage disparity and overall economy is stagnant enough in America right now to fire up the electorate. I do love how people in the media keep insisting the economy is in great shape with skewed statistics and the elecorate has risen up and said nah whether it be supporting Bernie or trump.
 
Droppersneck said:
I agree with him on the two party system keeping less mainstream ideas at bay. I think the wage disparity and overall economy is stagnant enough in America right now to fire up the electorate. I do love how people in the media keep insisting the economy is in great shape with skewed statistics and the elecorate has risen up and said nah whether it be supporting Bernie or trump.
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I couldn't agree more.
 
mal3volent said:
Looks like clinton had all those questions ahead of time. It was like she was giving a scripted speech. In fact, the whole thing seemed staged. Makes me sick.

Heres a guy that was wrongly imprisoned for 34 years and on death row, he says he is undecided.
Heres a anti-fracking activist, she says she is undecided.
Heres a person that wants major criminal justice reform, she is leaning towards clinton.

LOL.
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It wasn't just Clinton. I googled the woman who was called on to ask Sanders about drug policy and found a video of her giving a speech at a TEDx event.

NSFW:

NSFW for size
 
I know i shouldn't be surprised by this.

In fact, i'm surprised i didn't see it coming. Maybe i give people too much credit.

But how on earth did this guy - famous for flashing around bis absurd wealth, for obnoxiously lording it over people and building flashy, tacky crap to cement his "elite" credentials - manage to fleece these people into thinking he's on their side?

Is it really as easy as making crass, idiotic generalisations to get large numbers of people to think "hey, he's one of us!"
Is that how these formulate their personal identies?

I'm not shocked - i don't even care - but it fascinates me, from a sociological perspective, how this guy has gained a support base so committed that no amount of lies, inconsistencies, contradictions or laughable gaffs can apparently trouble them or their loyalty.

Honestly - is (not even thinly-veiled) racism so appealing to these Trump groupies? Or some other part of his rousing oratory that appeals to their anti-PC fetish?

Or does it have more to do with the amount of social problems caused by the economy - like high cost of housing and healthcare - and unemployment, creating so many disenfranchised working class people that

a) the anti-immigration, isolationist, i'll-waterboard-them-and-a-helluva-lot-worse rheotoric has struck a chord? Us-against-them populism and racist scapegoating always seems to play well amongst certain people when times are tough. Trump's offering the easy/simple/batshit crazy answers these people can relate to. Is that it?
Or
b) the same disillusioned people are so fed up with polished career politician professional bullshit artists - and are so jaded and tired of the promises false sincerity - with a seething resentment for Washington - that they're deliberately (but possibly not consciously?) seeking out the biggest, rudest, meanest, most uncouth leering bastard they can find - and throwing their support behind him.
Upon realising that a lot of other folk have exactly the same idea, they have become politically active, and taken to enthusiastically punching hecklers at Trump's rallies in the face. Is that it?

Help me out here guys. I'm trying to understand this phenomenon.
I'd love to just write it off as being "some cultural thing" i couldn't possibly understand - but sadly this tendency of some people to proudly support the candidate most obviously bound to screw them over is not confined to Trump - or the USA.

He obviously has some incredibly sharp advisors and strategists working on this campaign - and is engaging in a successful and classic example of "dogwhistle politics".
I suppose i'm most interested in which of those dog whistle bait are attracting the most bites.
Is it the mexico thing, with the wall and the militant line regarding illegal migrants?
Is it the muslim thing?
Is it the general nationalistic grandstanding - the "i don't fucking care about politics, but this guy makes me feel proud to be american" posturing?
Is it his general obstinance and refusal to play by the rules that appeals to people who don't respect the federal government, so they like seeing someone treats the process - and the customary formalities and generally respectful tone of debates - with
Is it that the expectation that politicians are liars is so accepted that people find it refreshing to have a candidate who makes no effort whatsoever to conceal his fraudulent claims, his unsubstantiated assertions, contradictions, or shaky reasoning?
Is it that people are so disenfranchised that they want to elect a President that has absolutely no dignity, grace or charm - to create a spectacle, to make a point...or because it's finally a candidate they're familiar with thanks to his tireless work on reality television and in the cause of self promition. Compared to these other nobodies, Trump has instant brand recognition. Right?

Maybe i've just written a list of some of tbe factors contributing to his popularity.
Perhaps he has some qualities that i've missed, ignored or glossed over.

Or does he tap into that undying (despite so much evidence to the contrary) irrational-aspirational instinct that sadly drives poor people into supporting the candidate that most obviously represents the interests of the wealthy - because, ever optimistic - they like to see themselves as being in that class of rich folk themselves some day?
And why vote for a President representing the socioeconomic group you're hopelessly stuck in, when you can vote - in The Land of Opportunity™ - for the candidate who has the best interests of the elite group rich folk you'd like to belong to instead?
Hell, you'd kick yourself if you struck it rich just after voting for the candidate pledging to help poor people.
 
GWyK5dP.jpg

No, this isnt inthe US and has nothign to do with the current election. This photo was taken in Port au Prince 4 years ago and is in a paywalled new york times article. Even Haitians hate this woman and for good reasons.

It's hard to believe somebody can make a rotten place like Haiti even worse, but many Haitians believe that Hillary has done just that. First is her handling of earthquake aid. Despite her self-praising publicity campaign claiming the opposite, US aid, controlled by mrs clinton as secretary of state, to Haiti after the earth quake was poorly managed and may have done more harm than good. Supplies and money weren't distributed properly, housing was handled poorly, and pushy UN people actively disrupted local efforts to self-organize and rebuild.

If that wasn't bad enough, notice the protester's sign. In 2012, Hillary Clinton was involved in a corrupt election over there. She pressured the president of Haiti to let her friend into the country so he could run for president. Her friend won. The election results are suspected to be fraudulent. As president, he has been at least as corrupt as his predecessor. He gives special deals to his friends and family and supporters. Even worse, Hillary clinton's brother has been working there as a "venture capitalist" and is benefiting from that family connection.
 
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