Random Politics Thread

[The Cat]

 

[The Cat]

 

[ceecee]

Actually plenty depends on how exactly the case(s) will end. However if there is a flop in proving the charges and he is released all of this will surely and heavily backfire in polling stations. The Dems are risking here much more than some people realize. Especially since all of this probably solved the issue of Republican primary.


They don't need some grand landslide in 2024, plus lean D states are back-ups.
As I said: this is totally doable on new map if we observe from Republican side (especially against people like mayor Pete).

So if the charges fail or they have mild watered down effects the Dems are totally over their heads given their likely candidates and state of economy.

Secretary Mayor Pete isn't going to be running for Debbie Stabanow's senate seat, that's a certainty. (Elisa Slotkin is, and her redrawn district is much more favorable to Dems although I'm not sure who will run for her seat. Gretchen can appoint but I don't even know who she would.) He should run in his own district at the state level or even county level - Grand Traverse is the largest county in Northern MI.

 

[ceecee]

Many are saying that this is the moment when DeSantis lost the primary race. So if the party doesn't remove Trump that could easily be the case. Since even before this he was around 50% of the vote and partisan backlash is certain to happen over this. What means that it is basically on Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin to decide what happens in the General election.

I'd rather run against Trump, not DeSantis.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Secretary Mayor Pete isn't going to be running for Debbie Stabanow's senate seat, that's a certainty. (Elisa Slotkin is, and her redrawn district is much more favorable to Dems although I'm not sure who will run for her seat. Gretchen can appoint but I don't even know who she would.) He should run in his own district at the state level or even county level - Grand Traverse is the largest county in Northern MI.

I was talking about presidential general election. In other words if the charges fail to put Trump behind bars for years democrats probably have a candidate problem. Since they don't really have a person that will go against Trump that will look like a victim. This is especially the case if Biden becomes simply too old and too slow. I said Mayor Pete in a way just to show stereotypical establishment person that isn't really electable but it might be replacement.

Plus if they lock up Trump you will get DeSantis that is probably even bigger threat in the general. Especially if he goes in the direction of avenger "They took our president but I will defeat them across the country and keep the legacy of our president alive! ". You just said that you would rather run against Trump. Ok, but then what is up with the charges against Trump.


The thing is that I am simply not getting the impression that the Dems know what they are doing. If you charge the guy START with something serious, Jan. 6th or election interference. The porn star thing from 7 years ago looks like there is a deficit of arguments (what evidently isn't the case).

 

[The Cat]

 

[Coriolis]

For the life of me I can't understand how the focal point of the Nashville school shooting is that the shooter was trans, as opposed to yet another instance of kids being massacred in a school shooting.

Is that low-hanging transphobia fruit just too good to resist for them? Imagine wanting to score culture war points that badly.

Let's see how much right-wingers support gun rights now, when LGBT people are using them. This person was trans-male, but the majority from what I have seen are trans-female. That means assigned male at birth, lived their lives as men up until transitioning. Many are veterans, having joined up in a futile attempt to "be a man", as the world around them insisted they were. Pethaps to gain their fathers' approval finally, or simply to keep lying to themselves. That means they are comfortable with firearms, many still having personal ones. And they won't sit on their hands when someone comes for them or their family. Sound familiar?

Violence is not the answer. The aforementioned trans folks agree as well. Even the most justifiable outrage is not addressed by shooting innocents, especially children. But when it comes to self-defense it is quite another story.

 

[Virtual ghost]

How Trump’s Indictment Could Affect The 2024 Election

 

[Virtual ghost]

Asa Hutchinson announces presidential bid, says Trump should withdraw from race


One more.

 

[Red Herring]

The Wagner Group claiming Bakhmut as "legally ours" sounds like somebody pulling a jogger behind a bush in the park, knocking her unconscious and raping her to then claim she's "legally my wife".

I really hope it's a mistranslation from the Russian (but have heard them quoted that way both in English and German).

 

[Virtual ghost]

The Wagner Group claiming Bakhmut as "legally ours" sounds like somebody pulling a jogger behind a bush in the park, knocking her unconscious and raping her to then claim she's "legally my wife".

I really hope it's a mistranslation from the Russian (but have heard them quoted that way both in English and German).

Bakhmut is in Donetsk region and that region was annexed by Russian law. It is another matter that pretty much no body recognizes the annexation.
However if you only believe in Russian law then the statement makes sense.

 

[The Cat]

what a soft ball interview.
How about you ask her the follow up question: "How does being transgender automatically sexualize someone?"
But no, you want to ask her cant you make your point without name calling.
You're interviewing a fascist and you're acting like this is just tea on tuesdays with 60 minutes.​

 

[ceecee]

what a soft ball interview.
How about you ask her the follow up question: "How does being transgender automatically sexualize someone?"
But no, you want to ask her cant you make your point without name calling.
You're interviewing a fascist and you're acting like this is just tea on tuesdays with 60 minutes.​

There’s nothing wrong with interviewing and profiling controversial, even despicable people, but this framing is shit. There’s also a fine line between engaging provocative people and platforming stupid. This is platforming stupid. Oh and they made sure to add in the lib civility fetish.

 

[The Cat]

There’s nothing wrong with interviewing and profiling controversial, even despicable people, but this framing is shit. There’s also a fine line between engaging provocative people and platforming stupid. This is platforming stupid. Oh and they made sure to add in the lib civility fetish.

right? Like I can see so many ways this interview could have benefited the viewer, and it wouldnt have even been hard, but to me it just looked like two people who think they're making the other person look bad while making themselves look good. I find it very hard to believe the mainstream media is unaware of the alt right playbook, but after watching this interview Im not so sure. The libs need to stop underestimating these people or believing they have the same fetish for civility. All this showed me is that the MM and libs think we're playing a different game than is actually being played, though there is a fine line between confusion and collaboration if all they're concerned about is civility. People can say all kinds of civil poetic shit as they kill you slowly. I wonder if people were this concerned with civility in the 1930's...

 

[The Cat]

 

[Virtual ghost]

What You Need To Know About The Wisconsin And Chicago Elections

More on two important incoming races.

 

[Stigmata]

I'd rather run against Trump, not DeSantis.

I've been kinda going back and forth on this one: On one hand, DeSantis has the full power of the Republican establishment behind him, yet time has shown repeatedly that the establishment is often out of step with their constituency.

I'm just not sure DeSantis has what it takes to make it in a general, especially if other candidates actually challenge him and just not move out of the way for him to go head to head with Trump in the primaries -- DeSantis, despite being the fiercest culture warrior the right has championed thus far, has like negative charisma. At least with Trump, despite how terrible of a person and the obvious conman that he is, you can see the appeal of a supposed Billionaire outsider going against the establishment (despite substantively governoring as the ultimate establishment pawn), targeting an audience of Americans that have largely felt ignored by and left behind by the American political machine, and have had jobs outsourced and their local industries rendered all but obsolete. If you go back and watch the 2016 Republican primaries, it is easy to see how Trump won.

That said, all DeSantis has is posturing and being ornery with reporters, all while seemingly being outmatched anytime he is effectively challenged (even Charlie Crist, who was the most milquetoast candidate ever, left DeSantis speechless several times throughout their debates when he gave him pushback), all while having none of the charisma or showmanship that helped Trump cultivate his cult of personality. DeSantis has also now formally taken a side in the wrong direction of the abortion issue with Florida's recent passing of a 6-week abortion ban (don't think it has been signed into law but there is no indication that he isn't going to sign it), coupled with his anti-marijuana stance, and all of his authoritarian, discriminatory laws he has passed. Trump, for all his faults, still knows how to work the media circuit and keep the attention on him, one way or the other, whereas anytime the spotlight is on DeSantis he just comes across as an unlikable asshole.

Ultimately I think the Trump cult is loyal to Trump himself and not necessarily the Republican party, and DeSantis doesn't have the social acumen to galvanize them in the opposite direction from Trump.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I've been kinda going back and forth on this one: On one hand, DeSantis has the full power of the Republican establishment behind him, yet time has shown repeatedly that the establishment is often out of step with their constituency.

I'm just not sure DeSantis has what it takes to make it in a general, especially if other candidates actually challenge him and just not move out of the way for him to go head to head with Trump in the primaries -- DeSantis, despite being the fiercest culture warrior the right has championed thus far, has like negative charisma. At least with Trump, despite how terrible of a person and the obvious conman that he is, you can see the appeal of a supposed Billionaire outsider going against the establishment (despite substantively governoring as the ultimate establishment pawn), targeting an audience of Americans that have largely felt ignored by and left behind by the American political machine, and have had jobs outsourced and their local industries rendered all but obsolete. If you go back and watch the 2016 Republican primaries, it is easy to see how Trump won.

That said, all DeSantis has is posturing and being ornery with reporters, all while seemingly being outmatched anytime he is effectively challenged (even Charlie Crist, who was the most milquetoast candidate ever, left DeSantis speechless several times throughout their debates when he gave him pushback), all while having none of the charisma or showmanship that helped Trump cultivate his cult of personality. DeSantis has also now formally taken a side in the wrong direction of the abortion issue with Florida's recent passing of a 6-week abortion ban (don't think it has been signed into law but there is no indication that he isn't going to sign it), coupled with his anti-marijuana stance, and all of his authoritarian, discriminatory laws he has passed. Trump, for all his faults, still knows how to work the media circuit and keep the attention on him, one way or the other, whereas anytime the spotlight is on DeSantis he just comes across as an unlikable asshole.

Ultimately I think the Trump cult is loyal to Trump himself and not necessarily the Republican party, and DeSantis doesn't have the social acumen to galvanize them in the opposite direction from Trump.

I am getting impression that you weren't paying attention.

The last time Trump ran in Florida he won the state by 3 points, while the last time DeSantis ran in Florida he won the state by 19 points.


In other words he isn't some dude that is rambling and is a TV star that wants to look smart by talking random shit (even if many people love just that). In other words he knows how to govern and use institutions to his advantage. Therefore because of that he has plenty of wins that the base likes. Also his culture wars leave a mark and they aren't just pure talk. He managed to wipe out some democratic districts from the state map and he managed to defend the map. He did plenty of stuff that makes him an asshole in your book but the base loves it. If you want a show Trump is your guy, however if you want talking points actually done on time then DeSantis is your guy. His strength is in methodology of work and that can be easy to miss if you don't know where to look. Forget TV crap, start researching what the guy has done and what he is advocating.


Therefore if he manages to pass that Trump wall he will be quite the opponent to the Dems in 2024. So ceecee would rather take Trump due to his baggage and lack of focus.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Congress Today Is Older Than It's Ever Been

 

[ceecee]

I am getting impression that you weren't paying attention.

The last time Trump ran in Florida he won the state by 3 points, while the last time DeSantis ran in Florida he won the state by 19 points.


In other words he isn't some dude that is rambling and is a TV star that wants to look smart by talking random shit (even if many people love just that). In other words he knows how to govern and use institutions to his advantage. Therefore because of that he has plenty of wins that the base likes. Also his culture wars leave a mark and they aren't just pure talk. He managed to wipe out some democratic districts from the state map and he managed to defend the map. He did plenty of stuff that makes him an asshole in your book but the base loves it. If you want a show Trump is your guy, however if you want talking points actually done on time then DeSantis is your guy. His strength is in methodology of work and that can be easy to miss if you don't know where to look. Forget TV crap, start researching what the guy has done and what he is advocating.


Therefore if he manages to pass that Trump wall he will be quite the opponent to the Dems in 2024. So ceecee would rather take Trump due to his baggage and lack of focus.

It's rarely discussed but DeSantis was a naval officer, attorney and the legal advisor to Seal Team One . He was a lawyer at Gitmo and well...you all can read below.

Former Guantanamo prisoner: Ron DeSantis watched me being tortured

Mansoor Adayfi says the brutal force-feeding methods employed on Guantanamo prisoners like him amounted to torture. He tells Richard Hall that Ron DeSantis watched it happen

www.independent.co.uk

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/19/ron-desantis-guantanamo-bay-force-feeding/

2nd ex-Gitmo detainee: Ron DeSantis at brutal forced feedings

By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org - A second former Guantanamo detainee says Ron DeSantis attended brutal forced feedings.

www.floridabulldog.org

He also worked for the DOJ and US attorney in Florida. He isn't stupid and knows the law very well, unlike Trump. He's also an evil piece of shit that has no business being the governor of Fl let alone the president. This is why I would rather run against Trump but also his baggage and lack of focus.