THE 2016 US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

yeah, that was pro-Trump propaganda from deep Trump Twitter. the basic gist of it is, "look, Reagan was a bit idiosyncratic too and he was the greatest American hero of all time!"

raj gibson wrote:I'm not a fan of Reagan but he was a serious politician with executive experience who hired real advisers, had some clearly defined goals, and was largely held responsible for the things he said

i think he eventually became this. when he started off he was just some idiot actor. i don't know the history that intimately though. my mom always said that everyone used to laugh at Reagan when he ran for governor of California because he was so unserious. liberals took him incredibly lightly until he started winning elections.[/quote]

jasperness wrote:i think he eventually became this. when he started off he was just some idiot actor. i don't know the history that intimately though. my mom always said that everyone used to laugh at Reagan when he ran for governor of California because he was so unserious. liberals took him incredibly lightly until he started winning elections.

Yeah I think that's all true. The big difference is just that eight years as governor required him to prove some things at a lower level and gave people an idea of what to expect from a Reagan presidency and Trump is of course skipping that step.

Also re: Trump, I think one could dispute a few pieces of this argument, but I find the overall idea to be pretty believable. Certainly moreso than the commonly repeated idea that his supporters are just inexplicable idiots. https://medium.com/@emmalindsay/trump-supporters-aren-t-stupid-3d38f70f2a2f#.997413ed0

Who are the white allies?

Yea WTF "white allies"?

I read that article and I dunno I don't care how much money you make, your level of education or how quickly you solve a rubix cube if you vote for Trump you're not smart.

raj gibson wrote:

jasperness wrote:i think he eventually became this. when he started off he was just some idiot actor. i don't know the history that intimately though. my mom always said that everyone used to laugh at Reagan when he ran for governor of California because he was so unserious. liberals took him incredibly lightly until he started winning elections.

Yeah I think that's all true. The big difference is just that eight years as governor required him to prove some things at a lower level and gave people an idea of what to expect from a Reagan presidency and Trump is of course skipping that step.  

i agree, that's why it is insane that Trump is so much worse. he literally has no credentials. at least Reagan had to fake it in Cali for a while before moving up the ladder. Donald Trump is exceptionally more questionable as a mainstream presidential candidate than anyone we've had in 100 years.

raj gibson wrote:

jasperness wrote:Also re: Trump, I think one could dispute a few pieces of this argument, but I find the overall idea to be pretty believable. Certainly moreso than the commonly repeated idea that his supporters are just inexplicable idiots. https://medium.com/@emmalindsay/trump-supporters-aren-t-stupid-3d38f70f2a2f#.997413ed0

i'm not fully on board for the premise of this article, though the idea that people vote for social dignity isn't far fetched at all. but i also think it's a mistake to assume that people think Trump supporters are motivated by blind racism or rage. calling someone's supporters idiots is more of an emotional characterization that an analysis (even though we can point to data that shows the average Trump supporter is more racist and less educated than the average American). i think that many people acknowledge that Trump supporters have real motivations and that is actually scarier. the thing that is colloquially and emotionally called being "ignorant" or "stupid" is choosing to believe that a charlatan is going to do anything on your behalf.

the thing that is colloquially and emotionally called being "ignorant" or "stupid" is choosing to believe that a charlatan is going to do anything on your behalf.

Yeah, I mean the article does give me pause because trying to understand those you disagree with is a pretty worthwhile goal. But the stated motivations are so very difficult to sympathize with.

I'm also unconvinced that people try not to be racist primarily due to peer pressure but I suppose that's a small detail.

I think Trump is on even footing with Ross Perot when it comes to qualifications. Trump hasn't called anyone an "egg roll" ... yet.

jasperness wrote:i'm not fully on board for the premise of this article, though the idea that people vote for social dignity isn't far fetched at all. but i also think it's a mistake to assume that people think Trump supporters are motivated by blind racism or rage. calling someone's supporters idiots is more of an emotional characterization that an analysis (even though we can point to data that shows the average Trump supporter is more racist and less educated than the average American). i think that many people acknowledge that Trump supporters have real motivations and that is actually scarier. the thing that is colloquially and emotionally called being "ignorant" or "stupid" is choosing to believe that a charlatan is going to do anything on your behalf.

I don't know that deep down they even really believe that he is going to do anything on their behalf. Like that would be nice, but that's secondary to sending a message. Which I would certainly agree is unwise/short-sighted/and yeah "stupid" by a colloquial application of the term, but when the analysis ends with that term I think Trump opponents are doing themselves a disservice. I'm not 100% sold on the author's particular read on it but it is more thoughtful than most of the other Trump commentaries I've seen online.

Feeling the Bern tonight!

Vote early and often next Tuesday!!!

That was such a funny debate. Bernie was criticized for being supported by the Koch Brothers and for being a Nicaraguan Sandinista!

I'm so tired of the politics of spectacle that just makes stupid ass gestures towards failed centrist platitudes. Enough is enough!

HRC credited the Reagans with helping to start a national conversation about HIV and AIDS. God I cannot believe I will have to cast an anti-Trump vote in favor of this woman.

Wow that's like crediting Hitler for getting people to talk about anti-semitism.

Nick wrote:HRC credited the Reagans with helping to start a national conversation about HIV and AIDS.

Rudy Giuliani was the only man that was mayor of New York on 9/11!

Trump calls off Chicago rally as protesters clash with supporters

However, 19-year-old Rusty Shackleford of Lombard, in line to attend the Trump rally, said he was there to “support the man who wants to make America great again.”

Nick wrote:God I cannot believe I will have to cast an anti-Trump vote in favor of this woman.

My thoughts exactly. This lesser of two evils crap is depressing.

I don't envy anyone expected to have something nice to say about a Reagan.

But yeah, pretty embarrassing week for Clinton saying things.

Things have escalated pretty quickly. Also, yeah, the Clinton comments from this weekend are just really stupid things to say. I have a lot of things I am thinking about but I'm probably just going to button my lip until the General Election gets underway. This is just too overwhelming at this point.

Ron Jr. is pretty cool though.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/708983126601682944?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

I mean, he is literally threatening violence at this point. It was really fun to watch this guy take down other Republican candidates on national television for the past few months. It seemed like they were getting what they probably deserved. And sure, in this years General Election it seems like Don doesn't have a chance.

But his voting base isn't going anywhere and some of them have real grievances and even if those grievances are imagined they still need to be acknowledged I guess. In the short-term view it seems important to rally around Bernie in the primaries and probably vote for Hillary as a 'lesser of two evils' candidate who can maintain the progressive aspects of Obama's legacy. And I'm totally okay with that reality.

But at some point the hatred and vitriol of the right is going to have to be acknowledged, right?

Pathetic that Rubio's at the point where he's boasting that winning Florida would "shock the world".

I'm really looking forward to voting for Bernie tomorrow. I might be up all night writing papers so there is a strong possibility that I head to my polling station at 6am. Also, living in a city is fucking awesome. My polling station is about 25 steps from my apartment.

Read up on your judges.

I've been totally distracted with crazy shit all month so I haven't done enough homework. I'm going to be voting Bernie-Foxx-Duckworth and everything else is a crap shoot. If you have any suggestions then do it in the next few hours.