THE 2016 US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

I did some phone banking the other day on Bernie's behalf. I called over 100 people in Iowa. There were a few people who were Bernie supporters already. A few people who were on the fence. And one really sweet old lady who I talked to for a while. She said she was too old to drive and so she couldn't go to the caucuses but was "praying for Bernie."

Unfortunately, though, those pleasant experiences were in the minority. A lot of the responses were from dickhead white guys who would either hang up on me (which I expected and whatever) or they would go out of their way to tell me that they were supporting Donald Trump.

I really can't stress enough how important it is that progressive voters should do everything they possibly can to shove their superior cultural and political values down these ass backward twat throats. Because seriously, they are the worst. And honestly, knowing that they have been annoyed for eight years that they live in a land where a powerful, Black progressive man occupies the most powerful political position in the country is one of the goddamn sweetest things to reflect on ever. I'm half chub right now thinking about that.

I just wish we could all get along.

Ҩ wrote:
I've been thoroughly disgusted with the Clinton campaign and the idea that 'liberals' should support her because she is the more realistic candidate who appeals to the broader masses and is our best chance at avoiding a Republican presidency.

It's a worthwhile calculation when staring down the barrel of a Trump/Cruz presidency.

I'm more vexed by the "If Bernie doesn't win I'm skipping the generals" talk.

I would skip them or vote Jill Stein.

That's dumb but I guess it doesn't matter since we live in Illinois.

still pretty terrified of a best-case for the general election Rubio/Kasich ticket emerging out of the GOP tire fire, to be honest.

Yeah, those knobs are chasing the worst indulgences of the Trump/Cruz/Carson wing. There really isn't an acceptable GOP option right now.

You know what's hilarious? The interview that Lena Dunham did with Hillary has less than 5,000 views on YouTube whereas Bernie's interview with Killer Mike is nearing the one million mark. That says a lot.

Also, 75 year old women jabbering about how there is a "special place in Hell for women who don't support other women" is fantastic.

Also, what does Hillary Clinton run on exactly? All I know about her is that she suggested anyone critical of Israel is possibly/probably anti-Semitic and in the 90s she and her bumbling, stumbling husband said that we need more prisons for these criminal 'superthugs' who are ravaging America's streets.

Ҩ wrote:You know what's hilarious? The interview that Lena Dunham did with Hillary has less than 5,000 views on YouTube whereas Bernie's interview with Killer Mike is nearing the one million mark. That says a lot.

That young people tend to support Sanders and Run the Jewels is more culturally relevant right now than Girls.

Ҩ wrote:
Also, what does Hillary Clinton run on exactly? All I know about her is that she suggested anyone critical of Israel is possibly/probably anti-Semitic and in the 90s she and her bumbling, stumbling husband said that we need more prisons for these criminal 'superthugs' who are ravaging America's streets.

Maybe look it up? Maybe from a source outside of the Sanders hivemind.

Why would I do that when I already know she sucks though?

You don't know anything about her but you know she sucks.

The "either/or" thinking around the Democratic primarily is insanely stupid. Hillary is fantastic. Yeah, she's a political piece of shit who is renowned for her doublespeak, but she's also a super competent technocrat and center-left leader. You can be simultaneously annoyed as all hell by her machinations and still think she's worth voting for.

WP is being obtuse on purpose because he thinks it's funny to be a walking caricature of a "BernieBro" even though those don't really exist (https://theintercept.com/2016/01/31/the-bernie-bros-narrative-a-cheap-false-campaign-tactic-masquerading-as-journalism-and-social-activism/).

By the way, all center-left Democrats in the 90s helped pass a bunch of shit that looks terrible in retrospect (welfare "reform", sentencing "reform", Wall Street deregulation, etc.) Why does no one dislike Joe Biden for all that garbage?

I think the BernieBro exists but not in the numbers some want to imagine. But yes, the "Clinton is basically a republican" and the "Sanders voters are sexist" narratives are real dumb.

Duff... wrote:I think the BernieBro exists

Everyone exists, but extrapolating social media postings into a narrative of "supporters" and actual voters is dumb. The Clinton people needed to be a lot more sophisticated than pulling together some anecdotal "attacks" on prominent Clinton supporters on social media and they haven't done that. Everyone is attacked on social media always. It's not a measure of actual vitriol.

The problem for Clinton is that Bernie's "angry trolls" are nobodies on the Internet and the surrogates making her look terrible are Bill Clinton and Gloria Steinem and Madeline Albright.

I wasn't aware of the BernieBro phenomenon but that is both really funny and also obnoxious. I was being somewhat of a troll while also being somewhat sincere. But I'm just not interested in how competent of a liberal technocrat this country is capable of electing and I'm not sure who the hell is. I understand her positions (somewhat) but I could do a better job of researching her positions but that only goes so far.

What Bernie is attempting (and what Obama did so well in both his campaigns) is to raise the level of political awareness and discourse in the country. That is what matters to me, perhaps because of my age. I want to vote for a candidate I am excited about and who I think challenges the status quo in a productive and somewhat enlightening way. Which hey, Bernie Sanders doesn't always do that! He is in no way perfect, but he has my support.

somewhat is like actually becoming literally the most annoying crutch word.

I feel like I just "realized" that Bernie Sanders is going to be our next president. It's not a prediction, I just feel like I can see the future for the first time and man I can't even begin to tell you how it feels right now.

Do I fight it or feel it?

Feel the Bern

All this talk of Bernie inspired me to revisit this Members-Only Ninja Turtles Fan Forum favorite of yore. Holds up pretty well.

Watched Bernie Sandwiches on The Colbert Late Show and it diminished my view of him to some degree. When asked serious questions about how he hopes to achieve some of the sweeping and substantial policy measures he is proposing, in the same or similar environment that prevented Obama from making even less "liberal" changes, he simply pivoted into politic speak and talking points, shooting off responses like "well let me rephrase your question as blah..." and provided no real answers. I thought immediately of this thread.

I admit to being ignorant of Hilary's position on many of the matters that appeal to me as a voter, but I feel as though the visceral excitement of Sanders has worn off and I plan to learn more about her. Having had time to both Feel the Bern and to apply a cold compress, I am noticing the similarities between him and Donald Trump. They both often speak like revolutionaries but disregard (somewhat) the political processes needed to enact most of what is proposed. I still support him to the degree that I say "yeah I like Bernie Sanders" if someone asks which politician I'm for, but I've started to think it might be wise to kick the tires on a few other candidates.

Bernie is only deflecting because he can't come out and say that his presidency is actually going to be the long awaited dictatorship of the proletariat!

The New York Times coverage of the campaign is shameful. Every headline is about how Clinton is on the attack, how Bernie might be a fringe candidate (which is politely put in question form for neutrality), and now they are giving Albright a chance to clarify her statements in op-ed articles. The people who write the op-eds for the New York Times are so worthless.

I do like their Ted Cruz hit pieces though.

Just realized there's a bit of Owen Wilson in President Trump.

Yea that's probably what he looks like with his shirt off. That wife of his must love money and gaudy interior decorating.