2016 Presidential Race

[DC47]

This accounts for a substantial degree of non-voting in this country. But in the presidential election, the bigger factor may be the bad candidates. This year they were historically bad. But in terms of character, experience, and policies, they have been pretty weak for a long time. Our system simply does not elevate good presidential candidates. I'd say it's getting worse, not better.

[The Sybian]

However as a minority I always tell other minorities they have to buy in. They have to assimilate. Cannot continually take help and piss it away. North America is the least racist of all places in the world. It always will be even if you dont feel it today. Minorities cannot take advantage of that goodwill without returning anything.

I think the minority experience is very different for an Asian in Canada than for a black kid growing up in the projects in Baltimore. Watch The Wire and tell me how those kids are supposed to assimilate with suburban white culture? I agree with you in theory, and some people do intentionally segregate themselves, but you can't expect people to "just assimilate." The experience for an immigrant or minority can be vastly different within a matter of miles away.

[Joe K]

However as a minority I always tell other minorities they have to buy in. They have to assimilate. Cannot continually take help and piss it away. North America is the least racist of all places in the world. It always will be even if you dont feel it today. Minorities cannot take advantage of that goodwill without returning anything.

I think the minority experience is very different for an Asian in Canada than for a black kid growing up in the projects in Baltimore. Watch The Wire and tell me how those kids are supposed to assimilate with suburban white culture? I agree with you in theory, and some people do intentionally segregate themselves, but you can't expect people to "just assimilate." The experience for an immigrant or minority can be vastly different within a matter of miles away.

This is very true. The African-American experience in the US really cannot be compared to that of any other minority group. Hell, Degen asked why immigrants all want to come here if the US is so bad. But the vast majority of black families didn't exactly come here because they "wanted" to.

[govmentchedda]

This is very similar to how I feel right now, and what I've decided to do moving forward, minus even thinking about investments. I am leaning very strongly towards assisting on a pro bono basis, CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations Florida). I know that they are active locally and have had a few hot button issues lately. For example, in the small town where I grew up, Temple Terrace, just outside of Tampa, a Muslim was running for City Council and a hate mailer was sent to the residents warning against him. The candidate is a Palestinian American, civil engineer, and was very qualified. I feel like I can help there. I feel like I can learn there.

God damn. I remember Temple Terrace during my college days at USF. Once Antraniks closed, that place ceased to exist to me. Good freaking riddance.

Antranik's was owned by the family of a guy I grew up playing baseball with. It went out of business a few years back when none of the next generation wanted to take over the small family owned shop. I don't get back to Temple Terrace much these days, but every time I drive down Fowler and it's not there I'm saddened all over again. Their sandwiches were amazing.

I seem to recall the Sheik's Special was a go-to sandwich of mine.

The Sheik's Special was one of my two fave sandwiches. Can't remember the name of the other one. The other great things about that place were the baklava and pastries, and that they had Brown's soda when all anyone else had was Coke or Pepsi products.

[degenerasian]

However as a minority I always tell other minorities they have to buy in. They have to assimilate. Cannot continually take help and piss it away. North America is the least racist of all places in the world. It always will be even if you dont feel it today. Minorities cannot take advantage of that goodwill without returning anything.

I think the minority experience is very different for an Asian in Canada than for a black kid growing up in the projects in Baltimore. Watch The Wire and tell me how those kids are supposed to assimilate with suburban white culture? I agree with you in theory, and some people do intentionally segregate themselves, but you can't expect people to "just assimilate." The experience for an immigrant or minority can be vastly different within a matter of miles away.

This is very true. The African-American experience in the US really cannot be compared to that of any other minority group. Hell, Degen asked why immigrants all want to come here if the US is so bad. But the vast majority of black families didn't exactly come here because they "wanted" to.

I agree. From now on i will seperate blacks from immigrants.

I think blacks dont assimilate because of culture as in, if you go to school and get a buttoned down job you're not as black, you're selling out to the man. Wasnt Obama accused of being white?

I didnt say it was easy. I think something simple like volunteeeing is an easy first step to cross racial barriers to help the greater good.

[Rush2112]

I think blacks dont assimilate because of culture as in, if you go to school and get a buttoned down job you're not as black, you're selling out to the man. Wasnt Obama accused of being white?

Well, they weren't allowed the same opportunity to assimilate either. In the South and in any city they may have moved to during the Great Migration they were still segregated either by law or by housing, wages, jobs they were offered, etc. Hard to assimilate if you're still viewed as a second class citizen, not allowed to vote easily, etc. All of these are still present in one form or another today.

I'd be interested to see how much the de- toothing of the Voting Rights Act had on African-American vote.

[Johnnie]

The last 6 people on earth, contestants on the TV show Big Brother, find out the election results. Pretty interesting.

[mister d]

From now on i will seperate blacks from immigrants.

Lining yourself up for a cabinet position, huh?

[Johnnie]

From now on i will seperate blacks from immigrants.

Lining yourself up for a cabinet position, huh?

Speaking of, Ben Carson for Secretary of Education.

I'm never having children.

[mister d]

As someone who has made serious financial and life decisions on the basis of future public education ... yeah. Yeah.

[rass]

[tennbengal]

Can we be concrete now?

Paul Ryan signalling they will push forward with privatizing Medicare. For any of you with parents who are retired, pause a moment to think on this. Maybe they are well off and could take that on, but I cannot imagine what premiums would look like for the elderly with all the conditions of aging that must be treated. I know something like this would ruin my mom.

But, hey, both sides, amiright?

[mister d]

So once they ruin everyone but themselves, will the present-day republican party end or will it all end?

[degenerasian]

I think blacks dont assimilate because of culture as in, if you go to school and get a buttoned down job you're not as black, you're selling out to the man. Wasnt Obama accused of being white?

Well, they weren't allowed the same opportunity to assimilate either. In the South and in any city they may have moved to during the Great Migration they were still segregated either by law or by housing, wages, jobs they were offered, etc. Hard to assimilate if you're still viewed as a second class citizen, not allowed to vote easily, etc. All of these are still present in one form or another today.

I'd be interested to see how much the de- toothing of the Voting Rights Act had on African-American vote.

why does it make voting harder for just blacks? doesnt it make it harder to vote for you guys as well?

[mister d]

Come on, dude. Just ... come on.

[degenerasian]

Come on, dude. Just ... come on.

I'm asking, i don't live there. My views are not correct, i want to change them by asking questions

[Moreta]

Can we be concrete now?

Paul Ryan signalling they will push forward with privatizing Medicare. For any of you with parents who are retired, pause a moment to think on this. Maybe they are well off and could take that on, but I cannot imagine what premiums would look like for the elderly with all the conditions of aging that must be treated. I know something like this would ruin my mom.

But, hey, both sides, amiright?

My mom only has coverage now because of the ACA Medicaid expansion. She's 2 years from Medicare eligibility under the current system. the only reason I'm not terrified is that I can pay for private coverage for her if I have to, but that means I can't contribute anything to the educational costs of my 2 kids in college.

This election has the potential for devastating, long lasting consequences for my family.

[EnochRoot]

Come on, dude. Just ... come on.

I'm asking, i don't live there. My views are not correct, i want to change them by asking questions

There's like a thousand less places to vote today because of the "Voting Rights Act". It's goal is to disenfranchise.

It's an unnecessary challenge of ones will to exercise their right to vote. The older you get, the less fucks you have to give. The poorer you are, the more alienated you already feel from a society that always seems to have its boot on your forehead.

It's grotesque.

[Joe K]

Come on, dude. Just ... come on.

I'm asking, i don't live there. My views are not correct, i want to change them by asking questions

Yeah, and those polling places have been removed from neighborhoods that are heavily populated with minority voters. Another issue is that Voter ID laws are awful because the urban poor, who are disproportionately black, are less likely to own a government-issued photo ID. If you're too poor to buy a car, you probably don't have a driver's license. Also there's a ton of evidence that the whole point of those laws is to disenfranchise black voters. North Carolina's law got struck down earlier this year because the GOP legislators didn't even do a good job of hiding their motives.

[degenerasian]

Come on, dude. Just ... come on.

I'm asking, i don't live there. My views are not correct, i want to change them by asking questions

There's like a thousand less places to vote today because of the "Voting Rights Act". It's goal is to disenfranchise.

It's an unnecessary challenge of ones will to exercise their right to vote. The older you get, the less fucks you have to give. The poorer you are, the more alienated you already feel from a society that always seems to have its boot on your forehead.

It's grotesque.

It's an absolute disgrace i get that. for example my polling station is walking distance from my house.
Another question that baffles me is why dont people have ID?

just saw Joe's post: that's so weird. aren't there ID cards?

like this: http://www.servicealberta.ca/1048.cfm
does this not exist?

[mister d]

1. In NJ, it costs $24 every 4 years.

2. It can blow half of a day waiting.

3. For what?

[EnochRoot]

Come on, dude. Just ... come on.

I'm asking, i don't live there. My views are not correct, i want to change them by asking questions

There's like a thousand less places to vote today because of the "Voting Rights Act". It's goal is to disenfranchise.

It's an unnecessary challenge of ones will to exercise their right to vote. The older you get, the less fucks you have to give. The poorer you are, the more alienated you already feel from a society that always seems to have its boot on your forehead.

It's grotesque.

It's an absolute disgrace i get that. for example my polling station is walking distance from my house.
Another question that baffles me is why dont people have ID?

just saw Joe's post: that's so weird. aren't there ID cards?

like this: http://www.servicealberta.ca/1048.cfm
does this not exist?

ID cards, Drivers licenses, and in particular when you move from one state to another (additional fees) cost $.

This is a constitutional right.

[degenerasian]

just for comparison, my drivers license costs $70 over 5 years.

[govmentchedda]

just for comparison, my drivers license costs $70 over 5 years.

Not a constitutional right.

[EnochRoot]

just for comparison, my drivers license costs $70 over 5 years.

Not a constitutional right.

Some rights are negotiable, you know..

[Moreta]

just saw Joe's post: that's so weird. aren't there ID cards?

Yes, but why would you get one if it serves no purpose for you? If you don't drive, don't have a checking account, and you have to pay $10 for it (that's the fee in Michigan), why would you get one?
Plus, many states have limited branch locations and hours so that the places you need to go to get one are less accessible. You need to have your birth certificate, which impoverished people who move frequently are less likely to already have (so there's another obstacle and fee).

[degenerasian]

wow, that's really sad. The registry here is open til 8pm. Most banks are too.
Don't you need ID to get a job? I believe we do here but i'm not 100% sure. I applied for jobs since high school and it was always ID plus SIN (social security #). I think ID here is required for almost everything. We also vote more often, not just once every 2 or 4 years. Do you guys ever vote in the midterms? Sounds to me like it's a really low turnout.

i also know some people don't have birth certificates, were too poor to go to a hospital. Record keeping in some US areas sounds really bad.

[degenerasian]

I was wrong. Proof of name and address is all that's required to vote in Canada (two pieces). A utility bill and a bank statement in the voter's name would be enough. I always present my photo ID automatically so I never noticed.

In the news the US always gets bashed for low voter turnout.. but I can see why it's so difficult to vote in the beacon of democracy (so weird).

[Rush2112]

When you live a basically transient lifestyle, or are more worried about feeding your habit or your family, it's hard to keep track of birth certificates and the like.

Also, there are plenty of "jobs" you can do without ID.

You can look at these ID requirements as a type of poll tax, without being an actual tax. It's supposedly in the name of keeping fraud down (which according to someone on FB is why Hillary won the popular vote, well fraud and dead people voting for her.)

[EnochRoot]

I was wrong. Proof of name and address is all that's required to vote in Canada (two pieces). A utility bill and a bank statement in the voter's name would be enough. I always present my photo ID automatically so I never noticed.

In the news the US always gets bashed for low voter turnout.. but I can see why it's so difficult to vote in the beacon of democracy (so weird).

It's not a democracy. It's a constitutional republic. That's the frustrating part of it all with Voter ID laws. The ID costs $ and time, and infringes upon a constitutional right.

[degenerasian]

When you live a basically transient lifestyle, or are more worried about feeding your habit or your family, it's hard to keep track of birth certificates and the like.

Also, there are plenty of "jobs" you can do without ID.

You can look at these ID requirements as a type of poll tax, without being an actual tax. It's supposedly in the name of keeping fraud down (which according to someone on FB is why Hillary won the popular vote, well fraud and dead people voting for her.)

So there are jobs that don't need an ID or a bank account. How does one get paid? Cash? How can the government tax that?
I think that does happen here as well but the proportion is very low and of course illegal. Is it a high proportion in the US?

I'm going to read between the world and me this weekend.

[mister d]

You can be handed a piece of paper from your employer that has a monetary value when exchanged. I believe you call them "cheques".

[degenerasian]

You can be handed a piece of paper from your employer that has a monetary value when exchanged. I believe you call them "cheques".

I cant remember that last i gave or received a check.
Other than void checks

[Rush2112]

So there are jobs that don't need an ID or a bank account. How does one get paid? Cash? How can the government tax that?
I think that does happen here as well but the proportion is very low and of course illegal. Is it a high proportion in the US?

Day labour for construction, illegal "jobs," actual jobs that employers prefer to pay under the table, etc. You can be paid with a check (and then get ripped off at a check cashing store) or paid in cash.

[Johnnie]

[Pruitt]

The last 6 people on earth, contestants on the TV show Big Brother, find out the election results. Pretty interesting.

What's amazing is that the girl who thought Trump would win gave a more accurate analysis in 20 seconds than almost all of CNN and other network's pundits did in 6 months.

[degenerasian]

The last 6 people on earth, contestants on the TV show Big Brother, find out the election results. Pretty interesting.

What's amazing is that the girl who thought Trump would win gave a more accurate analysis in 20 seconds than almost all of CNN and other network's pundits did in 6 months.

She was black and she understood that. The whites on there did not. The other guy immediate says 'gay people where were you? minorities where were you?" This is the incorrect strategy and mentality the Democratic party has created. Gays and minorities are not blocks.

The democratic party means well and has great people who want to advance race-relations. Its just targeted incorrectly.

[Joe K]

The last 6 people on earth, contestants on the TV show Big Brother, find out the election results. Pretty interesting.

What's amazing is that the girl who thought Trump would win gave a more accurate analysis in 20 seconds than almost all of CNN and other network's pundits did in 6 months.

She was black and she understood that. The whites on there did not. The other guy immediate says 'gay people where were you? minorities where were you?" This is the incorrect strategy and mentality the Democratic party has created. Gays and minorities are not blocks.

The democratic party means well and has great people who want to advance race-relations. Its just targeted incorrectly.

I think the Clinton campaign made some major strategic errors but it's still worth noting that the Democratic Party has won the popular vote in 6 of the last 7 Presidential elections. What's needed is a stronger emphasis on appealing to the working class -- but not an abandonment of appeals to minority or LGBT voters.

[degenerasian]

Is the popular vote that big a deal. I mean she won California by 30% and it has the most people. And she won it by what? 500000 votes in a 100 million vote count. The Republican party have been insane the last 7 elections (and I like Dubya), the Democrats should have destroyed these 7 elections.

We'll take the ID issue from yesterday. I'm still flabbergasted that people don't have ID. So let's get them ID, not just for voting purposes. Could Liberals (governments or otherwise) go in there and help these people out? There are obstacles like price, time, distance, jobs hours the things we discussed. Could a fund be created? I think all of us would donate to such a cause. Could a volunteer drive people to the ID registrar one day a week. A person only has to get ID once every 4 years!

And ID opens so many doors. Better education, better jobs, a drivers license, a bank account (so cash centers aren't ripping you off), even a passport! I think this is the way to improve people's lives. And the you'll get their vote anyways. And don't mention race once. We're getting IDs for everyone!

"You see these Republicans over here? They don't care about you, we are the ones really helping you out"

[Brontoburglar]

Is the popular vote that big a deal. I mean she won California by 30% and it has the most people. And she won it by what? 500000 votes in a 100 million vote count. The Republican party have been insane the last 7 elections (and I like Dubya), the Democrats should have destroyed these 7 elections.

Did you just ask if it was a big deal that the candidate who gets the most votes isn't elected president?