Random Politics

[A_B]

I guess I'm just in the camp that no one really deserves to be assaulted. With the exception of those nazi guys getting punched in the face, but in those cases they were inciting it so some reaction could reasonably be expected.

If cutting your grass is grounds for assault there's a guy on my street I should be beating the shit out of three times a week.

[sancarlos]

How about Mitch? Can I laugh if TB assaults McConnell or are you closing ranks there, too?

Rass's avatar is a picture of him reacting to an assault on McConnell by TB.

[Joe K]

Can I take the position that it'll always be funny when anyone named after Ayn Rand gets beat up in a silly pissing match? Her whole philosophy is that unabashed selfishness, aggression and disregard for others is morally virtuous, so I find it funny that Paul's neighbor "went Galt" and whooped his ass.

[Pruitt]

If this was one of those goofy news stories with unknown guys where one beats up the other one over a gardening dispute, we'd all chuckle along - "what a crazy world!"

The fact that it's one of the leaders of what some of us feel is an evil organization makes it very funny indeed.

[rass]

How about Mitch? Can I laugh if TB assaults McConnell or are you closing ranks there, too?

Rass's avatar is a picture of him reacting to an assault on McConnell by TB.

I think I actually once photoshopped an Archie comic to include TB. I'll see if I can find it now that photobucket sucks.

[mister d]

I guess I'm just in the camp that no one really deserves to be assaulted.

Yeah, fuck that. The amount of damage Paul has contributed to inflicting in his political career far exceeds a half dozen broken ribs. The fact that he does his harm passively versus actively matters very little to me.

[Steve of phpBB]

I guess I'm just in the camp that no one really deserves to be assaulted.

Yeah, fuck that. The amount of damage Paul has contributed to inflicting in his political career far exceeds a half dozen broken ribs. The fact that he does his harm passively versus actively matters very little to me.

I guess my position is that Rand Paul definitely deserves to be assaulted, considering all the pain, trauma, heartbreak, and physical harm he has inflicted on others through his political actions.

That being said, I don't think my opinion on who deserves what is enough of a basis to excuse crimes against the person. There's just too much potential for political violence already right now, so laughing off that assault isn't really a good thing.

Anyway, Rand Paul is supposedly a libertarian, who believes that freedom is enhanced by having minimal government. If a neighbor is blowing leaves onto your lawn, and he won't stop in response to requests, then there are two options - government involvement or a physical attack on his person or his property. If you are against government involvement, then you have to be in favor of allowing physical attack on his person or property.

[tennbengal]

Can I take the position that it'll always be funny when anyone named after Ayn Rand gets beat up in a silly pissing match? Her whole philosophy is that unabashed selfishness, aggression and disregard for others is morally virtuous, so I find it funny that Paul's neighbor "went Galt" and whooped his ass.

Co-sign

[mister d]

Seems like a good night.

[govmentchedda]

Seems like a good night.

Very much so.

[Johnny Carwash]

The top two stories on CNN right now are:

1. Calling the VA Gov race for Northam
2. VA Gov race too close to call

FFS

[tennbengal]

A rout in Virginia for the Dems.

[rass]

The top two stories on CNN right now are:

1. Calling the VA Gov race for Northam
2. VA Gov race too close to call

FFS

Was #2 was posted earlier than #1?

[tennbengal]

Republicans came into this cycle with a 66-34 advantage in the house in Virginia - they may lose the majority - that’s crazy.

[Johnnie]

Wondering what AB's comment in the gif thread was about. Now I see.

Assault of a person, a-ok. Calling a fat kid fat, no bueno. Swamp logic.

In other news, no more Chris Christie stench in New Jersey.

THAT FAT TUB OF SHIT. HOPE HE GETS ASSAULTED.

[A_B]

Wondering what AB's comment in the gif thread was about. Now I see.

Assault of a person, a-ok. Calling a fat kid fat, no bueno. Swamp logic.

In other news, no more Chris Christie stench in New Jersey.

THAT FAT TUB OF SHIT. HOPE HE GETS ASSAULTED.

For he record I am against both.

[mister d]

Yeah, that might be me who sees a difference between 50 year old public figures and little kids in restaurants.

[The Sybian]

Let the door hit your fat ass on the way out, you piece of shit.


https://vid.me/VHMb7

[A_B]

Let the door hit your fat ass on the way out, you piece of shit.


https://vid.me/VHMb7

It's all fun and games til he wins in 2021.

(I think New Jersey is one of those joints where you can only serve two consecutive but can run again.)

[sancarlos]

Christie will never win another election. He probably won't ever run a major campaign again. His name is mud.

[A_B]

Christie will never win another election. He probably won't ever run a major campaign again. His name is mud.

You're likely correct.

[The Sybian]

Christie will never win another election. He probably won't ever run a major campaign again. His name is mud.

His 14% approval rating doesn't bode well for a future run. Kim Guadagno lost because of Christie's stink. She kept herself completely distanced to Christie her entire run as Lt. Governor, and from speaking with people who know her, she hates Christie. Phil Murphy is completely unlikeable and a Goldman Sachs asshole. I can't imagine Murphy would have stood a chance against Guadagno if not for Christie and probably Trump. I was having difficult time voting for Murphy, until Guadagno's latest round of commercials, which heavily relied about the Trumpian themes. The best one rips on MILLIONAIRE Phil Murphy. I love it, the GOP is playing the class warfare card they always accuse the Left of playing.

[Johnnie]

For he record I am against both.

Which is fair, because you're consistent.

Yeah, that might be me who sees a difference between 50 year old public figures and little kids in restaurants.

Physically attacking someone.

Words.

Same thing.

[Johnnie]

Lolz.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 28513?s=17

[sancarlos]

https://twitter.com/clmazin/status/928076854237437952

[mister d]

Physically attacking someone.

Words.

Same thing.

See if you can get barstool to create a meme and maybe I’ll better understand?

[Nonlinear FC]

This is what unsustainable looks like. The VA down ballot stuff is stunning. Absolutely brutal for the GOP in that state.

[Steve of phpBB]

For he record I am against both.

Which is fair, because you're consistent.

Yeah, that might be me who sees a difference between 50 year old public figures and little kids in restaurants.

Physically attacking someone who can defend himself and has caused great harm to millions of people.

Words that insult little kids and people above a certain weight and are based on nothing but conjecture.

Same thing.

Fixed.

Plus, the discussion about the assault on Rand is purely theoretical. Unless I'm missing something, the doctor next door isn't a Swamper. In contrast, calling an innocent kid a fat little shit is being done by a Swamper, on this board that we all participate in and are responsible for.

The whole reason I said anything in the first place, Johnnie, was to get you to think about what you were saying and the words you were using about the kid, and how you think about other kids who may be overweight. My son gained a lot of weight last year, in large part due to his medication and to the fact that the medication is not that great at controlling his depression and anxiety. He's been going to the gym three times a week for over a year, but if you look at him, you'd just see a lazy fat kid. (He's 17, so it's not quite the same thing as the kid in the video.)

Unfortunately, I was pretty pissed off so I came out aggressively, which was counterproductive because it was not going to invite a positive response. That's on me.

[Steve of phpBB]

Anyway, after the horror of last year, it was quite satisfying to watch the results come in last night (once it was clear that Northam was going to win).

The trans woman knocking off the bigoted author of the bathroom bill is one of the best things ever.

But Gillespie's results in the white rural areas are still pretty disheartening to me. I think it's pretty clear that the only way for the Dems to reach those folks would be to completely disavow Black Lives Matter and any other issue with a racial aspect. And I don't want to see the Dems do that.

[Nonlinear FC]

You don't fuck with people's health care, then follow that up with what is very clearly a tax cut for big business and the wealthy. You don't put an unhinged demagogue at the top of your party and then double down with ads parroting his bigoted, fear-mongering bullshit.

You don't lie to the American people multiple times a day and get away with it. The world is not Fox News, even if it allows a lot of people on both sides to either feel secure in their bullshit, or to wring their hands and worry about the impending apocalypse.

Sorry, stop me if you've seen this from me before but... Trump tapped into anger, but it was a flash in the pan type of anger. If he had in any way normalized his behavior, shut his mouth and just let smart people do their jobs, he would be riding a huge wave of momentum by now.

He has done the opposite, and last night was the result. Massive defeats across the board. Bannon said that if the VA race was close, it would be a total vindication of Trump's governing style. What's the word this morning, fuckknuckle?

[mister d]

I don't see a gray area when it comes to 4MM+ views of an actual little kid out to eat where its nothing more than "ha ha ha he's real fat". Its self-evidently fucked up.

[Nonlinear FC]

In case folks missed this, very important harbinger...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the ... ae38d508f9

[Steve of phpBB]

You don't lie to the American people multiple times a day and get away with it. The world is not Fox News, even if it allows a lot of people on both sides to either feel secure in their bullshit, or to wring their hands and worry about the impending apocalypse.

Sorry, stop me if you've seen this from me before but... Trump tapped into anger, but it was a flash in the pan type of anger. If he had in any way normalized his behavior, shut his mouth and just let smart people do their jobs, he would be riding a huge wave of momentum by now.

But as I've read, Gillespie did really well in the rural white areas. It's just that Trump pissed off enough folks in the suburbs etc. that they came out and voted against him. In Virginia the opposition was enough, since the state is 20% AA, 6% Latino, and a lot of the white folks are more progressive. How will that play out in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania?

[Nonlinear FC]

You don't lie to the American people multiple times a day and get away with it. The world is not Fox News, even if it allows a lot of people on both sides to either feel secure in their bullshit, or to wring their hands and worry about the impending apocalypse.

Sorry, stop me if you've seen this from me before but... Trump tapped into anger, but it was a flash in the pan type of anger. If he had in any way normalized his behavior, shut his mouth and just let smart people do their jobs, he would be riding a huge wave of momentum by now.

But as I've read, Gillespie did really well in the rural white areas. It's just that Trump pissed off enough folks in the suburbs etc. that they came out and voted against him. In Virginia the opposition was enough, since the state is 20% AA, 6% Latino, and a lot of the white folks are more progressive. How will that play out in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania?

People forget, that when Obama won VA, he was the first Dem to win that state since LBJ(!). Yes, you had your Doug Wilder wins, there were signs that the state was shifting. But it is still very much a purple state. Not really seeing a huge difference with these other states. Big pockets of urban, surrounded by less populated rural counties.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics ... -gov-trump

[brian]

I think you're underestimating just how much Trump has sold out a lot of his voters in those states. While racism and white resentment played a part in helping him win most of those places (Ohio is lost to the Dems pretty much forever and it should be treated like Indiana not a true battleground state like the others), a lot of the surge he got in the Midwest and Great Lakes was economic resentment and I suspect if they don't already a lot of those people probably feel like they got sold a bill of goods because well...they did.

Nothing Trump has done or can do can put more money or better jobs in play for those people. And even if it was the Senate who helped defeat the ACA repeal (for those who really cared about that) it still goes down in the ledger as a loss for Trump like it does for a QB in football.

Long story short, I don't think a lot of those people are following Trump and the GOP into the abyss. He has his base and likely probably always will, but the center isn't holding.

[Steve of phpBB]

I think you're underestimating just how much Trump has sold out a lot of his voters in those states. While racism and white resentment played a part in helping him win most of those places (Ohio is lost to the Dems pretty much forever and it should be treated like Indiana not a true battleground state like the others), a lot of the surge he got in the Midwest and Great Lakes was economic resentment and I suspect if they don't already a lot of those people probably feel like they got sold a bill of goods because well...they did.

Nothing Trump has done or can do can put more money or better jobs in play for those people. And even if it was the Senate who helped defeat the ACA repeal (for those who really cared about that) it still goes down in the ledger as a loss for Trump like it does for a QB in football.

Long story short, I don't think a lot of those people are following Trump and the GOP into the abyss. He has his base and likely probably always will, but the center isn't holding.

You're more optimistic than I am. Trump hasn't done anything for the white voters of rural Virginia, either, but they still voted solidly for Gillespie.

I was looking at the Census data - In Virginia, only 62.4% of the population identifies as "White alone, not Hispanic or Latino." In Wisconsin, that figure is 81.7%. Are there enough progressive whites in Wisconsin to overcome a white candidate's appeals to racial identity? Given that Wisconsin has been Republican at the state level for quite a while now, I'm not very hopeful.

[Gunpowder]

I think you're underestimating just how much Trump has sold out a lot of his voters in those states. While racism and white resentment played a part in helping him win most of those places (Ohio is lost to the Dems pretty much forever and it should be treated like Indiana not a true battleground state like the others), a lot of the surge he got in the Midwest and Great Lakes was economic resentment and I suspect if they don't already a lot of those people probably feel like they got sold a bill of goods because well...they did.

Nothing Trump has done or can do can put more money or better jobs in play for those people. And even if it was the Senate who helped defeat the ACA repeal (for those who really cared about that) it still goes down in the ledger as a loss for Trump like it does for a QB in football.

Long story short, I don't think a lot of those people are following Trump and the GOP into the abyss. He has his base and likely probably always will, but the center isn't holding.

You're more optimistic than I am. Trump hasn't done anything for the white voters of rural Virginia, either, but they still voted solidly for Gillespie.

I was looking at the Census data - In Virginia, only 62.4% of the population identifies as "White alone, not Hispanic or Latino." In Wisconsin, that figure is 81.7%. Are there enough progressive whites in Wisconsin to overcome a white candidate's appeals to racial identity? Given that Wisconsin has been Republican at the state level for quite a while now, I'm not very hopeful.

Trump has been excellent at being an old white dude and yelling at Muslims and overpaid uppity NFL thugs, which are huge issues in rural VA.

[brian]

I suppose that is the million dollar question. Wisconsin and to a lesser extent Michigan and Pennsylvania have a history of progressive white voters. It wasn't just African Americans carrying the Dems to winning 6 straight elections there. What will help is if the Democrats can nominate someone who can legitimately speak truth to power about the economic forces that truly run the country. Economic resentment can run two ways and ultimately for most folks is vastly more compelling than white nationalism or gay bashing or the other sideshows that Trump offers.

[Nonlinear FC]

A lot of people in those rural areas came out because they were FIRED UP about Obama and the issues brian mentioned. What we saw in VA is that, yes, the base is still the base. But they aren't nearly as motivated as the Dems in their strongholds.

That's what I mean when I say I don't see much difference btwn VA and MI, WI and PA. Off-year and mid-terms are very much driven by motivated voters. There will be a ton of heat around these mid-terms for those that pay a lot of attention, but those aren't the ones that matter. Trump won not just because of a bunch of motivated base voters, but in large part because lots of Dems stayed home. (And voter suppression, but that's another story.)

[Gunpowder]

I think they need to run some Alan Grayson types.