U.S. ELECTIONS DISCUSSION THREAD

[Cylnar]

Nice.

Reminds me of this guy at my work this morning, all bent out of shape because his precious Romney lost the election, whining about how half the country wanted to steal from the other half and Obama was preventing Catholics from "practicing their religion" and shit (80% Catholic vote for Obama). It was fucking priceless. The poor guy didn't know whether to scream, cry or pull his remaining hair out. If I had not been at work I would have flayed him with my words, but I guess watching this guy lurch around sparking and twitching like the androids in that episode of original Trek destroyed with illogic, was entertainment enough. :laugh:

[deadense]

I am very pleased to see Obama reelected for a second term although I wasn't able to vote myself because I missed the deadline to register. That said, I followed the news all night as the votes were counted. For a while there it didn't seem like Obama wouldn't win the popular vote but he pulled through there at the end. Would've been interesting had he lost that, similar to Bush losing the popular vote in 2004. Regardless, I am still glad to see that isn't the case!

[mouser]

While I'm here, could somebody kindly explain the big deal over the "fisical cliff" debacle?  As an outsider, it seems to me that the best case senario is that nothing is done and this "fisical cliff" happens.  The Bush tax failure that ruined the American economy expires and America can go back to growing strong and doing well.  It beats the shit out of the most likely scenario of the Grand Bargain where Obama is set to decimate social security, medicare and medicaid at some time around Thanksgiving.

The 'fiscal cliff' is a set of mandatory cuts to government programs that will kick in if the debt ceiling is not raised. It has nothing to do with the Bush tax cuts (which did not ruin the economy - most of the cuts were for 'poor' and 'working class' families - notice that NO ONE is really pushing to have those revoked, the only debate is on the very top tier of the cuts).

The problem is that the cuts will hit hard and cut a lot of domestic government jobs (which means more unemployment).  They also will be done without any sort of an eye toward even pretending to 'trim fat', they'll just cut programs outright. Do you like programs like Medicare? Hope the fiscal cliff is averted.

Even the cuts to the military scare the hell out of me, because they won't be done intelligently.  The US Military is responsible for a lot of things that never make front page news - like protecting virtually every cargo ship that crosses the Pacific from pirates (yes, there are still pirates). It won't be the shiny new bombers and next-gen drones that get the shaft.

[Tessera]

Here's a message from Nita and Shaunna, who lead a grassroots organization for women known as UltraViolet (I am a long-standing member)...

"We've sent some of our biggest enemies packing: Todd "legitimate rape" Akin, Richard "rape pregnancies are a gift from God" Mourdock, the Romney/Ryan ticket, and other extremists lost at the polls. We showed politicians of all stripes that being anti-woman is political suicide."

I really hope that the Republican party is paying attention. You assholes seem to feel that this country should step through a time machine and go back to the world of the 1950's, when rich white men ran everything and the rest of society took a back seat to them. Well, guess what... FUCK YOU, that's what. Now why don't you idiots wake the hell up and join the rest of us in the 21st century, hmmm..? Stop fighting against reality and start becoming more inclusive with your party's philosophy. Because right now, the Republican party has become an endangered species. Even their own leaders are beginning to come to that inescapable conclusion. You know it, and we know it... so either get your Republican heads together, or else this country is going to abandon you.

Did you know that something like 70 percent of the young Americans born during the past 20 years do not identify themselves as being Republicans..? And did you know that one day, their generation is going to be in charge of this country..? So then, what do you think will happen to Republican candidates in future elections..? They're going to be a laughing stock -- that's what. They're going to be demolished and annihilated, in every single election.

No more Republican party... that's what the future holds for these bozos, unless they get their act together and stop being the party of Hateful Self-Deluded White People Who Always Say "No."

Think about it. The times they are a-changing.  

[mouser]

No more Republican party... that's what the future holds for these bozos, unless they get their act together and stop being the party of Hateful White People Who Always Say "No."

Think about it. The times they are a-changing.  

Just fucking wonderful. Instead of a two party system where we can count on gridlock to stave off most of the damage, we'll move to a single party system where they can do whatever the hell they want to support their largest donors (and that's neither you nor me).

[Tessera]

Why is it all-or-nothing with you, Mouser..? Has it occurred to you that we could move towards a multi-party system instead..?

But I can promise you that the Republicans will not be one of those parties... not if they stay on the diseased and deluded course that they appear to have set for themselves.

[perez007usa]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/rachel-maddow-republicans-shellacked-election-night_n_2092290.html?ref=topbar

Rachel Maddow: 'Republicans Got Shellacked' On Election Night (VIDEO)

Rachel Maddow relished all the Democratic wins from Tuesday night's election.

Before launching into a long list of accomplishments, Maddow told her viewers that she would pause so they could go make popcorn and come back.

Maddow then played a clip of Karl Rove contesting Fox News' call that Obama won the state of Ohio, and therefore the presidency on Tuesday night. She then launched into a rant which can only be described as epic for comprehensively denouncing every conspiracy theory that cropped up during the 2012 election cycle. She said:

    "Ohio really did go to President Obama last night, he really did win. He really was born in Hawaii, and he really is, legitimately, president of the United States again. And The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not make up a fake unemployment rate last month. And the Congressional Research Service really can find no evidence that cutting taxes on rich people grows the economy. And the polls were not skewed to oversample Democrats. And Nate Silver was not making up fake projections about the election to make conservatives feel bad. Nate Silver was doing math.

    And climate change is real. And rape really does cause pregnancy sometimes. And evolution is a thing! And Benghazi was an attack on us, it was not a scandal by us. And nobody is taking away anyone's guns. And taxes have not gone up. And the deficit is dropping, actually. And Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. And the moon landing was real. And FEMA is not building concentration camps. And UN election observers are not taking over Texas. And moderate reforms of the regulations on the insurance industry and the financial services industry in this country are not the same thing as communism."

Maddow said that the Republicans "got shellacked" Tuesday night in a way that conservatives did not see coming because of what Maddow called their "vacuum-sealed, door-locked spin cycle of telling each other what makes them feel good."

"Unless they are going to secede," Maddow added, "they are going to need to pop the factual bubble they have been so happy living inside if they do not want to get shellacked again...Come on guys, we're counting on you."


I always like this Gal! She means what she says and to the point.

[mouser]

I've got to admit, the weapons of mass destruction thing just wasn't necessary.

They were firing on our planes patrolling the 'no-fly' zones. That was legal reason enough to tear up the cease fire agreement (since Iraq broke it) and resume hostilities. Or pick one of the many other violations Iraq committed after the pause in the war began.


As for parties... We actually did have a single party for one presidential election - with four candidates running - I think it was right after the Whigs disappeared. But no, I don't see any party with nearly enough clout to challenge either of the main two, and if one of those were to disappear, all the lobbying money would simply shift to the remaining party.

When the libertarians or Green party can raise even 4 or 5 hundred million dollars for an election cycle, Ill start to take them seriously. If they focused all their efforts on a single district, they may be able to pick up a seat in the house. That might be a good play for them actually - it would at least get their foot in the door.

Cynic, or realist?

[perez007usa]

Well, lets see,,,,,,,,

[monkeymax]

I think Adolph Hitler is better than Romney.

After 8 years of George Bush... another neo-con... what the fuck are you people thinking..? Is everyone's memory that short..? Have you all forgotten just how badly the Republicans raped you in the ass, during the 8 years of the Bush presidency..? Mitt Romney is almost a carbon copy of Bush.

Funny video about the USA with Romney as president.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kHiJvenJn0&feature=plcp

[Cat]

The GOP Hasn't Made Itself Toxic Only Among Latinos -- Just Look at the Asian-American Vote

http://www.alternet.org/election-2012/gop-hasnt-made-itself-toxic-only-among-latinos-just-look-asian-american-vote

The Asian population is obviously not monolithic, and there appears to be differences in political preference according to their country of origin or heritage. I also wouldn't think they'd be as hard to win back as Latinos because they haven't been the targets of the same kind of naked racism by the right, BUT Asians now represent the fastest growing demographic in the country, and they seem to be voting in greater numbers each year.

And, as Pew notes, "On balance, Asian Americans prefer a big government that provides more services (55%) over a smaller government than provides fewer services (36%). In contrast, the general public prefers a smaller government over a bigger government, by 52% to 39%."

As Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, "We're not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term." 

Like the line at the end

[mouser]

They're killing me.

Small government should be such an easy sell, if they would just think before they speak and stop talking out their ass.

By any metric, the government SUCKS when it comes to spending money efficiently. Yes, they can spend lots of money, even spend money coming up with new ways to spend money, but non-profits and private enterprise have them beat by miles in the worst of times. Leave them defense, infrastructure, national power (go go nuclear), social security, and medicare, and move the rest out. I would say oversee the financial markets, but all that's produced lately is bailouts - after the number they've gotten they're like Pavlov's dogs, the bigger they screw up the bigger a bailout they get...

[Tessera]

In other news...

The states of Colorado and Washington voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana use.

Yes, you read that right. Not just for medical purposes... but for recreational purposes as well. The citizens of both states have voted to make marijuana 100% legal for recreational use. Both states have set a legal possession limit of 1 ounce per user, as well as allowing you to grow a maximum of six live marijuana plants on your property. Anything above that amount will still be a crime in both states.

Each state is waiting to see what the response will be from the federal government, before going ahead with plans to sell, tax and regulate marijuana.

President Obama has been completely silent on the issue, which the politicians in Colorado and Washington view as being his "silent approval" of marijuana legalization.

All I can say is... it's FUCKING ABOUT TIME. Thank you, Colorado and Washington, for setting an excellent example for the rest of the country to follow.

[monkeymax]

In other news...

The states of Colorado and Washington voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana use.

Yes, you read that right. Not just for medical purposes... but for recreational purposes as well. The citizens of both states have voted to make marijuana 100% legal for recreational use. Both states have set a legal possession limit of 1 ounce per user, as well as allowing you to grow a maximum of six live marijuana plants on your property. Anything above that amount will still be a crime in both states.

Each state is waiting to see what the response will be from the federal government, before going ahead with plans to sell, tax and regulate marijuana.

President Obama has been completely silent on the issue, which the politicians in Colorado and Washington view as being his "silent approval" of marijuana legalization.

All I can say is... it's FUCKING ABOUT TIME. Thank you, Colorado and Washington, for setting an excellent example for the rest of the country to follow.

WOW, they finally realized, HEY, if we legalize it, we can make money from this and it will put drug dealers out of business.  LOL took them long enough.  

[beetle]

All of this political talk reminds me of an artist over on Deviant Art name Satan's Goalie. He has some really interesting political art.

http://satansgoalie.deviantart.com/gallery/33334761

[Caspa]

Ah, the good ol' elephant of the Republicans and donkey of the Democrats, representing the weight and intelligence of the average American...

[Tessera]

At least we didn't vote for Margaret Thatcher. 

[Schu]

In other news...

The states of Colorado and Washington voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana use.

Yes, you read that right. Not just for medical purposes... but for recreational purposes as well. The citizens of both states have voted to make marijuana 100% legal for recreational use. Both states have set a legal possession limit of 1 ounce per user, as well as allowing you to grow a maximum of six live marijuana plants on your property. Anything above that amount will still be a crime in both states.

Each state is waiting to see what the response will be from the federal government, before going ahead with plans to sell, tax and regulate marijuana.

President Obama has been completely silent on the issue, which the politicians in Colorado and Washington view as being his "silent approval" of marijuana legalization.

All I can say is... it's FUCKING ABOUT TIME. Thank you, Colorado and Washington, for setting an excellent example for the rest of the country to follow.

Here in Washington we have had medical marijuana for awhile now, and unlike in California it is closely regulated so the feds leave us alone. Also California has decriminalized marijuana, Washington state could never get decriminalization statutes passed, so again the feds are leaving us alone. Now that recreational use has been legalized, I'm willing to bet the feds are going to stuff their greasy paws into everything to try and put a stop to it, even though they are going to get a cut of the taxes.

Final note: Damn I love living in a progressive state, even if most of the politicians are greedy idiots.

GO US, and Colorado too.