Idiocracy

[CarltonTheBear]

A funny read on the Pence announcement:

http://www.vox.com/2016/7/16/12205878/donald-trump-mike-pence-vp-speech

The 60 Minutes interview that that picture above was taken from was pretty good too:

http://gawker.com/all-the-most-excruciating-moments-from-the-trump-pence-1783831489

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/07/17/trumppence-60-minutes-interview-painful-train-wreck.html

My favourite part:

Lesley Stahl: You're not known to be a humble man, but I wonder...

Trump (interrupting): I think I am actually humble I think I'm much more humble than you would understand.

 

[bustaheims]

Lesley Stahl: You're not known to be a humble man, but I wonder...

Trump (interrupting): I think I am actually humble I think I'm much more humble than you would understand.

Only Donald Trump could make that comment.

 

[herman]

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all/amp

If Tony Schwartz, ghostwriter of the Art of the Deal (Trump memoir) were to re-write the book today, he would title it The Sociopath.

The pathology at work here certainly is interesting.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/mikehearn/status/755260215021432832

www.twitter.com/mikehearn/status/755260215021432832

http://gawker.com/melania-trump-apparently-plagiarized-a-section-of-miche-1783889522

Video of Melania Trump's speech last night over Michelle Obama's speech at the DNC in 2008. A part of Melania's speech matched hers almost word-for-word.

 

[lamajama]

We are witnessing the devolving of the most powerful nation on earth right before our eyes.

This is some scary chit. As self-serving as they can be, the world does need a stable USA.

There is enough crackpot regimes in the world without adding another one.

 

[TBLeafer]

Thing is every World world leading superpower has fallen.

The Greeks... the Romans... the British... soon to be the Americans...

 

[bustaheims]

We are witnessing the devolving of the most powerful nation on earth right before our eyes.

This is some scary chit. As self-serving as they can be, the world does need a stable USA.

That's true, and it's been a slow progressing for the last 15-20 years now. That being said, the US could certainly do with somewhat of a reset in terms of the political climate, and, while I don't expect it to come down soon or necessarily as a result of this election cycle specifically, it won't shock me to see some of the necessary changes start to take place once the "old guard" of American politics loses their grip on the seats of power - which, to an extent, the rise of Trump has played a part in.

 

[hockeyfan1]

They're sitting on golden thrones ffs

I actually like that white piano in the background.

As for the chairs, they match nicely with the Donald's hair. 

 

[Bullfrog]

We are witnessing the devolving of the most powerful nation on earth right before our eyes.

This is some scary chit. As self-serving as they can be, the world does need a stable USA.

That's true, and it's been a slow progressing for the last 15-20 years now. That being said, the US could certainly do with somewhat of a reset in terms of the political climate, and, while I don't expect it to come down soon or necessarily as a result of this election cycle specifically, it won't shock me to see some of the necessary changes start to take place once the "old guard" of American politics loses their grip on the seats of power - which, to an extent, the rise of Trump has played a part in.

Does anyone think Trump will actually win? I know the polls are disturbingly close in terms of projected votes, but almost every poll has her winning rather handily.

 

[Omallley]

We are witnessing the devolving of the most powerful nation on earth right before our eyes.

This is some scary chit. As self-serving as they can be, the world does need a stable USA.

That's true, and it's been a slow progressing for the last 15-20 years now. That being said, the US could certainly do with somewhat of a reset in terms of the political climate, and, while I don't expect it to come down soon or necessarily as a result of this election cycle specifically, it won't shock me to see some of the necessary changes start to take place once the "old guard" of American politics loses their grip on the seats of power - which, to an extent, the rise of Trump has played a part in.

Does anyone think Trump will actually win? I know the polls are disturbingly close in terms of projected votes, but almost every poll has her winning rather handily.

I don't, but there's a ton of time until the election, so who knows?

Also - a really great look at what it would take for Trump to win: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/upshot/presidential-polls-forecast.html?_r=0 (see the bottom of the page).

 

[bustaheims]

Does anyone think Trump will actually win? I know the polls are disturbingly close in terms of projected votes, but almost every poll has her winning rather handily.

I don't, but I also didn't think he'd get this far, so, I really just don't know. The American political landscape is . . . well, dumb.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Does anyone think Trump will actually win? I know the polls are disturbingly close in terms of projected votes, but almost every poll has her winning rather handily.

I don't, but I also didn't think he'd get this far, so, I really just don't know. The American political landscape is . . . well, dumb.

I live in what is considered a "tea-party stronghold" and is it painful any time I am exposed to some minimum wage mouth breather championing Trump and his ability to make #Murica great again. What's worse though is the number of middle-class college-educated morons who are buying his filth.

Truth is large parts of the country are still deeply racist and Trump gives them an option of supporting a bigot without getting their hands dirty.

So many Americans buy the BS that they are all just embarrassed millionaire's in waiting and it's killing the poor and disenfranchised.

I honestly fear there will have to be real prolonged civil unrest before anything meaningful changes.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

[tweet]756119198057848833[/tweet]

www.twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/756119198057848833

Cruz explains why he decided to go against his earlier pledge that he would support whoever the Republican nominee would be. Says "I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father". Says because of that he won't come "like a servile puppy dog".

I mean, I don't like Cruz at all, and while I think it would have been better for him to state he wasn't supporting Trump because of his insane policies instead of the personal remarks Trump made against his family, it's still pretty huge of him to take this stance when the rest of the GOP won't.

 

[Kin]

I mean, I don't like Cruz at all, and while I think it would have been better for him to state he wasn't supporting Trump because of his insane policies instead of the personal remarks Trump made against his family, it's still pretty huge of him to take this stance when the rest of the GOP won't.

Problem there is that Cruz's own policies aren't a ton saner.

Anyways, there is a small but significant number of Republicans refusing to support Trump. Lindsay Graham and Ben Sasse are two pretty prominent Senators in that camp and Romney and the Bushes are some others.

 

[louisstamos]

Two great articles with contradictory stances on Ted's defection, but both agree that this was done with 2020 in mind:

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnewrepublic.com%2Farticle%2F135366%2Fted-cruzs-betrayal-donald-trump-brilliant&h=aAQHewM7e

https://newrepublic.com/article/135357/ted-cruz-made-terrible-mistake?utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=sharebtn

Basically - if Trump loses, and loses hard, Cruz sets himself up as the front runner in 2020 as the one guy who refused to follow him.  But at the same time, he has alienated a huge portion of the republican base.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Problem there is that Cruz's own policies aren't a ton saner.

Anyways, there is a small but significant number of Republicans refusing to support Trump. Lindsay Graham and Ben Sasse are two pretty prominent Senators in that camp and Romney and the Bushes are some others.

You're right, I should say he's unique in that he said what he said AT the Republican convention. And yeah not supporting someone you previously called a "pathological liar" doesn't give you too much credit, it's just refreshing after so many others said similar things and then stood by Trump anyway.

 

[Kin]

Basically - if Trump loses, and loses hard, Cruz sets himself up as the front runner in 2020 as the one guy who refused to follow him.  But at the same time, he has alienated a huge portion of the republican base.

The problem there is that the GOP establishment hates Cruz almost as much as the Trump fans now do.

And while CtB is right that Cruz saying what he did at the Convention is pretty noteworthy there are going to be a decent number of 2020 candidates who have sufficient distance from Trump. I mean, Kasich, Rubio, I mentioned Sasse...a lot of people aren't anywhere near this convention.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And while CtB is right that Cruz saying what he did at the Convention is pretty noteworthy there are going to be a decent number of 2020 candidates who have sufficient distance from Trump. I mean, Kasich, Rubio, I mentioned Sasse...a lot of people aren't anywhere near this convention.

Granted I'm no expect on American politics but I'd be pretty surprised if any of the failed candidates from this year stand much of a chance in 2020. It just seems like none of them were clicking with the people even well before Trump took everything over. They'll need some kind of fresher face. I don't know much about Sasse but maybe him. Maybe Paul Ryan is more interested in the job 4 years from now.

 

[Kin]

And while CtB is right that Cruz saying what he did at the Convention is pretty noteworthy there are going to be a decent number of 2020 candidates who have sufficient distance from Trump. I mean, Kasich, Rubio, I mentioned Sasse...a lot of people aren't anywhere near this convention.

Granted I'm no expect on American politics but I'd be pretty surprised if any of the failed candidates from this year stand much of a chance in 2020. It just seems like none of them were clicking with the people even well before Trump took everything over. They'll need some kind of fresher face. I don't know much about Sasse but maybe him. Maybe Paul Ryan is more interested in the job 4 years from now.

I guess I see that as being determined by whether or not Trump is sort of a one-off phenomenon or if he represents something real and lasting within the party. If there's a semi-permanent Trump bloc that can be catered to and that represents a real path to victory in a crowded GOP field than, sure, you probably need someone new who can court them a little.

If, on the other hand, Trump loses and loses big this fall I think we'll see a very different dynamic in any 2020 GOP primary. I think there'd be a huge pressure by whoever is running the RNC to have only a couple of mainstream candidates challenging whatever fringe guys are out there. Remember, significantly more GOP primary voters voted for someone other than Trump than voted for him.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If, on the other hand, Trump loses and loses big this fall I think we'll see a very different dynamic in any 2020 GOP primary. I think there'd be a huge pressure by whoever is running the RNC to have only a couple of mainstream candidates challenging whatever fringe guys are out there. Remember, significantly more GOP primary voters voted for someone other than Trump than voted for him.

I agree but that's what I mean, weren't Cruz and Rubio supposed to be those "mainstream" candidates? And they got crushed. I think that part of the reason Trump was able to do what he did was because the rest of the GOP field blew. And it sort of seemed that way from the very start. Nobody seemed to really LOVE any of the candidates on either parties.

Whether they go for a mainstream guy or another wacko, I just feel like that person needs to be better and different than the options from this year.