LawTalkers - Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

I think he can catch her. I still don't think he will, but I am willing to admit that I could be Not Right.

I hope he doesn't. I like Hillary - she may be wrong sometimes (usually when she is trying to position herself; the Iraq vote and the decision to use a private email server are both examples of this), but she does her homework on policy issues.

I think Bernie speaks to a good chunk of the traditional New Deal coalition that still makes up part of the Democratic Party's base, so I expect him to do well in places like Michigan. (I didn't expect him to actually win it, btw). I don't think Bernie wins a general election. But, then again, I thought Trump would be out of the race long ago (I thought it would be because he didn't want to file disclosure reports), so who knows?

I think Hillary is basically a good person and competent, but I think her political instincts are too centrist and too incrementalist. She may be the right President to deal with an unrelentingly hostile Congress, but after six years of that many Democrats want more of a vision. Sanders has some of that vision, although he seems to see everything in terms of campaign-finance reform. And while I appreciate his efforts to push the envelope on the issues he cares about, and his commitment, it's hard to take him as seriously as a potential chief executive, a role he doesn't seem to have prepared for or really wanted until very recently. I appreciate what he has done to pull Hillary to the left, and that he hasn't been willing to say whatever it takes to pull her down.

ThurgreedMarshall

03-10-2016 10:20 AM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield (Post 499474)

Because save a few sentencing guideline changes, he's been all talk on criminal justice reform. That's trading lives for votes.

I guess you're part of the Obama is an omnipotent King who simply chooses not to enact, interpret and enforce the laws we want-crowd too?

This shit is so tired.

TM

Sidd Finch

03-10-2016 10:49 AM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 499483)

I guess you're part of the Obama is an omnipotent King who simply chooses not to enact, interpret and enforce the laws we want-crowd too?

This shit is so tired.

TM

I can only imagine the levels of true Republican horseshit that would flow if a black Democratic president made a hard push for criminal justice reform.

And I'm talking about a hypothetical black Democratic president, not the current one who is a foreign-born Muslim terrorist who hates America and has deliberately harmed it.

Hank Chinaski

03-10-2016 11:29 AM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 499484)

He went on record that he believed Omar was the best character in The Wire passing over a multitude of honest hard working police and politicians.

Sidd Finch

03-10-2016 12:23 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 499487)

He went on record that he believed Omar was the best character in The Wire passing over a multitude of honest hard working police and politicians.

I believe this may actually be the dumbest thing you've ever said. Congratulations on finding a new low.

notcasesensitive

03-10-2016 12:57 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 499456)

I agree with all of the positive things said about her here (other than Sebby's "no one hates her" line, which is ridiculous). The negative that I agree with is NotBob's "positioning" comment. Her vote on the Iraq war, in particular, was cowardly IMO. I do not believe she honestly thought it was a good idea, but she was afraid to stand on that.

I think many people view that as indicative of an overall willingness to change her position to what she views as popular or advantageous. I do not agree with that. She was not unique, or even unusual, among Dems who were cowed by the post-9/11 war fervor, and that was exactly what W, Rove, Cheney, FOX, and many many other were trying to accomplish with the "if you oppose war you support Saddam, and terrorists, and al Qaeda, and granny-rape" hysteria. (Ah, memories.... Bilmore and his "murder-marchers" polemics...)

People's willingness to see that instance as a broad indicator is, of course, driven to a great extent by their overall feelings towards her, which in many cases are a seething hatred driven by her sex and her refusal to play the gender role that was expected of women of her age. But, at least among those who lack the seething hatred, I see the legitimacy of the concerns, to an extent.

If I had the choice, I would rather vote for someone who had the courage and leadership to stand against the Iraq War, but my first priority is someone highly competent, effective, and not engaging in pipe dreams.

Sidd Finch has my proxy on this.

I'm pro Hillary. And I'm really sick of the (subset of the) Bernie crowd on facebook who insist on trying to demonize her with ridiculous articles from fifth-rate sources. Oh, that's right, according to them the "mainstream press" refuses to cover anything positive about Bernie. Right.

ThurgreedMarshall

03-10-2016 01:03 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 499488)

I believe this may actually be the dumbest thing you've ever said. Congratulations on finding a new low.

I thought it was pretty funny.

TM

Tyrone Slothrop

03-10-2016 01:11 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurgreedmarshall (Post 499490)

i thought it was pretty funny.

Tm

Pretty Little Flower

03-10-2016 06:41 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

On the news this morning I see a clip of a seething Donald Trump talking at a rally about how he'd love to punch a protester in the face. Then this evening I just see a clip of one of Trump's redneck supporters sucker punching a (black) protester in the face as he was being led out of the rally. Go ahead, Sebastian, tell me that this is the inevitable violence that occurs when Joe Sixpack gets fed up with globalization, as opposed to mindlessly angry bigots being whipped up into violent frenzies by the Republican frontrunner. This country is fucking scarier than ever.

Gattigap

03-10-2016 07:25 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Imma put this here because I grew up in a SC town much like the one described here, and this is the best explanation I've seen for why Trump Is, why Trump is Not New, and why it Worked in SC and is Working elsewhere.

This summer and fall will be a shitshow.

sebastian_dangerfield

03-10-2016 10:45 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 499483)

I guess you're part of the Obama is an omnipotent King who simply chooses not to enact, interpret and enforce the laws we want-crowd too?

This shit is so tired.

TM

No. I'm part of the crowd who heard Obama and Holder talk a good bit about reforming our criminal justice system, but all I got was a Vice special where Obama talked to some prisoners.

Obama's been a decent President, and a lot of the Left's attacks on him for not having done enough on health care, or jailing bankers, or "bringing urrr jobs back" are the usual gripes of those who don't understand how difficult, or impossible, it is to achieve the goals the Left desires.

But in criminal justice reform, there was bipartisan support. Booker and Paul got together to push it forward. The Kochs (for cynical reasons, no doubt) put money behind it. The rare moment where the public has some sympathy for people railroaded by a corrupt, deeply fucked up system appeared, and Obama missed the opportunity to push for reform.

Sure, even for Democrats, it's hard to buck the "tough on crime" idiot voting bloc. But Obama could have done more. And Hillary sure as fuck won't. (She'll suck up to the private prison lobby if it even slightly enhances her war chest for 2020.) The moment's gone, and the criticism Obama blew the best chance for serious reform is quite valid.

sebastian_dangerfield

03-10-2016 10:59 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 499497)

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/09/politi...economy-trade/

http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...ricans-support

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...910_story.html

http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...vitable-213685

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/busi...ss-6824206.php

I could fill ten pages with links explaining why trade and globalization are prime factors driving Trump voters. You can cite anecdotes about troglodytes at rallies punching protesters.

I'm happy to play along with the orthodoxy of some that we must call Trump followers racists and xenophobes first, and anti-globalizationists second (and only in a hushed tone). He does attract racists and xenophobes. But like Sanders, whose stump speeches on trade are near identical to Trump's, the crowd is to a significant if not overwhelming degree attracted to anti-globalization rhetoric.

But what the hell do I know? I'm just offering sources.

sebastian_dangerfield

03-10-2016 11:04 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 499484)

Normally, I'd agree. But last year was the exception. The libertarian wing of the GOP had power for a while, and the "tough on crime" jackasses could have been shamed into acquiescence, or at a minimum intimidated enough not to fight.

sebastian_dangerfield

03-10-2016 11:23 PM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gattigap (Post 499498)

This summer and fall will be a shitshow.

Why would it end there? Does anyone think Trumpism is going to vanish? He's exposed that 35-50% of GOP voters rabidly favor policies diametrically opposed to those of both parties' establishments. And half of the remaining voters like Cruz, an equally counter-establishment candidate.

Sanders has proven that 70% of young Democratic voters would prefer a Democratic Socialist to an establishment candidate, and believe things like free college and universal single payer healthcare can be provided by the govt.

Meanwhile, we're headed into a global recession. You think these groups are going to simply vanish back into the shadows if Hillary is elected? You've read Hoffer's True Believer? This is going to be a decade long shit show -- a Great Societal Splintering.

And we're one terrorist attack from complete mayhem. One scary Daesh hit over here and we're going to have a full on national nervous breakdown. Followed by President Trump's inauguration.

May you live in interesting times.

Not Bob

03-11-2016 06:46 AM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gattigap (Post 499498)

Yup. And thanks for the link - I know and am related to some of these people, too.

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