Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Is Adder on ignore?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Hmmm, I live in Berkeley Midwest. There were lots of Bernie signs, but I can't think of a single Hil sign. I would think her strength would be in Wayne county, not in my area. Maybe Detroit turnout was low?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Part of what you get with Hillary is the education she's gotten in public life. I think that vote was the beginning of her education on the middle east, and really since that first bit of grammar school learning she's been through high school, college and grad school on the subject.

So I'm more interested in talking about her role as secretary of state than a single vote a decade and a half ago in the Senate. And as a secretary of state, I think she did very well.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

I agree.

That vote was far more important to me back in the 2008 primaries, and was a key part of why I supported Obama.

A long time has passed, and as you say she's gotten a lot of education.

And, really -- the choice between someone who voted for the Iraq war and acknowledges that was a mistake, and someone who wants to carpet-bomb cities where ISIS is active or resume torturing suspects or engaged in targeted killing of family members or.... well, you get the point.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

I agree with Not Bob's positioning point, but I don't think it's accurate to say she was afraid. She made a strategic decision not to take a stand. That's a little different.

And it's a legitimate beef to have with her.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Wait a second. How did you become the Arbiter of Beef Legitimacy? Well, if that's how it is, then tell me this: Kanye v. Wiz Khalifa -- legit?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

This will surprise exactly no one, but I detest Hillary. I am pretty sure it is not because she is a woman.

Given the set of HRC, Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, I am unable to rank them in order of whom I dislike most. Nor am I able to even select one that I dislike even the tiniest bit less than the others. I dislike them all exactly equally, although for different reasons.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

I have no idea how one can detest Obama.

Disagree with him, sure. But how can you not smile back when he smiles?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Miley v. Nicki?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

https://thechive.files.wordpress.com...rip=info&w=600

TM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

There is a Donald Trump Has Tiny Hands PAC.

It is hilarious.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

The struggling want a magic bullet candidate who'll make everything better for them. She offers nothing but more of the current situation.

It's dumb for the Democrats to make this "America IS great!" argument. It's not, for about 60% of the country... many of whom are wavering Democrats.

If Trump hadn't alienated the Hispanic voters, Hillary would be in serious trouble. She's that piss poor of a candidate. Jeb in a pantsuit.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

She's going to be nearly neocon hawkish. Bill Kristol is already singing her praises. (Seriously.) The neocons know their fellow travelers. They want war, and she's been signaling she'll bring it for a long time.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Portland-based!

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

I'm entirely unqualified to adjudicate pop music beefs.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

I'll leave to Adder the issue of whether or not this is a legitimate beef, but I note that they both like to do cool things with their hair.

ETA: Oops, Adder punted. However, I did see that Ollie is here- perhaps he can answer your question.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

BUT America is GREAT - at least for those of us with normal hands and no other problem.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

We fucking suck. Our only saving grace is being the least enflamed on a block of houses on fire.

Donald Trump is the GOP nominee, half the country's on food stamps, we're a bubble to bubble economy, and we've not only fucked ourselves but good, but also bungled numerous interventions in the Middle East, turning a contained situation into the mother of all clusterfucks.

Yeah, my life's fine, and so is yours. But it's like playing golf on a series of links stretched through a fucking landfill. Trump's wrong on nearly everything, but in terms of us sucking, he's deadly accurate.

A nation of service workers and their overclass of benefactors might suit some, but even this fuck-you-you're-on-your-own libertarian leaning voter finds that pretty fucking creepy.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

I thought it was pretty funny.

TM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

2

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.

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

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

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

What's scarier is the fact that every single news outlet is treating him like a regular candidate after watching him say the most irresponsible, dangerous shit. That's the scary part. When he outright lies in an interview with the intention of winking at his violent, racist supporters and the reporter just shrugs? When he says protestors should be roughed up? When he comments on his supporters beating someone by saying "My supporters are passionate?" Nothing really, from anyone.

What will it take? Actual murder?

TM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Ah. I see. You're just like the people who are pissed about their taxes going up for the last seven years when they've paid less in taxes almost every single year.

Here you go:

"In a series of executive actions, Obama this week sought to taper a long and controversial era of crude law enforcement tools employed en masse during the so-called War on Drugs, which ushered in an era in mass incarceration.

His move on Monday to end solitary confinement of young inmates in federal prison is limited given the relatively low number of juveniles in federal custody, but many who’ve been advocating on behalf of youthful offenders hope the ban will push states to enact similar bans in their prisons, which house the vast majority of juvenile inmates.

The White House estimates that 10,000 inmates would be covered under the new executive actions, representing just a small fraction of the 100,000 prisoners held in solitary confinement on any given day."

and

"The timing of Obama’s push for criminal justice reform also pairs with historic efforts in Congress to adopt bi-partisan legislation before the end of the year. A bill to reduce prison sentences for nonviolent offenders has the crucial backing of key players from both parties, making hopes of achieving significant reform more than just a pipe dream.

There’s still a minefield of obstacles ahead that Congress will have to navigate with deft footing in order to pass meaningful reform. Rather than wait for Congress, Obama’s measures this week go even further than legislative proposals on solitary confinement for juveniles.

The drive to treat juveniles differently in the system now extends to all branches of the federal government. Obama’s announcement comes on the same day that the Supreme Court decided that convicted killers sentenced to life in prison as juveniles must have the chance to argue for parole."

Sometimes your fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, off the cuff, I'm Sebby thought process results in posts that are just absolutely ridiculous.

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/how-obama...justice-reform

TM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Sanders' crowd is overwhelming attracted to anti-globalization rhetoric?? Nope. It's in there, but it's not the main thing.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

You are failing to understand absolutely everyone's point. No one here is disagreeing that he has followers who are anti-globalization and followers who are racist, xenophobic, sexist assholes. The point is that they often overlap.

But the larger point is that what draws them to Trump is the "I don't give a fuck about PC bullshit, I'm taking back my country from Mexicans, Muslims, thugs, fags, and feminists." He would have the same broad support no matter what the fuck he said about policy. This is not surprising given that he's never expressed a substantive thought on any policy issue or provided a plan for anything outside of, "Believe me. I know. Believe me."

TM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

This shit right here, I agree with.

TM