U.S. Politics megathread (merged)

[JFK-1]

19 minutes ago, Ulysses said:

Donald Trump is the Republican candidate.  Republican supporters are going to vote for him.

 

And yet countless numbers of them will not.

Republican voters against Trump

The Lincoln Project is an American political action committee formed in late 2019 by a number of former Republicans.

The goal of the committee is to prevent the reelection of Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and defeat all Republicans in close races running for reelection in the United States Senate.

In April 2020, the committee announced their endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The Crowded, Competitive World of Anti-Trump G.O.P. Groups

[Ulysses]

5 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

 

And yet countless numbers of them will not.

Republican voters against Trump

The Lincoln Project is an American political action committee formed in late 2019 by a number of former Republicans.

The goal of the committee is to prevent the reelection of Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and defeat all Republicans in close races running for reelection in the United States Senate.

In April 2020, the committee announced their endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The Crowded, Competitive World of Anti-Trump G.O.P. Groups

 

 

"Countless".  Not literally, I trust. 

 

And nowhere near the numbers who will continue to vote for him, because that's what party loyalists do.

[Maple Leaf]

I heard a new acronym today which appealed to me so I thought I'd share.

 

WEPOTUS ... Worst Ever POTUS.  Even sounding it out should appeal to many Scots.

 

"Wee POTUS".  They must be referring to his hands.  

[Ulysses]

1 minute ago, Maple Leaf said:

I heard a new acronym today which appealed to me so I thought I'd share.

 

WEPOTUS ... Worst Ever POTUS.  Even sounding it out should appeal to many Scots.

 

"Wee POTUS".  They must be referring to his hands.  

 

That's not how you spell POUTS.

 

[JFK-1]

5 minutes ago, Ulysses said:

 

 

"Countless".  Not literally, I trust. 

 

And nowhere near the numbers who will continue to vote for him, because that's what party loyalists do.

 

Well you have said that you think I'm depicting what I want to be when that's not the case at all. That's just not the way my brain works.

And I'm no professional political analyst. All I'm doing is listening to professionals and professional bodies who are and they're telling me Trump hast two chances. Slim and no chance.

If they were saying the opposite I would be thinking otherwise. There isn't a shred of wishful thinking in my thought processes regarding it. 

[Ulysses]

27 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

 

Well you have said that you think I'm depicting what I want to be when that's not the case at all. That's just not the way my brain works.

And I'm no professional political analyst. All I'm doing is listening to professionals and professional bodies who are and they're telling me Trump hast two chances. Slim and no chance.

If they were saying the opposite I would be thinking otherwise. There isn't a shred of wishful thinking in my thought processes regarding it. 

 

Your posts have included statements and arguments about why people shouldn't vote for Trump.  That's a waste of your time; I already know why people shouldn't vote for Trump.

 

Trump is definitely behind in the polls, and it is undeniable that he is polling below his 2016 vote share.  My point, however, is that the overwhelming majority of registered Republicans will vote for him, and the opinion polls make that clear.  That is not a surprise to me, and it shouldn't surprise anyone.  It is exactly how one would expect party loyalists and strong party supporters to behave.

 

It is also important to bear in mind that Donald Trump still has a real chance of winning.  Right now his polling numbers are almost the same as they were at this point in 2016, and Biden's are a little bit better than Clinton's.  Moreover, Trump is behind Biden in the key battleground states,  but Biden has a lower lead in those states than Clinton had in 2016.  For whatever reason, the polls are suggesting that Trump is performing really badly where it doesn't matter to him, in states where Clinton won in 2016 and in states where Trump's lead is so big it can't be overturned.

 

And finally the polls are narrowing.  Biden's lead is shrinking, and if it continues to shrink at the same rate Trump stands a real chance of winning with very similar numbers to 2016.  Of course, that may not happen, and a big factor in the coming days is whether there will or can be a repeat of the Comey fiasco.  There probably can't be, but it can't be ruled out.

 

Politics is all about the numbers.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

1 hour ago, Ulysses said:

 

That's not how you spell POUTS.

 

 

Guffaw. Nice one.

 

[Justin Z]

On 19/10/2020 at 05:55, alwaysthereinspirit said:

You’ll find my explanations on why I personally agree with some things he’s done that have impacted me and my family personally/financially way back in this thread. 
 

 

Cool dude, glad it's going well for you

 

 

 

 

[Sharpie]

3 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

Bob, you're a true gentleman but I think on this one it's a bit OTT to relate the term b4574rd to the old term,  'illegitimate'. Time and language have moved on. Children born out of wedlock are commonplace; even our own prime minister has a few.  And the word itself is used almost affectionately, at least within friendship groups; obviously not when referring to football officials. 

 

However, I'm completely with you that it's not a word I'd expect to hear from a president or prime minister when making a public address. Biden said it, too, to a bunch of soldiers. I thought then that he was running a risk of losing a few puritanical voters but now Trump has evened it up. Whilst Biden said it with a note of ribaldry, trump's use of it was more viscous. 

 

 

I have a special lotion I could administer to her tonsils from a specially designed dispenser which delivers the lotion at body temperature. I imagine that at least one of us would feel better.

 

Thank you for a very polite comment on my use of a word. I intended no offence to anyone other than perhaps Trump.I used my cousins experience as a young sailor in WW2, and later when he had become a drunk and a thief and asked by arresting officers for names of his father and mother was again often referred to by the word. I realise life has changed but I believe the word is still as I described it as regard to parentage ,like  some words we use  insultingly they can be hurtful to individuals, this was what I was trying to state when the word was used in such a manner by the President of the United States, when used as an obscenity my cousin well knew what was meant in 1940's Royal Navy. Its 2020 but I still think like many of the words used for racial and other reasons it is despicable and the OTT was the President using it to describe members of a media tv station.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

 

*I'm surprised anyone is still taken aback by anything this moron comes out with. He's been revealing his myriad, delusory versions of  how he perceives himself to all and sundry since his run. Probably for donkey's before that but I was never a great reader of GQ, People, or the like.

 

*I'm actually surprised at how angry he still makes me.

 

 

[Maple Leaf]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/20/politics/trump-china-taxes-financial-records/index.html

 

So Trump has business interests in China, has a bank account in China, and pays taxes in China.

 

But he pays little or no income tax in the USA.  

 

And all the Trump campaign wants to talk about is Biden's son's emails????    Got it!

 

Just one more thing for the cultists to turn a blind eye to.

[ri Alban]

I used to think debates were a good thing. Now... The less I know about who's running for President /PM/FM the better. 

[JFK-1]

1 hour ago, Maple Leaf said:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/20/politics/trump-china-taxes-financial-records/index.html

 

So Trump has business interests in China, has a bank account in China, and pays taxes in China.

 

But he pays little or no income tax in the USA.  

 

And all the Trump campaign wants to talk about is Biden's son's emails????    Got it!

 

Just one more thing for the cultists to turn a blind eye to.

 

The New York Times is gunning for Trump and I would presume they already had this China factor when they published their last Trump taxes article a few weeks ago. Anybody get the feeling they're saving the best till last?

[I P Knightley]

1 hour ago, JFK-1 said:

 

The New York Times is gunning for Trump and I would presume they already had this China factor when they published their last Trump taxes article a few weeks ago. Anybody get the feeling they're saving the best till last?

With approx 60m votes already logged, they better pull their fingers out. Relatively few will change their mind about who to vote for but we need to hope that fresh stories mobilise a few million to get off their bahookies to vote. 

[Sidelight]

 

[RobboM]

6 hours ago, Ulysses said:

 

 

And finally the polls are narrowing.  Biden's lead is shrinking, and if it continues to shrink at the same rate Trump stands a real chance of winning with very similar numbers to 2016.  Of course, that may not happen, and a big factor in the coming days is whether there will or can be a repeat of the Comey fiasco.  There probably can't be, but it can't be ruled out.

 

Politics is all about the numbers.

Biden catching covid would be a game changer
Stay safe old fella!!!

[XB52]

7 hours ago, Ulysses said:

 

Your posts have included statements and arguments about why people shouldn't vote for Trump.  That's a waste of your time; I already know why people shouldn't vote for Trump.

 

Trump is definitely behind in the polls, and it is undeniable that he is polling below his 2016 vote share.  My point, however, is that the overwhelming majority of registered Republicans will vote for him, and the opinion polls make that clear.  That is not a surprise to me, and it shouldn't surprise anyone.  It is exactly how one would expect party loyalists and strong party supporters to behave.

 

It is also important to bear in mind that Donald Trump still has a real chance of winning.  Right now his polling numbers are almost the same as they were at this point in 2016, and Biden's are a little bit better than Clinton's.  Moreover, Trump is behind Biden in the key battleground states,  but Biden has a lower lead in those states than Clinton had in 2016.  For whatever reason, the polls are suggesting that Trump is performing really badly where it doesn't matter to him, in states where Clinton won in 2016 and in states where Trump's lead is so big it can't be overturned.

 

And finally the polls are narrowing.  Biden's lead is shrinking, and if it continues to shrink at the same rate Trump stands a real chance of winning with very similar numbers to 2016.  Of course, that may not happen, and a big factor in the coming days is whether there will or can be a repeat of the Comey fiasco.  There probably can't be, but it can't be ruled out.

 

Politics is all about the numbers.

You keep saying the polls are narrowing but they aren't, at least not according to the BBC poll tracker??

[ri Alban]

Will the USA break up? Texas seem to be a state that could inevitable leave the union. 

[Des Lynam]

2 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

 

The New York Times is gunning for Trump and I would presume they already had this China factor when they published their last Trump taxes article a few weeks ago. Anybody get the feeling they're saving the best till last?

The media like the New York Times are one of the reasons Trump became President. He’s been fantastic click bait revenue. He is bloody Teflon now. The mood is so polarised now that Republicans will vote for him no matter what. 

 

11 minutes ago, XB52 said:

You keep saying the polls are narrowing but they aren't, at least not according to the BBC poll tracker??

You remember 2016? 

[I P Knightley]

31 minutes ago, alfajambo said:

 

"Sources"

 

"Fox News"

 

You just don't get it, do you?

[John Gentleman]

24 minutes ago, Barack said:

You'd think having a "secret" Chinese bank account, selling penthouses to Chinese government ministers, secretive meetings between China & Kushner, Ivanka's 32-ish Chinese patents, random Chinese Mar-A-Lago woman, and the Commercial Bank of China...amongst other things...would mean you'd not be trying to antagonise the country at every given moment.

 

But I'm not a successful billionaire. So what would I know.

 

 

His dealings in China are all very 'past tense':

“No deals, transactions or other business activities ever materialized and, since 2015, the office has remained inactive,” Mr. Garten said. “Though the bank account remains open, it has never been used for any other purpose.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/us/trump-taxes-china.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[RobboM]

6 hours ago, Sharpie said:

 

Thank you for a very polite comment on my use of a word. I intended no offence to anyone other than perhaps Trump.I used my cousins experience as a young sailor in WW2, and later when he had become a drunk and a thief and asked by arresting officers for names of his father and mother was again often referred to by the word. I realise life has changed but I believe the word is still as I described it as regard to parentage ,like  some words we use  insultingly they can be hurtful to individuals, this was what I was trying to state when the word was used in such a manner by the President of the United States, when used as an obscenity my cousin well knew what was meant in 1940's Royal Navy. Its 2020 but I still think like many of the words used for racial and other reasons it is despicable and the OTT was the President using it to describe members of a media tv station.

It definitely chimes with some folks Bob. My wife's uncle passed away a few weeks ago and at the funeral her auntie, aged 87, spoke to Mrs RobboM about her own shame of being born illegitimate. That has lived with her throughout her life and, at a time when you would think that losing her husband of 50 years marriage would be occupying her thoughts, instead she worried about her boys finding out the truth that she was born illegitimate when she herself passes away. It is a deep, deep anxiety for some and not just a casual swearword

[XB52]

1 hour ago, Des Lynam said:

The media like the New York Times are one of the reasons Trump became President. He’s been fantastic click bait revenue. He is bloody Teflon now. The mood is so polarised now that Republicans will vote for him no matter what. 

 

You remember 2016? 

Yes the polls narrowed on the lead up to the election. My point is that they aren't narrowing this time as far as I can see

[CJGJ]

What type of American truly believes they are acting against the dangers of Communism being a possibility in the USA ?

 

I've always laughed at every one of them who actually puts that forward as a reason to oppose the Democrats

 

Covid may well have defeated Trump not the performance of the Democrats and Biden

 

Trump got it badly wrong and has continued to do so and for that we should be truly grateful if he loses the election

[DETTY29]

2 hours ago, CJGJ said:

What type of American truly believes they are acting against the dangers of Communism being a possibility in the USA ?

 

I've always laughed at every one of them who actually puts that forward as a reason to oppose the Democrats

 

Covid may well have defeated Trump not the performance of the Democrats and Biden

 

Trump got it badly wrong and has continued to do so and for that we should be truly grateful if he loses the election

50% of his base do believe in QAnon.

Edited October 21, 2020 by DETTY29

[I P Knightley]

5 hours ago, ri Alban said:

Will the USA break up? Texas seem to be a state that could inevitable leave the union. 

The Ewings, Barneses and all the rest of Texas will be looking closely to Scotland for some insight into the impact of leaving a union.

[Maple Leaf]

4 hours ago, RobboM said:

It definitely chimes with some folks Bob. My wife's uncle passed away a few weeks ago and at the funeral her auntie, aged 87, spoke to Mrs RobboM about her own shame of being born illegitimate. That has lived with her throughout her life and, at a time when you would think that losing her husband of 50 years marriage would be occupying her thoughts, instead she worried about her boys finding out the truth that she was born illegitimate when she herself passes away. It is a deep, deep anxiety for some and not just a casual swearword

 

Many moons ago my wife worked in Register House in Edinburgh, in the section where births, deaths, and marriages were recorded.

 

Children born out of wedlock had the word "ILLEGITIMATE" stamped across their birth certificate in bold, red letters.

[RobboM]

4 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Many moons ago my wife worked in Register House in Edinburgh, in the section where births, deaths, and marriages were recorded.

 

Children born out of wedlock had the word "ILLEGITIMATE" stamped across their birth certificate in bold, red letters.

A pedant writes 😉
NEW Register House for births,deaths and marriages. Many moons ago I too worked there .... and Register House too 🙂

[Justin Z]

6 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

"Sources"

 

"Fox News"

 

You just don't get it, do you?

 

No, he doesn't, and these people aren't going away, even if Biden wins.

 

1 hour ago, DETTY29 said:

50% of his base do believe in QAnon.

 

Indeed:

 

 

https://twitter.com/NumbersMuncher/status/1318717686281609219

 

[Lovecraft]

3 minutes ago, Justin Z said:

 

No, he doesn't, and these people aren't going away, even if Biden wins.

 

 

Indeed:

 

 

https://twitter.com/NumbersMuncher/status/1318717686281609219

 

It all just shows how easy it is to control people (idiots) through media.  Whether social media or more "traditional" news.

 

Years ago it was newspapers.  Now stuff can be published in seconds to millions without any fact or truth checking.  Also, the people coming out with this stuff don't need to post retractions.  

 

**** the USA

 

 

 

 

 

[Sharpie]

10 minutes ago, Justin Z said:

 

No, he doesn't, and these people aren't going away, even if Biden wins.

 

 

Indeed:

 

 

https://twitter.com/NumbersMuncher/status/1318717686281609219

 

 

Nothing stranger than life, when you were  younger you heard old folk saying things like " ach I'll no bother when its my time to go, ", to me it seemed just the worst way a person would have to be feeling. Having lived through much world strife, wars, disease, economic concerns, one always thought it is going to be so good for the next generation, four years of Trump and some other world leaders, and just the state to me of the world in general, I have now joined the "ach I'll no bother" generation.

[Justin Z]

13 minutes ago, Sharpie said:

 

Nothing stranger than life, when you were  younger you heard old folk saying things like " ach I'll no bother when its my time to go, ", to me it seemed just the worst way a person would have to be feeling. Having lived through much world strife, wars, disease, economic concerns, one always thought it is going to be so good for the next generation, four years of Trump and some other world leaders, and just the state to me of the world in general, I have now joined the "ach I'll no bother" generation.

 

I hear you. It's just this sort of existential dread that has me heartbroken for millennials and Gen Z, as well.

[JFK-1]

Trump claiming debate organisers are bias because they will be cutting off opposition mics when each candidate has their 2 minutes. What???

Can anybody derive any rationality from that? Biden will have his mic cut off when Trump gets his 2 minutes. Where's the bias? Somebody please enlighten me.

Am I not smart enough to comprehend the reasoning of a very stable genius?

[Sharpie]

3 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

Trump claiming debate organisers are bias because they will be cutting off opposition mics when each candidate has their 2 minutes. What???

Can anybody derive any rationality from that? Biden will have his mic cut off when Trump gets his 2 minutes. Where's the bias? Somebody please enlighten me.

Am I not smart enough to comprehend the reasoning of a very stable genius?

Talking about stable, some question his stability by walking out of a 60 minutes interview, and then telling his rally crowd to watch it as he sees himself as being a real hard man. Even some Republicans are starting to get concerned about him, doesn't say much for them when an old eedjit like me saw he was not all there during the 2016 election. Who would honestly pose and imitate of all the losers Mussolini,. it was o.k for Mussolini hanging upside down from a lamp post but he didn't have a &75,000 comb over to worry about.

[JFK-1]

2 minutes ago, Sharpie said:

Talking about stable, some question his stability by walking out of a 60 minutes interview, and then telling his rally crowd to watch it as he sees himself as being a real hard man. Even some Republicans are starting to get concerned about him, doesn't say much for them when an old eedjit like me saw he was not all there during the 2016 election. Who would honestly pose and imitate of all the losers Mussolini,. it was o.k for Mussolini hanging upside down from a lamp post but he didn't have a &75,000 comb over to worry about.

 

Yes I have been reading about the 60 minutes walkout. The usual thing, they're bias too. Everybody but Fox and Alex Jones is I suppose.

Apparently what went down is the interviewer was asking coronavirus questions. And that's clear bias, right? I mean it's only an ongoing once in a century global pandemic, right? Why talk about it?

White House now also trying to play down Trumps demands for a high level investigation into Hunter Biden emails. They know it's crazy, he doesn't apparently. 

[JFK-1]

You know I was just thinking. Wonder if we're likely to see some sort of hysterics when he can't interrupt Biden speaking. If I were a bookie I may offer evens at best. Maybe even a 4/5.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/21/rudy-giuliani-faces-questions-after-compromising-scene-in-new-borat-film

 

 

[Beni]

Just now, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/21/rudy-giuliani-faces-questions-after-compromising-scene-in-new-borat-film

 

 

 

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

1 minute ago, Barack said:

"I wish Rudy well..."

What a dirty old beast he is. Guliani (and the chief grabber). Can't wait to see the film.

[JFK-1]

Good one.
 

Quote

“She’s 15. She’s too old for you.”

 

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

1 minute ago, Barack said:

Can't stand SBC, in all honesty. Even more so, for snagging Isla Fisher on a free transfer too. That being said, I admire that hutzpah that snares bawbags with regularity.

 

Makes you wonder about Rudi's counter-espionage techniques, with all these Russian/Ukraine folk & laptops.

 

 

I know, a funny smell of excrement with that one.

[JFK-1]

Trump abruptly ends '60 Minutes' solo interview

 

[JFK-1]

Apparently they're begging him to stop picking fights with the media. It changes nothing and in fact can only make things worse. I'm betting he wont. He has no policy to speak of. What else can he do?

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

3 minutes ago, Barack said:

Jeff Toobin thought he was having a bad week...

He'll be due Giuliano a steak dinner, at least.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

Just now, Barack said:

Rudy should be scrubbing his hard-drive. Yesterday.

The Russians will have a backup.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

2 minutes ago, Barack said:

Fits the theory nicely.

 

Kompromat.

 

Him.

Trump.

Graham.

Johnson.

Rubio.

Cruz.

 

And on...

 

Wonder if Biden will mention it when Trump's microphone is turned off?

[JFK-1]

The debate is supposed to be about policy. What I'm hearing is that Trumps focus is going to be on Biden's son.

Great policy, that will 'make America great again'.

A conspiracy theory about Biden's son. Do they really not see the absurdity of this? Or does no one care how absurd it is during a policy debate?

Though to be true Biden is more than capable of speaking in depth on policy. Trump probably couldn't spell it.

[Tazio]

I’m tempted to watch it to see the spectacle of Trump silently seething that his mic is off. Or more likely trying to shout loud enough that Biden’s mic will pick up his pearls of wisdom. 

[Sharpie]

18 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

The debate is supposed to be about policy. What I'm hearing is that Trumps focus is going to be on Biden's son.

Great policy, that will 'make America great again'.

A conspiracy theory about Biden's son. Do they really not see the absurdity of this? Or does no one care how absurd it is during a policy debate?

Though to be true Biden is more than capable of speaking in depth on policy. Trump probably couldn't spell it.

After reading the Rudy thread I was just going to post something similar. Remember when political opponents argued budgets, policies, taxes, and stuff relevant to the electorate they represented. This Campaign is a contest to see who can find the dirtiest, corrupt, illegal garbage on their opponent and both unfortunately have slipped in to being equally guilty. I seem to recall in some debates candidates would when speaking of their opponent would refer to him,(very if any women running) as my friend. Changed not for the better days.

[JFK-1]

28 minutes ago, Sharpie said:

After reading the Rudy thread I was just going to post something similar. Remember when political opponents argued budgets, policies, taxes, and stuff relevant to the electorate they represented. This Campaign is a contest to see who can find the dirtiest, corrupt, illegal garbage on their opponent and both unfortunately have slipped in to being equally guilty. I seem to recall in some debates candidates would when speaking of their opponent would refer to him,(very if any women running) as my friend. Changed not for the better days.

 

I'm presuming the moderator will be asking policy questions which I further presume Biden will be able to speak on. In depth.

I don't know if I recall Trump ever speaking on policy beyond a cursory comment. And I doubt the moderator will be asking any questions about Hunter Biden's  laptop and the blind laptop repair guy.