Politics

WAB said:

I’ve crossed a number of those West African borders, you haven’t missed much over there unless kids waving AK’a and FN’s and shaking down helpless women is on your to do list!

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Finishing the Great North Road is what intrigues me the most. I have probably done a little over half so far.

Knowing significantly more about British Colonial history than French would make it more meaningful to me.

Hopefully BF or Benin will cool down in the future.

Rick Cox said:

Folks, here an fun exercize: Imagine you are a Democrat. (I know, I know...) Who would you vote for to lead the party? OK, now imagine you didn't have Trump to vote for in the next election. Who should run to lead the Republicans?

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I’ve always felt that Condoleeza Rice would be a good republican candidate.

In the 2016 primary I favored Ben Carson and would do so again..That said, I've come to consider Donald Trump as analogous to medicine. It may be unpleasant to take but it is necessary to cure the problem. My fear with Ben was that he is too nice to deal with that bunch of cut-throats. Possibly by 2024 Donald will have drained the swamp sufficiently that things can return to being civil and Ben would be my first choice.

Rick Cox said:

Folks, here an fun exercize: Imagine you are a Democrat. (I know, I know...) Who would you vote for to lead the party? OK, now imagine you didn't have Trump to vote for in the next election. Who should run to lead the Republicans?

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If voting Democrat I'd go for Amy Klobuchar, she seems to be the least nutty.

If Trump was not in the running, I'd go for Ted Cruz.

Republican - Nikki Haley in 2024, Ivanka Trump in 2032

Democrat....I'm not 100% sure, trying to think who could guide the country without a socialist agenda and seems most have sold out to get the base...I think the depletion goes back to the Obama years when they lost a lot of governors and senate races...the bench doesnt seem great in that regard. I think if I was a democrat, I would highly encourage Kamala to run again, she on paper, is the most electable candidate.

Rick Cox said:

Re: Romney voting to impeach and Ms. Sinema applauding Trump, I have to respect someone who doesn't drink the cool-aid, and stands by their convictions when they know they have nothing to gain and perhaps lots to lose by doing so.

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I doubt Romney has anything to lose. He made and is probably still making his money on Wall Street.

Pres Trump missed his chance to reciprocate being "courteous"

When he gave the press conference and thanked all of those that had supported him, he could have obtained a print-out of the two articles of impeachment and proceeded to rip them in two, just like pill-osi.

I've never been to AOC's alma mater, where she received a bachelors degree in economics. But it must be a whale of a school to have graduates spouting off as she does. Today she referred to the famed economist Milton Keynes. In defense of BU, maybe her degree was in Home Economics and the printer omitted Home.

Hogpatrol said:

View attachment 329167

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Awesome

Tanks said:

If voting Democrat I'd go for Amy Klobuchar, she seems to be the least nutty.

If Trump was not in the running, I'd go for Ted Cruz.

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I actually have some begrudging admiration for Tulsi Gabbard. Don't get me wrong, I think she's in error almost everywhere. But my cynicism detector's needle doesn't even flicker when she talks. I'd have to wind back the clock 30 or 40 years to come up with another democrat who is like her.

Rick Cox said:

Folks, here an fun exercize: Imagine you are a Democrat. (I know, I know...) Who would you vote for to lead the party? OK, now imagine you didn't have Trump to vote for in the next election. Who should run to lead the Republicans?

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No idea tbh. Bernie and Yang seem like nice PEOPLE and I like the latter's dismissal of the media circus but they're quite radical for my tastes. I abhor Biden as I want new blood in politics. My big hope is that the Democrats get good because I dont want Republicans running everything with no competition because then they'll stop caring. Ideally, parties outside the big 2 would spring up but even now with the DNC pissing in the collective cornflakes of their bases, it's not likely to happen.

Also, the wall is a moronic idea and comes across to me as a visual display of might rather than meaningful border security. Even the Berlin Wall in it's day would have seen frequent escapees. What you really need is to create stronger networks with Mexico to reduce illegal immigration.

Finally, the war on drugs is a load. I don't like to use literally to much but it's literally a repeat of the 1920's with cartels having replaced the Mafiosa and millions being poured into a figurative Sarlacc pit and most of it being taken out on poor families and not the preppy rich kids who show off their parents money by buying this stuff to show how cool they are (can you tell I'm a Long Islander yet?) I think weed will be fine with the same sorts of regulations as we impose on alcohol and for the rest, copy and paste what Portugal did. I'm very much someone who cares about getting results so whatever reduces the US drug epidemic, especially the recent plague of opioids, is to be implemented.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/20...licy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it

tigris115 said:

... My big hope is that the Democrats get good because I dont want Republicans running everything with no competition because then they'll stop caring...

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I have two big issues that determine who I wish to win. Economy (taxes) and gun control.

The current platform of Democratic party would triple my retirement income taxes (from 20% to 56% based on proposals) and basically make it very difficult if not impossible to own guns and ammunition.

Heck, I live in CA for now (house in Texas in escrow) and already feeling the anti-gun policies at work.

Dude, get your ass out of California!!!

One of the things that Donald Trump accomplished in the Republican party was to move some planks of their platform to the left (direction, not destination) making it more of a centrist party. One possibility for the DemonRats will be to lose in a Landslide ala Mondale 1984 in which case they may see the error of their Socialist/Communist ways and move in the right direction, Thus putting the focus of both parties in non-extreme answers to societies problems. So here's to a Republican Landslide in 2020 and an election in 2024 involving two viable candidates, either of which could do a decent job of running the country and neither would cause fears of ruining the country.

Ray B said:

One of the things that Donald Trump accomplished in the Republican party was to move some planks of their platform to the left (direction, not destination) making it more of a centrist party. One possibility for the DemonRats will be to lose in a Landslide ala Mondale 1984 in which case they may see the error of their Socialist/Communist ways and move in the right direction, Thus putting the focus of both parties in non-extreme answers to societies problems. So here's to a Republican Landslide in 2020 and an election in 2024 involving two viable candidates, either of which could do a decent job of running the country and neither would cause fears of ruining the country.

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I think a more likely scenario is a big old schism between tankies (those who tout socialistic policies) and lizards (those who speak for nothing besides focus groups and lobbyists). My tankie friends on discord have, imo, a higher level of self awareness and openness so the schism would be a good thing. Also for taxes, I think the problem is less them in of themselves, more the fact that the money needs to be used more efficiently for actually impactful stuff like proper infrastructure.