American Politics Thread: The Hunt for Blue November

[driveway]

Originally Posted by La Flames Fan

If the election drags out, and it will, I'd put a risky bet on carnage the likes of a civil war. I mean, that's where that country is headed anyway.

Pretty extreme take, but a little part of me wonders...

Watch the unemployment numbers - get close to 20% and a civil war becomes much more likely. Unemployment below 10% and it's extremely unlikely.

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by direwolf

If Trump had actually taken Covid seriously back in February, he'd probably get reelected easily. But because of his rampant ignorance, narcissism, and stupidity, his administration's disastrous response might just end up being the one thing that finally sinks him.

Trump was no doubt hoping that the virus would just go away before the election and the economy would come roaring back, but their situation down there is only gonna get worse over the next month or so. Since he can't run on a strong economy anymore, he's now resorting to fear tactics, divisive rhetoric, and sabotaging the election process. Pouring gasoline on the fire is the only play he has left at this point.

Doubt it. The bulk of his voters want to see him fight for their jobs and that he is the master of the economy. Much like last time Democrats are missing a key demographic in key states that is unemployed, under employed or on disability as a result of their manufacturing jobs being lost. Unless there is an under reported ground game targeting these people...it will be damn close again and it would not have helped trump to sacrifice the economy for quick response...

[Itse]

Economic numbers are pretty easy to fake in the short term, especially if you have enough people who want to believe you.

That said, doctoring economical statistics is one of those moves that could seriously blow up in Trump's face if he tried that. All it takes is one good "Wtf is he talking about, everyone is still unemployed" meme to hit a nerve somewhere.

[La Flames Fan]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Yes, but they're disingenuous. They make for great videos for the left to share, but they're anticipating a shift back to normally (for GOP standards). They are not anti-right, anything the right has been shifting towards, they are just hedging against a sinking ship (Trump) so they can collect all the rats later on.

Two of the founders of the Lincoln project are on Real Time with Bill Maher all the time - Rick Wilson and Steve Schmidt - and they are genuinely concerned about what's happening to the current Republican party and what Trump is doing. Sure they're Republicans, or conservatives, but even the current state is too extreme for them. They'll always be conservative, and that's fine, but at least there's some sensibility there. Heck, George Conway is a Founder of the LP.

Give them credit, they're using the Republican playbook (Swiftboat style) against Trump and it's been more effective than what the Democrats have been putting out.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by New Era

Let's get real here for a second. The Lincoln Project are indeed Republicans, but they are centrist Republicans who are not the bat #### crazy variety that are supporting Trump. There are a lot of thoughtful conservatives who have been abandoned by their party. This is a way for them to rest control of their party again and get back to some level of civility in politics and following of long established norms, like those set out in the constitution. Yes, they will remain Republicans, but the difference between the Lincoln Project Republicans and Democrats is not that much. They are battling for not just the existence of democracy in the United States, but the existence of their party. They can do both and do a service to the country.

Trump may be the one thing that makes the political mechanism take an inward look at itself and see the damage that hyper-partisan politics that Newt Gingrich and Mitch McConnell have fomented as the very bad thing that it is. Cooperation to stop Trump may finally end gridlock in congress when the dust settles.

I generally enjoy reading your takes on American politics, even if we don’t always agree, however I don’t buy the theory that the republicans behind the Lincoln project are trying to bring back some form a decorum or civility to the political landscape in that country. Like jayswin said, they’re just trying to hedge their long term political bets.

The Republican Party didn’t get to this point overnight, it’s been a decades long decent into this madness and the same Republicans who are behind the Lincoln project were there along the way and they did nothing to stop it because up until now there was no political risk in going along with it. Even if Trump loses they’re not going to turn that party around, they’ll just pretend they’re nothing like him and people will probably buy it because a lot of voters will look for any reason to justify voting for them for no other reason than they simply hate the only other party option on the ballot.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

I generally enjoy reading your takes on American politics, even if we don’t always agree, however I don’t buy the theory that the republicans behind the Lincoln project are trying to bring back some form a decorum or civility to the political landscape in that country. Like jayswin said, they’re just trying to hedge their long term political bets.

The Republican Party didn’t get to this point overnight, it’s been a decades long decent into this madness and the same Republicans who are behind the Lincoln project were there along the way and they did nothing to stop it because up until now there was no political risk in going along with it. Even if Trump loses they’re not going to turn that party around, they’ll just pretend they’re nothing like him and people will probably buy it because a lot of voters will look for any reason to justify voting for them for no other reason than they simply hate the only other party option on the ballot.

I think they have learned the err of their ways. Maybe that is me being overly optimistic, but listening to Conway and Wilson, they appear to have recognized they have contributed to the current state and must now contribute to pulling things back from the abyss. I disagree with the stance that the party is too far gone. There are lots of thoughtful conservatives that haven't followed the dear leader over the cliff. They can turn the party around and make the fringe the fringe once again. I live in a very conservative Trump friendly state and even here the anti-Trump sentiment is quietly high. I do believe that we are in an election on the future of democracy, and there are conservatives that want to stop the car from going over the cliff. Not all conservatives are crazy nutbars. There are still plenty that believe in representative democracy and compromise as the basis for governance. I'm willing to give these people a crack at helping solve the problem because we will always have Trump to beat them over the heads with if they sway from the path of righteousness.

[activeStick]

I'd encourage those on CP who continue to harp about Biden not having or discussing his platform policies to tune in now to CNN where he's been going on in detail now on these policies on the environment, economy, etc.

Continuing to complain about the Democrats not having much of a platform other than 'Trump is evil' is lazy and simply not factual.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by New Era

I think they have learned the err of their ways. Maybe that is me being overly optimistic, but listening to Conway and Wilson, they appear to have recognized they have contributed to the current state and must now contribute to pulling things back from the abyss. I disagree with the stance that the party is too far gone. There are lots of thoughtful conservatives that haven't followed the dear leader over the cliff. They can turn the party around and make the fringe the fringe once again. I live in a very conservative Trump friendly state and even here the anti-Trump sentiment is quietly high. I do believe that we are in an election on the future of democracy, and there are conservatives that want to stop the car from going over the cliff. Not all conservatives are crazy nutbars. There are still plenty that believe in representative democracy and compromise as the basis for governance. I'm willing to give these people a crack at helping solve the problem because we will always have Trump to beat them over the heads with if they sway from the path of righteousness.

I hope you’re right, but my opinion is that the donors who pull the puppet strings for that party and have seen their wealth grow exponentially from the policies they’ve lobbied for aren’t going to let any meaningful changes happen.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Trump, the forestry expert.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1305570417873244160

[calumniate]

not enough raking in the offseason

[direwolf]

[PsYcNeT]

Notorious grifter and Jacob Wohl accomplice Jack Burkman faked an FBI raid on his home this morning.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Trump, the forestry expert.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1305570417873244160

Trees can explode during forest fires. Also, I don't think it's crazy to suggest that one of the factors involved in the fires becoming extreme is the accumulation of fuel in the forests, nor is the idea of cutting firebreaks into the forests that wacky.

Trump is a jackass, but jumping on him talking about exploding trees when that actually happens is also being a jackass.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

But... now I'm no arboriculturist, so I could be mistaken... but... even if the trees are dead and dried out, in order for them to burn... don't... don't they... don't they need to be ignited in order to catch fire/explode?

Do, do trees really just... kaboom?

[White Out 403]

Climate change is a big part but also poor forest management and building homes in areas where wildfires regularly occur for centuries

[Fuzz]

The problem with Trump is that smart people tell him stuff, he manages to catch 2 or 3 points, and then repeats them in his stream of consciousness manner that makes him sound like a clueless fool. The points are often correct, it's the delivery that is a disaster.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Trees can explode during forest fires. Also, I don't think it's crazy to suggest that one of the factors involved in the fires becoming extreme is the accumulation of fuel in the forests, nor is the idea of cutting firebreaks into the forests that wacky.

Trump is a jackass, but jumping on him talking about exploding trees when that actually happens is also being a jackass.

Well, eucalyptus trees can explode due in a wildfire due to the oil in them, which is part of the problem in California, but it's a pretty non-specific statement to say "trees explode."

They could also put a concentrated effort on getting rid of the eucalyptus trees or removing the brush from large portions of land, instead of just clearing a path of everything.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

But... now I'm no arboriculturist, so I could be mistaken... but... even if the trees are dead and dried out, in order for them to burn... don't... don't they... don't they need to be ignited in order to catch fire/explode?

Do, do trees really just... kaboom?

All the drummers from Spinal Tap spontaneously combusted.

[darockwilder]

I got the impression that he was saying that when they fall down after 18 months of drying out they explode then. I don't think that happpens. Maybe it does. People are saying...

[PsYcNeT]

Very excited for the Trump/Biden debate on Joe Rogan...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1305294772656115712

https://twitter.com/user/status/1305487258036781056