US Presidential elections 2012

[pink_triangle]

Watching the west wing turned me into a bit of an american political junkie. I love the characters, the debates and the primary systems which make the politicians a lot more accountable in my opinion.

I have seen the last 2 republican debates and it looks like its heading towards perry v romney. There is defnitely a lot more charisma and character in the fields then the dire labout leadership contest.

My opinions

1- Romney - I think he is the safe bet, not particularly inspiring but not likely to make a major error. Probably the person obama would least want to face.

2- Perry - I hope he wins, I think Obama would beat him without too much of a problem. He comes across as someone that is prone to gaffes, Im not sure people want another texan president and I cant see him appealing to independents.

3- Bachmann - An evil witch, cant stand her no compromise attitude and am glad she doesnt seem to be getting as much attention.

4- Paul - I cant believe he has got so much of a cult following and even heard liberals saying they like the guy. Behind the nice guy, laid back attitude, there lies the most right wing man in the contest. I think he would be dangerous if he got voted in.

5- Huntsman - My favourtie and the most common sense speaking, reasonable candidate. However no change of winning the votes of mad republicans

6- Santorum, Ginrich, Cain - Irrelevant, should pull out now.

Anyone else with any interest?? I suspect not many!

[Purple Monkey]

They're all irrelevant. All of them will end up as puppets of industry. As always.

Waste of time.

[lost]

I like Paul, abolish the federal reserve and close all US military bases around the world. Shame he gets ignored by the main stream media.

[Wooderson]

Box office democracy? Consider me signed up.

Romney/Rubio with a fair tea party wind = the most devisive political contest in decades. Still call an Obama win, particularly if he hooks Clinton for VP.

Perry/Palin = Jon Stewart best of DVD running to 10 bluray discs in length. Obama win.

[Ed209]

Watching the west wing turned me into a bit of an american political junkie. I love the characters, the debates and the primary systems which make the politicians a lot more accountable in my opinion.

I have seen the last 2 republican debates and it looks like its heading towards perry v romney. There is defnitely a lot more charisma and character in the fields then the dire labout leadership contest.

My opinions

1- Romney - I think he is the safe bet, not particularly inspiring but not likely to make a major error. Probably the person obama would least want to face.

2- Perry - I hope he wins, I think Obama would beat him without too much of a problem. He comes across as someone that is prone to gaffes, Im not sure people want another texan president and I cant see him appealing to independents.

3- Bachmann - An evil witch, cant stand her no compromise attitude and am glad she doesnt seem to be getting as much attention.

4- Paul - I cant believe he has got so much of a cult following and even heard liberals saying they like the guy. Behind the nice guy, laid back attitude, there lies the most right wing man in the contest. I think he would be dangerous if he got voted in.

5- Huntsman - My favourtie and the most common sense speaking, reasonable candidate. However no change of winning the votes of mad republicans

6- Santorum, Ginrich, Cain - Irrelevant, should pull out now.

Anyone else with any interest?? I suspect not many!

[Ed209]

Tea party debate is at 8pm ET (1am BST) tonight. Should make interesting/disturbing/hilarious viewing

[Halcyon]

Watching the west wing turned me into a bit of an american political junkie...

[eFestivals]

the two front runners are both anti-science and creationists. Just what the world needs.

[The Nal]

the two front runners are both anti-science and creationists utterly insane. Just what the world needs.

[Ed209]

Tea party debate is at 8pm ET (1am BST) tonight. Should make interesting/disturbing/hilarious viewing

Edited September 14, 2011 by Ed209

[The Nal]

Edited September 14, 2011 by The Nal

[Ed209]

The majority of americans are ashamed by those views. And with the exception of Fox, the mainstream media mocks them. I'm not sure that there has been a particular shift to the right recently, there has always been that element, its just that the current weakness in both parties has allowed the teabaggers to come to fore and have a voice. Most republicans wish the teabaggers would just piss off as they are giving their party a bad name.

9/11 really hurt them, politically and financially, and a lot of their current problems are a hangover of it. But they'll come good again. They've got too much good stuff going for them. They just need to get their shit together.

[eFestivals]

The majority of americans are ashamed by those views.

... but not enough to vote for someone else.

[Ed209]

... but not enough to vote for someone else.

[Kowalski]

Jesus Christ, if Obama doesn't get a second term then there really is no hope for them. I'm not saying he's doing a brilliant job but he's no nutcase.

[Wooderson]

The majority of americans are ashamed by those views. And with the exception of Fox, the mainstream media mocks them. I'm not sure that there has been a particular shift to the right recently, there has always been that element, its just that the current weakness in both parties has allowed the teabaggers to come to fore and have a voice. Most republicans wish the teabaggers would just piss off as they are giving their party a bad name.

9/11 really hurt them, politically and financially, and a lot of their current problems are a hangover of it. But they'll come good again. They've got too much good stuff going for them. They just need to get their shit together.

[pink_triangle]

Jesus Christ, if Obama doesn't get a second term then there really is no hope for them. I'm not saying he's doing a brilliant job but he's no nutcase.

[Wooderson]

In my opinion romney is fake and slimey but he is clever and no nutcase. I don't think he is as right wing ads he is making out and if he wins the primary he will move to the centre to go after independents. I think this is why he is the biggest threat, as he is the least genuine and will tell people what they want to hear.

[eFestivals]

yeah, but its only a relatively small number of people who are voting for the extreme right, its just because they're in concentrated pockets that they get representation.

no, it's more than just that.

Of the two republican front-runners, one (the one from Texas, I forget the names) has long been a creationist. The other guy (from Mass., I think) has previously denounced creationists, but in trying to become the presidential candidate has been suggesting that's now what he believes.

These are the two front-runners remember, and they're front-runners because they have significant support from 'the people'. The one now suggesting he's a creationist is doing so because that'll get him more votes than if he stuck by his previous statements.

I can't remember the numbers now, but it's defo over 30% of the American population that reject evolution theory in favour of the creationist idea. That's not a small number!!

(have just googled for the percentage, and it seems it's about 40% of total population, and 52% of Republicans.

[in comparison, it's 22% in the UK]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/20/40-of-americans-still-bel_n_799078.html).

The Texas guy (if not the other, I can't remember) is also stating that man made climate change is a con, that there's no science behind the idea, and that a huge number of scientists also think it's a con (when it's actually less than 2% in that field). Again, there's huge popular support for this take on things.

It is of course the case, the same as with Britain, that people can really only vote for the candidate they find the least objectionable rather than one they fully endorse, because few people buy into all of another person's ideas. But whereas in Britain that tends to marginalise the more extreme views, the opposite is true in the US - because a large enough number buy into enough of the Republican extreme views to push those extreme candidates forwards.

That's not me saying that a majority have those extreme views, but it's a far greater number than it appears you're suggesting. Because the majority of those with those extreme views live out in the sticks (city dwellers anywhere in the world tend to be more progressive) and a huge proportion of Americans live out in the sticks, it's quite easy to gain the impression that it's only a small number that hold those extreme views from the UK's (or a visitors) perspective.

[eFestivals]

In my opinion romney is fake and slimey but he is clever and no nutcase. I don't think he is as right wing ads he is making out and if he wins the primary he will move to the centre to go after independents. I think this is why he is the biggest threat, as he is the least genuine and will tell people what they want to hear.

from what I've read of him, I agree that he's a fake, but clever with it.

All the same, he'd be a hugely better result for the world than the Texas nutter - who's going around proclaiming a Texas economic miracle, when the reality is wildly different. His only real economic 'success' is attracting companies to Texas by undercutting the tax rates of other states (a policy that couldn't work on a nationwide basis), tho that has still led to a fall in the number of jobs within Texas and a huge increase in the numbers of people both working (including many teachers, for example) and unemployed who have to rely on charity hand-outs just to be able to support their families.

[The Nal]

the thing with Fox is it appeals to a whole swathe of America. And as it's kind of on it's own, it 'catches' a massive audience. The left (well, what they call the left) has a few options for the punters, but Fox is one of a kind, and because of that, it gets a disproportionately large 'audience'

it's a bit scary

love to know what they have to say about Palin's secrets

http://www.guardian....-marijuana-book

[Gre]

nothing major for rational, intelligent human beings

I'm talking about Fox viewers and presenters

[Wooderson]

Fucking her husbands business partner is a bit of scandal I suppose. I bet he votes Palin though so job done there!

[Ed209]

no, it's more than just that.

Of the two republican front-runners, one (the one from Texas, I forget the names) has long been a creationist. The other guy (from Mass., I think) has previously denounced creationists, but in trying to become the presidential candidate has been suggesting that's now what he believes.

These are the two front-runners remember, and they're front-runners because they have significant support from 'the people'. The one now suggesting he's a creationist is doing so because that'll get him more votes than if he stuck by his previous statements.

I can't remember the numbers now, but it's defo over 30% of the American population that reject evolution theory in favour of the creationist idea. That's not a small number!!

(have just googled for the percentage, and it seems it's about 40% of total population, and 52% of Republicans.

[in comparison, it's 22% in the UK]

http://www.huffingto...l_n_799078.html).

The Texas guy (if not the other, I can't remember) is also stating that man made climate change is a con, that there's no science behind the idea, and that a huge number of scientists also think it's a con (when it's actually less than 2% in that field). Again, there's huge popular support for this take on things.

It is of course the case, the same as with Britain, that people can really only vote for the candidate they find the least objectionable rather than one they fully endorse, because few people buy into all of another person's ideas. But whereas in Britain that tends to marginalise the more extreme views, the opposite is true in the US - because a large enough number buy into enough of the Republican extreme views to push those extreme candidates forwards.

That's not me saying that a majority have those extreme views, but it's a far greater number than it appears you're suggesting. Because the majority of those with those extreme views live out in the sticks (city dwellers anywhere in the world tend to be more progressive) and a huge proportion of Americans live out in the sticks, it's quite easy to gain the impression that it's only a small number that hold those extreme views from the UK's (or a visitors) perspective.

[Wooderson]

Lets not forget that it was only 3 years ago that America voted in Obama - and a large part of that was down to Palin being chosen as McCain's running partner, because the majority of american's, and I would guess a large majority, don't buy into those extreme views. And this is still a country that in all probability will vote Obama in again, even though he hasn't had a particularly sparkling presidency,