Primary 2012: An austere OP for an austere era

MKR

Last OP: http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showpost.php?p=19358435&postcount=1

An epic battle of blight vs. dong.

BEGIN

edit: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/06/201161405842986718.html

There we go

DevoutlyApathetic

Man, that is not what is meant by "copy and paste"!

We could at least have gotten some hip hop campaign ads or something in the OP.

Dracomicron

On the Faceplace (Booktube?), one of my friend's friends is going on about how Wiener should resign because he's "a distraction" while the debate over raising the debt ceiling is going on. I told him that Congress was distracting itself, and was bluffing to boot, since the Republican leadership doesn't want to rule over a post-apocalyptic wasteland if they manage to pull off a win in 2012.

As far as the media is concerned, they will get bored with Wienergate as soon as the Iowa straw poll comes out and the Republicans start eating babies in return for dark power.

Clevinger

Dracomicron wrote: »

On the Faceplace (Booktube?), one of my friend's friends is going on about how Wiener should resign because he's "a distraction" while the debate over raising the debt ceiling is going on. I told him that Congress was distracting itself, and was bluffing to boot, since the Republican leadership doesn't want to rule over a post-apocalyptic wasteland if they manage to pull off a win in 2012.

As far as the media is concerned, they will get bored with Wienergate as soon as the Iowa straw poll comes out and the Republicans start eating babies in return for dark power.

I disagree. All the Republicans have to do is time when some new information, or picture, or girl calling for Weiner's resignation, comes out, then the media will be thoroughly distracted for at least a day or two with each bit.

edit: Guess it doesn't matter. NYT is saying he's going to resign.

Deebaser

That new "Hip Hop" republican ad is bad. It's "Willie Horton" meets "Don't Copy that Floppy".

Ringo

Frowning at that OP so hard

Richy

Dracomicron wrote: »

On the Faceplace (Booktube?), one of my friend's friends is going on about how Wiener should resign because he's "a distraction" while the debate over raising the debt ceiling is going on. I told him that Congress was distracting itself, and was bluffing to boot, since the Republican leadership doesn't want to rule over a post-apocalyptic wasteland if they manage to pull off a win in 2012.

As far as the media is concerned, they will get bored with Wienergate as soon as the Iowa straw poll comes out and the Republicans start eating babies in return for dark power.

They're distracting the public. "Economic crisis? Ignore the details look at this picture of a penis!!! And the debt ceiling raise bill passed through Congress, which means one and only one thing: you and your kids have mode government debt, and it's all the fault of Democrats because the President is Democrat and ignore the fact we Republicans control Congress right now because... hey did we show you this picture of a penis????"

Dracomicron

Clevinger wrote: »

edit: Guess it doesn't matter. NYT is saying he's going to resign.

I hope he resigns, then runs for that exact same office.

Then, when he gets re-elected, he can go back to the House and say, while the Reps are all staring at him in disbelief, "Take a picture, it will last longer."

nexuscrawler

Deebaser wrote: »

That new "Hip Hop" republican ad is bad. It's "Willie Horton" meets "Don't Copy that Floppy".

Dont make me post the Romney who let the dogs out clip

SkyCaptain

http://www.hulu.com/watch/250100/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-indecision-2012-the-awakening#s-p2-sr-i1

This video accurately sums up just how much I love how long the political campaigning goes on.

Gosling

Dracomicron wrote: »

Clevinger wrote: »

edit: Guess it doesn't matter. NYT is saying he's going to resign.

I hope he resigns, then runs for that exact same office.

Then, when he gets re-elected, he can go back to the House and say, while the Reps are all staring at him in disbelief, "Take a picture, it will last longer."

It would not be unprecedented for this exact thing to happen. Ask Milwaukee about Victor Berger sometime.

As for the poll, I'm thinking keep the lineup we had in the last thread, but Gary Johnson comes out and Rick Perry comes in...

Sarah Palin, Alaska
Herman Cain, Georgia
Newt Gingrich, Georgia
Mitt Romney, Massachusetts
Michelle Bachmann, Minnesota
Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota
Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania
Ron Paul, Texas
Rick Perry, Texas
Jon Huntsman Jr., Utah

Remember, though, we're of the kind of mindset to where we need to explicitly ask for either the person we would prefer as President, or the person we'd prefer as Obama's opponent. I say ask for Obama's opponent.

ArbitraryDescriptor

I want Romney, now.

Then, when he snubs Palin and Bachmann for VP, amid his support of proper health care and gay marriage, I want them to enter as a third party duo and found the Tea Party proper.

The Tea Party party.

Burtletoy

Wait.

Santorum is still running?

Wasn't he that guy that crashed and fucking burned on stage during the last debates?

Forar

He has to stay in. He has to. More people need to see the narrow minded goosery that dribbles from his word hole on a daily basis.

Which is to say that his opinions are bad and he should feel bad.

Sometimes I think I harp a bit too much on Santorum, then I remember that he considers gay marriage on par with beastiality and incest and I really don't feel bad about saying anything (that is true, if mean spirited) about him at all.

dojango

Forar wrote: »

He has to stay in. He has to. More people need to see the narrow minded goosery that dribbles from his word hole on a daily basis.

Which is to say that his opinions are bad and he should feel bad.

Sometimes I think I harp a bit too much on Santorum, then I remember that he considers gay marriage on par with beastiality and incest and I really don't feel bad about saying anything (that is true, if mean spirited) about him at all.

Either that or he's just staying in the presidential race until his name rises a few more ranks in the google search results.

Schrodinger

You know, Ron Paul keeps insisting that he's not calling for a return to a gold standard, but simply a "competing currency" system where legal tender laws are voided for everything but gold. Which is like saying, "I'm not in favor of segregated schools, just a system where only white people will be allowed to apply. But black kids can still show up. You know, if they want to help the janitor, or something."

But consider for a moment: Ron Paul wants to void all the legal tender status for all the legal tender currently being traded in this nation.

Legal tender, by definition, is a legal invention. The only value that it has is that it's backed by the government. If there is a dollar bill in your hand, then your debtors are legally required to accept it as valid payment. If they don't, then they are breaking the law. People accept money as payment on debt because it would be illegal not to, and they value money because they know that it would be illegal for other people not to accept it. Ron Paul's proposal is to take that legal requirement away, so that people can still trade in dollars, but the government will no longer require that people accept them.

Think of it this way. Most of the US debt is in the form of treasury bonds. Why are treasury bonds valuable? Because the government promises to pay you back in interest. Suppose that Ron Paul proposed that we solve the debt crisis simply by voiding all treasury bonds. You can still trade them if you'd like, but the government will no longer honor them. Your treasury bond that you spent good money on is now worthless.

Ron Paul wants to make all the currency in the nation worthless. Man, I can't see how that would ruin our economy at all!

Taramoor

I will still be voting for Michele Bachmann. Granted, there's the recent issue with newspapers not being able to spell her name correctly, but I think she came across really strong in the debate and that will carry over to Iowa.

It's Romney's to lose, and he's doing everything he can to make sure that happens.

Even Nate Silver thinks Bachmann had the strongest showing at the Debate.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/debate-swings-door-open-for-perry-closed-for-palin/#more-11749

The candidate to break news in this debate was Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who announced that she was running for president. And then she performed strongly throughout, exuding confidence, and turning her service in the House of Representatives from a potential liability (in a field that also includes governors and senators) into a strength (by emphasizing her active role in formulating policy on the major issues of the day).

I think she has a good chance at the nomination if she can keep her crazy in check, and I think watching her try to debate Obama would be the greatest thing ever.

Bionic Monkey

I'm still expecting a Romney win, but hoping in my heart for a Palin win.

jackisreal

Man, these new austerity measures have hit the OP hard!

The thing about Romney is that evangelical types might not vote for a Mormon, so it'll be interesting so see what effect that has...

A Bachmann/Obama debate would be the greatest thing, but I really don't think she has a chance.

DoctorArch

Saw this article over on HuffPo regarding toll-road privatization. With all the rah rah libertarianism coming out of the Republican side, I wonder if we are going to see some more discussion regarding the selling of public infrastructure to private entities who then proceed to gouge the users.

CommunistCow

DoctorArch wrote: »

Saw this article over on HuffPo regarding toll-road privatization. With all the rah rah libertarianism coming out of the Republican side, I wonder if we are going to see some more discussion regarding the selling of public infrastructure to private entities who then proceed to gouge the users.

I doubt it. I think Ron Paul and other libertarians are going to stay on the usual message of "government bad", "taxes bad", "heroin good." I can't see too many people getting excited about roads.

There are too many positive freedoms to talk about and too many negative freedoms that they can conveniently ignore.

DoctorArch

Screw you Mittens.

Mitt Romney sat at the head of the table at a coffee shop here on Thursday, listening to a group of unemployed Floridians explain the challenges of looking for work. When they finished, he weighed in with a predicament of his own.

“I should tell my story,” Mr. Romney said. “I’m also unemployed.”

He chuckled. The eight people gathered around him, who had just finished talking about strategies of finding employment in a slow-to-recover economy, joined him in laughter.

“Are you on LinkedIn?” one of the men asked.

“I’m networking,” Mr. Romney replied. “I have my sight on a particular job.”

“I wish I had a job for everybody,” Mr. Romney said at the end of his discussion. He added, “I may be unemployed for longer than I’d like.”

It should be noted that this man has a net worth of over $200 million.

big l

Mitt Romney, man of the people

TAMPA, Fla. — Mitt Romney sat at the head of the table at a coffee shop here on Thursday, listening to a group of unemployed Floridians explain the challenges of looking for work. When they finished, he weighed in with a predicament of his own.

“I should tell my story,” Mr. Romney said. “I’m also unemployed.”

He chuckled. The eight people gathered around him, who had just finished talking about strategies of finding employment in a slow-to-recover economy, joined him in laughter.

“Are you on LinkedIn?” one of the men asked.

“I’m networking,” Mr. Romney replied. “I have my sight on a particular job.”

Wikipedia estimates Romney's net worth at between $190 million and $250 million, plus a trust set aside for his grandkids worth between $70 and $100 million.

Edit: fffffffff beaten

Tox

Truly Mitt Romney's lack of employment makes him an everyman. We should all vote for him, the same way we'd all vote for any unemployed guy just trying to get a job making a decent living.

Schrodinger

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/treasurer_considering_leaving_turn_right_super_pac_over_offensive_south_park-inspired_ad.php?ref=fpb

Ehlinger said he called up a modeling agency to get the actress to play the pole dancer on behalf of the "small dinky organization" and got in touch with the rap group Splack Pack (who were "absolutely fun as hell to work with"). They filmed the ad in a day in Atlanta. He dismissed charges that the ad was racist and sexist.

"I was counting on people actually looking at the video and completely misunderstanding it. if you actually watch it carefully, you will notice lots of gangsters," Ehlinger said, pointing to the mugshots of 1920s gangsters featured in the video. "The point being, it is not the amount of melon in their skin that makes them a gang member."

The Splack Pack are featured in the ad singing a version of their original song "Shake That Ass Bitch." Ehlinger told TPM that he wanted to use the song "Let's See You Dance Sucka" featured in an episode of South Park, but learned with a bit of research that song was actually a parody of Splack Pack's tune

Wait...

So he managed to get the original rappers of that song to be in the video?

Granted, if they're like most rappers, they're probably desperate for work, but...

o_O

Taramoor

Schrodinger wrote: »

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/treasurer_considering_leaving_turn_right_super_pac_over_offensive_south_park-inspired_ad.php?ref=fpb

Ehlinger said he called up a modeling agency to get the actress to play the pole dancer on behalf of the "small dinky organization" and got in touch with the rap group Splack Pack (who were "absolutely fun as hell to work with"). They filmed the ad in a day in Atlanta. He dismissed charges that the ad was racist and sexist.

"I was counting on people actually looking at the video and completely misunderstanding it. if you actually watch it carefully, you will notice lots of gangsters," Ehlinger said, pointing to the mugshots of 1920s gangsters featured in the video. "The point being, it is not the amount of melon in their skin that makes them a gang member."

The Splack Pack are featured in the ad singing a version of their original song "Shake That Ass Bitch." Ehlinger told TPM that he wanted to use the song "Let's See You Dance Sucka" featured in an episode of South Park, but learned with a bit of research that song was actually a parody of Splack Pack's tune

Wait...

So he managed to get the original rappers of that song to be in the video?

Granted, if they're like most rappers, they're probably desperate for work, but...

o_O

So wait... we were ALL correct in the previous thread? Yet somehow we were all wrong at the same time?

Octoparrot

Schrodinger wrote: »

"The point being, it is not the amount of melon in their skin that makes them a gang member."

Cmon!

Also has there ever been a candid, "suck my balls!" said right to the face of a candidate during one of these (mostly) staged events?

Bionic Monkey

DoctorArch wrote: »

Screw you Mittens.

Mitt Romney sat at the head of the table at a coffee shop here on Thursday, listening to a group of unemployed Floridians explain the challenges of looking for work. When they finished, he weighed in with a predicament of his own.

“I should tell my story,” Mr. Romney said. “I’m also unemployed.”

He chuckled. The eight people gathered around him, who had just finished talking about strategies of finding employment in a slow-to-recover economy, joined him in laughter.

“Are you on LinkedIn?” one of the men asked.

“I’m networking,” Mr. Romney replied. “I have my sight on a particular job.”

“I wish I had a job for everybody,” Mr. Romney said at the end of his discussion. He added, “I may be unemployed for longer than I’d like.”

It should be noted that this man has a net worth of over $200 million.

Jesus Christ, what a fucking douche bag.

Bionic Monkey

Schrodinger wrote: »

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/treasurer_considering_leaving_turn_right_super_pac_over_offensive_south_park-inspired_ad.php?ref=fpb

"The point being, it is not the amount of melon in their skin that makes them a gang member."

Whut?

Typo? Freudian slip? Or does he honestly not know what the pigment is actually called?

Cervetus

When was the last time a representative was a serious candidate for president?

Octoparrot

Bionic Monkey wrote: »

Schrodinger wrote: »

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/treasurer_considering_leaving_turn_right_super_pac_over_offensive_south_park-inspired_ad.php?ref=fpb

"The point being, it is not the amount of melon in their skin that makes them a gang member."

Whut?

Typo? Freudian slip? Or does he honestly not know what the pigment is actually called?

He's just saying that one doesn't need a high body water/melon ratio to metaphorically break into your house and steal your T.V.

OptimusZed

Cervetus wrote: »

When was the last time a representative was a serious candidate for president?

Tancredo?

Schrodinger

Bionic Monkey wrote: »

DoctorArch wrote: »

Screw you Mittens.

Mitt Romney sat at the head of the table at a coffee shop here on Thursday, listening to a group of unemployed Floridians explain the challenges of looking for work. When they finished, he weighed in with a predicament of his own.

“I should tell my story,” Mr. Romney said. “I’m also unemployed.”

He chuckled. The eight people gathered around him, who had just finished talking about strategies of finding employment in a slow-to-recover economy, joined him in laughter.

“Are you on LinkedIn?” one of the men asked.

“I’m networking,” Mr. Romney replied. “I have my sight on a particular job.”

“I wish I had a job for everybody,” Mr. Romney said at the end of his discussion. He added, “I may be unemployed for longer than I’d like.”

It should be noted that this man has a net worth of over $200 million.

Jesus Christ, what a fucking douche bag.

Next up: Romney walks up to a room full of cancer patients with no health care and announces, "Hey, I'm just like you! I'm not getting treated for cancer either!"

enlightenedbum

At least include the list of PA predictions in the OP!

devCharles

It seems more like a joke in poor taste than anything, but why would they have "joined him in laughter?" Must have been awkward.

Schrodinger

devCharles wrote: »

It seems more like a joke in poor taste than anything, but why would they have "joined him in laughter?" Must have been awkward.

Because they're morons.

MKR

enlightenedbum wrote: »

At least include the list of PA predictions in the OP!

No room in the forum accessibility budget. Do you know how long I waited to find it up long enough to get that title edited?

kildy

devCharles wrote: »

It seems more like a joke in poor taste than anything, but why would they have "joined him in laughter?" Must have been awkward.

I'm a little confused by his statement anyways. Aren't candidates allowed to pay themselves a salary out of their campaign funds? Or is that only for states on a state by state basis?

Tofystedeth

DoctorArch wrote: »

Saw this article over on HuffPo regarding toll-road privatization. With all the rah rah libertarianism coming out of the Republican side, I wonder if we are going to see some more discussion regarding the selling of public infrastructure to private entities who then proceed to gouge the users.

There's a new toll road being built in Dallas where for the first 6 months it's open, the fare is "not to exceed" something like $1.50 per mile. After that, control is being handed over to some private company who can do whatever they want with the tolls. It's craziness.

edit: How exactly did Santorum flame out in the debates? I haven't been able to keep track as much as I normally would. Anybody have highlights?

Krieghund

SkyCaptain wrote: »

http://www.hulu.com/watch/250100/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-indecision-2012-the-awakening#s-p2-sr-i1

This video accurately sums up just how much I love how long the political campaigning goes on.

That was hilarious. Couldn't agree more.

stevemarks44

Best commentary on the Primary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbgj00rvNaM&feature=player_embedded#at=162