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USA Presidential Election 2016: Over the Hegemony

StericaSterica YesRegistered User, Moderator mod
The President of the country that invented the Slinky is arguably one of the most powerful positions a single human being can occupy. And every four years we have a big pissing contest over who gets to hold it. Right now we're wrapping up the primary process that determines the person each party will offer up as their candidate. The Republican contest is over, with Donald Trump the only candidate remaining in the race. The Democratic race is still on, with California being the last major contest. While Clinton is favored to win, Sanders has been putting up a better fight than expected.

Things to Consider Before Posting
  • Resist the urge to dogpile unpopular sentiments. If it's really inflammatory then report it.
  • Just because somebody is/isn't voting doesn't mean they are personally responsible for the downfall of democracy.
  • This is SE++ so don't get hung up on derails, especially since this is the slow part of the election cycle.

In the Blue Corner...

The democratic primary is still on! Here are the remaining candidates...

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Hillary "Queen Bee" Clinton
68 Years Old
Former Secretary of State and Senator; Grammy Winner


Strengths: A very serious and bog standard politician, which is an asset when the opposition is a clown. She's also possesses a massive war chest, having gotten some ridiculous number exceeding $250 million. The primary has shown that she does well with a diverse range of voting demographics, especially women voters for obvious reasons. Her name is attached to two presidencies that are held in fairly high regard, particularly Obama's since she does offer an option to essentially continue his more-or-less popular administration.
Weaknesses: Bog standard politician. She has enough skeletons in her closet, both perceived and real, to supply an anatomy class. In a race full of eccentric personalities, she's the very dull, strictly business type. Worse, attempts at warmth are usually seen for the transparent pandering that they are. While she regrets Iraq, she nonetheless has a interventionist attitude towards foreign policy. When coupled with her chummy relationship with corporations, a notable portion of the base has already decided to sit this one out.

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Bernie "Colonel" Sanders
74 Years Old
Senator, Former Representative and Mayor; Folk Musician


Strengths: Provides a more left-leaning alternative to Clinton that the a chunk of the base wants, notably the younger demographic. Has the wealth gap as the centerpiece of his campaign, which is a plus when capitalism is screwing over most of the planet.
Weakness: Had to overcome the serious disadvantage of being a virtual nobody compared to several heavyweights names. Tends to tunnel vision on the whole class warfare thing, which leaves some people feeling left in the cold. Has struggled with getting the vote from persons of color. His opponent's victory is seen as increasingly inevitable, with intense pressure for him to drop out for "the good of the party."

In the Red Corner...

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"Ronald Mc"Donald Trump
69 Years Old
Meets the Constitutional Requirements; John Miller's Best Friend


Strengths: Has shades of being the "true conservative" candidate the party has been pining for since 2008. Bombastic style combined with simple speeches gives him broad appeal. Has shown to be somewhat more left-leaning (relatively speaking) on some issues such as healthcare and transgender rights, which could appeal to moderates.
Weaknesses: Policies are almost entirely bullshit conjured up as red meat for the base. When pressed for details you will get mealy-mouthed responses that are just more bullshit. Does well with whites....and poorly with just about everyone else. Is, quite frankly, a bizarre man, with new weird details about his life coming up every few weeks from pretending to be a publicist to creepy comments about his daughter. Is not self-funding campaign, meaning he's relying on the party to support him...and while Joe Six Pack loves him, the party elites despise him. This is a problem when you've opted to depend on them for financing your campaign.

FAQ

When are the conventions?

Republican: July 18th-21st
Democratic: July 25th-28th

Expect running mates to be announced or leaked a week or two prior.

Isn't Clinton in trouble with the FBI?

Her server woes have been a source of scandal and fodder for Republicans. While an indictment would effectively kill her campaign, it seems highly unlikely considering that the DNC hasn't been that good at hiding their support for Clinton over Sanders. There's no way the DNC would risk backing a criminal if they felt any chance of something sticking.

What's a superdelegate?

A group of prominent democrats that get to vote in the primary. They have been controversial, as they make it that much harder for outsider or "dark horse" candidates to win, and they raise the question of how democratic this is if the party wields so much influence. However, superdelegates have never decided a race, as they are fickle fair-weather creatures that can change their vote at any point up until the convention. Many superdelegates switched their vote to Obama in 2008 once it became clear he was the frontrunner. However, it's still a hotly debated issue, as even the illusion that one candidate has an overwhelming advantage over another can hurt things like voter turnout.

What's a battleground?

A state that is polling more or less in the middle is considered a battleground. Because solidly Republican or Democratic states would require too much time and money to make even a dent in polls, candidates focus on the handful of states that are feasible to turn. Now, this doesn't mean that voting in a "stronghold" state is pointless. After all, many battleground states were at one point or another considered reliable votes for one party or the other, and people do pay attention to shifts in polls even if the overall outcome hasn't quite changed yet.

When are the debates?

September 26, 2016
October 4, 2016 (VP)
October 9, 2016
October 19, 2016

When is Election Day?

November 8th, 2016

How long do I have to register to vote?

It varies by state

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Posts

  • HacksawHacksaw J. Duggan Esq. Wrestler at LawRegistered User regular
    I'm voting for Kodos.

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    Things got a bit heated at times in the last thread, so let's try to be groovy to one another.

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  • I needed anime to post.I needed anime to post. boom Registered User regular
    Now concerning the onset of murderous AI,

    liEt3nH.png
  • ChicoBlueChicoBlue Registered User regular
    Is anyone here going to one of the conventions? Has anyone ever been?

    What's the food like there?

    What're the bathrooms like?

    Which convention has the most people hooking up?

  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    I think you have to be invited to a convention? Like its not an open to the public event? I have no idea personally.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    It's good to see that even @Bobkins Flymo understands a truth:

    Clown recognizes clown.

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    ChicoBlue wrote: »
    Is anyone here going to one of the conventions? Has anyone ever been?

    What's the food like there?

    What're the bathrooms like?

    Which convention has the most people hooking up?

    i've never been but i'll hazard some guesses

    1) terrible and expensive

    2) democratic: crowded and messy, republican: crowded, messy, VIOLENTLY POLICED

    3) democratic convention (unless you're an old gay dude on the DL in which case repub all the way)

  • NiryaNirya Registered User regular
    The Dems probably have more hooking up in general but I bet the GOP is into more kinky stuff, if you're looking for that.

    t70pctuqq2uv.png
    3DS: 2981-5304-3227
  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    I dunno about the sex thing, I swear Tampa strippers made bank in 2012. Though that's not exactly sex.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • ElaroElaro Apologetic Registered User regular
    Now concerning the onset of murderous AI,

    But what if they convince us that killing ourselves off is the right thing to do?

    :rotate:

    Children's rights are human rights.
  • JarsJars Registered User regular
    Nirya wrote: »
    The Dems probably have more hooking up in general but I bet the GOP is into more kinky stuff, if you're looking for that.

    it's a lot of old men so yeah, lots of BDSM fans

  • OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    the Guardian wrote up a nice list of all the "scandals" that happened during Clinton's time i office.

    as an aside, Kenneth Starr, one of the main investigators in a few of the later cases, was just dismissed as president of Baylor University because of the improper handling of sexual assault charges, among other things, that have happened there recently.

  • HacksawHacksaw J. Duggan Esq. Wrestler at LawRegistered User regular
    The fact that Ken Star became president of a university causes me no end of befuddlement. That guy was (and apparently still is) a giant yutz.

  • ph blakeph blake Registered User regular
    He wasn't even fired, the motherfucker managed to stay on as chancellor of the law school.

    Ken Star is an evil ninja.

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  • Butler For Life #1Butler For Life #1 Twinning is WinningRegistered User regular
    It's Baylor, a school that listed "homosexual acts" as unacceptable behavior under their sexual misconduct policy until 2015

    It's not surprising, sadly

  • OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    Ken Starr's time as Baylor PResident has not been good

  • HacksawHacksaw J. Duggan Esq. Wrestler at LawRegistered User regular
    Suddenly it all makes sense

  • WybornWyborn GET EQUIPPED Registered User regular


    There has to be a certain subset of people for whom Shkreli's endorsement is a positive thing, right?

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  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    I just want to say that Clinton getting indicted would be like the most perfect thing for this circus of an election.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmn9asN-8AE

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  • HacksawHacksaw J. Duggan Esq. Wrestler at LawRegistered User regular
    Clinton getting indicted would be absolutely bonkers.

  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Sanders campaign is demanding that Barney Frank and Dannel Malloy be removed from their positions as co-chairs of Rules and Platform committees (respectively), says they're too partisan against Sanders

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    The smug from the Sanders camp as they tell Clinton supporters to unite for the good of the party would be thick enough to serve on toast.

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  • jmcdonaldjmcdonald I voted, did you? DC(ish)Registered User regular
    Tox wrote: »
    Sanders campaign is demanding that Barney Frank and Dannel Malloy be removed from their positions as co-chairs of Rules and Platform committees (respectively), says they're too partisan against Sanders

    Cite?

    Because this is some grade A bullshit if true.

  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Also they're threatening to use convention/committee rules to grind everything to a halt if Frank and Malloy are not removed.

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Tox wrote: »
    Also they're threatening to use convention/committee rules to grind everything to a halt if Frank and Malloy are not removed.

    ...how?

    And is the best response to such threats to capitulate to them?

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
  • DoobhDoobh She/Her, Ace Pan/Bisexual 8-) What's up, bootlickers?Registered User regular
    The smug from the Sanders camp as they tell Clinton supporters to unite for the good of the party would be thick enough to serve on toast.

    it's like in action movie where the grossly outnumbered protagonist is told to surrender

    who then responds in kind

    only not nearly as cool

    Miss me? Find me on:

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  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Tox wrote: »
    Also they're threatening to use convention/committee rules to grind everything to a halt if Frank and Malloy are not removed.

    ...how?

    And is the best response to such threats to capitulate to them?

    I don't know, I'm not familiar enough with the rules to know how they would exploit them. And honestly the DNC should just kick his people off those committees since they've made it clear they don't intend to participate in good faith.

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    Dubh wrote: »
    The smug from the Sanders camp as they tell Clinton supporters to unite for the good of the party would be thick enough to serve on toast.

    it's like in action movie where the grossly outnumbered protagonist is told to surrender

    who then responds in kind

    only not nearly as cool

    http://youtube.com/-gctsNOjyjc
    ?

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • SurikoSuriko AustraliaRegistered User regular
    http://www.dailykos.com/stories/1531896
    Rachel Maddow just reported that the Sanders campaign has demanded that Governor Malloy of Connecticut and Barney Frank be removed from their positions as chairs of the Platform and Rules committees at the convention because they won’t be fair enough to Sanders. If the DNC does not give in to this demand, the Sanders campaign has announced that it will use all procedural means to grind the Convention to a halt.

    Further to that, Maddow has reported that the Wyoming state convention might be a repeat of Nevada.

    Sigh.

  • DoobhDoobh She/Her, Ace Pan/Bisexual 8-) What's up, bootlickers?Registered User regular
    any attempt to prolong this drama is INCREDIBLY aggravating to me

    I want this frikkin' nomination crap over, like, yesterday

    Miss me? Find me on:

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  • MarathonMarathon Registered User regular
    Tox wrote: »
    Tox wrote: »
    Also they're threatening to use convention/committee rules to grind everything to a halt if Frank and Malloy are not removed.

    ...how?

    And is the best response to such threats to capitulate to them?

    I don't know, I'm not familiar enough with the rules to know how they would exploit them. And honestly the DNC should just kick his people off those committees since they've made it clear they don't intend to participate in good faith.

    Didn't the DNC do them a favor in the first place by letting them name 5 representatives to the convention? Or was that to a different committee?

  • ViskodViskod Registered User regular
    Yes they did. Clinton got 6 and Sanders got 5.

  • NiryaNirya Registered User regular
    The Sanders campaign going full heel is definitely a thing that keeps happening.

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    3DS: 2981-5304-3227
  • rhylithrhylith Death Rabbits HoustonRegistered User regular
    Barney Frank?

    Seriously?

    Why?

  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    rhylith wrote: »
    Barney Frank?

    Seriously?

    Why?

    He backed Clinton therefore he's not a real liberal

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • MarathonMarathon Registered User regular
    edited May 2016
    rhylith wrote: »
    Barney Frank?

    Seriously?

    Why?

    He and Bernie plain don't like each other. The letter sent to the DNC about this gives details about why he should be removed.

    The letter

    Marathon on
  • SurikoSuriko AustraliaRegistered User regular
    Marathon wrote: »
    rhylith wrote: »
    Barney Frank?

    Seriously?

    Why?

    He and Bernie plain don't like each other. The letter sent to the DNC about this gives details about why he should be removed.

    Said letter.

  • JarsJars Registered User regular
    at this point sanders supports need to shut the fuck up

  • DoobhDoobh She/Her, Ace Pan/Bisexual 8-) What's up, bootlickers?Registered User regular
    Sanders has made himself less attractive as a candidate for me than Clinton in less than two weeks

    that's a feat, alright

    Miss me? Find me on:

    Twitch (I stream most days of the week)
    Twitter (mean leftist discourse)
This discussion has been closed.