The 2016 US Election (Part I)

[The Romulan Republic]

While I am loath to have any similarity to Ted Cruz, I get the impression that the guy's something of a geek. I've also heard that he's a strong advocate for the space program.

I think Kirk was too sane to fit in with the current Republican Party, though he's probably more to the Right than Picard.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Gene Roddenberry would take offense to Cruz's allegations regarding Kirk. Roddenberry was pretty blatant about the socialism message whenever he was allowed to have creative control.

[bilateralrope]

Donald Trump says he'd tap Sarah Palin for a Cabinet post

Donald Trump has succeeded in alienating many of his fellow Republicans with his personal attacks, but if he does win in November 2016 and is forced to assemble a cabinet of GOP allies, he knows exactly whom he would call on: Sarah Palin.
When asked on Sarah Palin’s Mama Grizz Radio’s “The Palin Update” Monday whether he would seek the former Alaska governor’s advice as president or potentially appoint her to an executive-branch position, Trump said, “I’d love that.”

“She’s really somebody who knows what’s happening. She’s a special person. She’s really a special person. And I think people know that and she’s got a following that’s unbelievable,” he continued. (Palin has more than 4 million Facebook followers.)
“I’m looking at some of these candidates, they’re weak, they’re ineffective and to a degree that’s almost hard to believe. And, you know, they like the Sarah Palin kind of strength. You just don’t see very much of it anymore,” Trump mused.

He noted that Palin has come up in his interactions on the campaign trail. “I’ve still got people saying, ‘Oh, get Sarah’s support, get Sarah’s support.’ No matter where I go, everybody loves her.”
Though they come from opposite ends of the country, Palin and Trump have previously bonded over their outsider status in the Republican Party.
In 2011, Palin’s bus tour stopped in New York City and the two were spotted eating pizza at Albanian chain pizza restaurant La Famiglia, a decision mocked by Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” as well as by New York-style pizza enthusiasts on social media. Stewart accused Trump of being a bad host because he stacked his slices of pizza and ate them with a fork, anathema to most New York pizza-lovers’ sensibilities.
Trump noted in the “Palin Update” interview that both he and Palin have grown used to constant media criticism.
“Now she has, like me, some people that don’t exactly love us and we understand who they are and you sort of forget about that,” he said.
“She took so much nonsense, lies and disgusting lies, and she handles it so well. She’s tough and smart.”
Also in 2011, Palin praised Trump’s demand that President Barack Obama to release his birth certificate. “Media: Admit it. Trump forced the issue,” she tweeted after the president did so.
More recently, she told CNN that Trump was a “hero” for “giving voice to untold millions of fed-up Americans witnessing a purposeful destruction of our economy and the equal opportunity for success that made America exceptional.”
In that interview, Palin declined to criticize’s Trump’s attack on her 2008 running mate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, characterizing the controversy as a “media-driven wedge between them.”

There is a piece on The Onion titled Admit It: You People Want To See How Far This Goes, Don’t You?
The more I hear about Trump, the more I think the Onion got it right. I'm mainly paying attention to Trump because I'm wanting to see what he does next.

[The Romulan Republic]

A rather concerning article from Time:

time.com/3956492/bernie-sanders-new-hampshire-ballot/

Excerpt from the article:

There are few states where Sen. Bernie Sanders is more popular than the early primary state of New Hampshire. The Vermont senator has for more than two decades represented likeminded northeasterners just across the border in Congress, and he’s well-respected by New Hampshire residents across the state. In recent state polls, Sanders has crept within 10 points of the Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

But none of that will matter if he isn’t on the ballot, and there’s a slight hiccup on that front.

In order to participate as a Democrat in the New Hampshire primary, Sanders has to declare his candidacy in Concord as a registered member of the Democratic Party. It’s a measure enshrined in New Hampshire law, which clearly states that “the name of any person shall not be printed upon the ballot of any party for a primary unless he or she is a registered member of that party.”

Come late this year, Sanders, along with the candidates including Clinton and Gov. Martin O’Malley, will have to sign a declaration of candidacy that says “I am a registered member of the Democratic Party.”

But Sanders is not a registered member of the Democratic Party. Not only does his home state of Vermont technically not register voters or candidates as belonging to political parties, but the Senator has staunchly maintained he is an Independent, criticizing both Democrats and Republicans for being too beholden to corporate interests (though he caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate). And while Sanders has won Democratic primaries in Vermont, he’s repeatedly declined to be nominated as a party standard-bearer.

Political operatives, both Democrats and Republicans, have questioned whether the Independent senator is technically eligible to run.

“Bernie Sanders is an avowed independent,” said Republican Charlie Bass, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and New Hampshire state senator who helped write election law in the state and argues there’s a good case against the Vermont Senator. “He’s using the Democratic Party as a matter of convenience.”

New Hampshire Democrats have also privately discussed whether Sanders’ place on the Democratic ballot could be challenged.

Realistically, it’s unlikely that Sanders will be seriously challenged for his place on the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot in February. Competing campaigns have little to gain if they’re seen challenging his right to be a Democratic candidate. Even by New Hampshire state law, it’s unclear his candidacy is in jeopardy. It would be unprecedented for a popular candidate to be excluded from a key primary contest on what appears to be a technicality.

Meantime, his competitors for the Democratic nomination say they’re focused on winning New Hampshire.

“In New Hampshire we prepared for a competitive race from the outset, of course we expect Senator Sanders to be on the ballot,” said Harrell Kirstein, a spokesman for the Clinton campaign in New Hampshire.

I would not wish to see Sanders left off any ballot, particularly in a potentially crucial primary. However, I would also be loath to see his campaign, much less, as is conceivable, his Presidency, tainted by anything less than 100% legitimacy.

[Prannon]

Bernie had an organizational kickoff meeting tonight over the Internet. There were over 3000 individual meetings across the country with people attending, and Bernie addressed everyone over video.

They say there were over 100000 people in attendance, and team Bernie is really pushing the message that they have a lot of people really excited. Their strategy is very heavy on grass roots.

I can already tell what the message/slogan of Bernie's campaign is largely going to be. "enough is enough." That came up a lot in his address.

I put myself forward to volunteer for stuff. We'll see how it goes. I'm optimistic at the moment.

[The Romulan Republic]

Win or lose, Sanders is running a very impressive campaign thus far.

[Prannon]

He definitely is. It was very clear to me tonight that the message is extremely tight and fits the candidate very well. It's like... sorta like he's saying all of the things that Democrafts have been afraid to say since the 1980s, and for whatever reason Americans seem ready to hear the message that enough is enough and that the wealthy class can't be allowed to buy the state.

For me, this is more about finally having a solid counter-movement against this new Gilded Age thing that we have going on, and finally having a good, healthy dose of populism and progressivism to counteract the last 30 years of the ideological right dominating the conversation. Win or lose, I'm really hoping that Bernie's campaign takes back the conversation and shows politicians that a significant portion of people are ready to hear the left speak again.

Hence my optimism! Win? We have someone in the Whitehouse who is ambitious and is going to set the stage for a left revival. Lose? And he will still have demonstrated that lots of people are very interested in left wing ideas.

[Iroscato]

I may not be an american, but I really, really would like Sanders to gain some traction - hell, win the election. He certainly seems like the most prominent independent I've seen so far and a damn decent human being from what I gather. Maybe this is a sign of independents gaining more of a voice. I hope to hell it is, something has to give in that broken fuck of a system.

[The Romulan Republic]

I have some misgivings about Sanders, both in terms of his ideas and in terms of his electability, but he seems as good as any other candidate thus far, and I'd like to see more candidates from outside the two main parties do well- a bit more diversity won't hurt our elections. And I do not care for Hillary Clinton, so I'm glad to see she's actually going to have to work for the Democratic nomination.

[TimothyC]

"Certain types of guns exclusively used to kill people, not for hunting, should not be sold in America. "
Taken from one of his twitter feeds - and it shows a total lack of understanding of gun issues.

[Sgt_Artyom]

"Certain types of guns exclusively used to kill people, not for hunting, should not be sold in America. "
Taken from one of his twitter feeds - and it shows a total lack of understanding of gun issues.

What do you think he's failing to understand about the constant problems Americans face with regards to firearms? I for one think it sounds like a rather reasonable stance if not a little vague.

[The Romulan Republic]

Theoretically any gun could be used for purposes other than killing people, but I'm guessing he's referring to hand guns and assault weapons. Though I would like him to clarify what guns he is referring to.

Of course, the Second Amendment is explicitly about killing people, not hunting.

[TimothyC]

What do you think he's failing to understand about the constant problems Americans face with regards to firearms? I for one think it sounds like a rather reasonable stance if not a little vague.

"Issues" was poor word choice on my part. "Rights" would have been a better one.

You don't get to take guns away because you don't like them.

[Welf]

Bernie had an organizational kickoff meeting tonight over the Internet. There were over 3000 individual meetings across the country with people attending, and Bernie addressed everyone over video.

They say there were over 100000 people in attendance, and team Bernie is really pushing the message that they have a lot of people really excited. Their strategy is very heavy on grass roots.

I can already tell what the message/slogan of Bernie's campaign is largely going to be. "enough is enough." That came up a lot in his address.

I put myself forward to volunteer for stuff. We'll see how it goes. I'm optimistic at the moment.

In a way Bernie Sanders is the Donald Trump of the Democrats. He is saying what they want to hear, and he truly means it.

I have some misgivings about Sanders, both in terms of his ideas and in terms of his electability, but he seems as good as any other candidate thus far, and I'd like to see more candidates from outside the two main parties do well- a bit more diversity won't hurt our elections. And I do not care for Hillary Clinton, so I'm glad to see she's actually going to have to work for the Democratic nomination.

According to a recent poll by CNN Sanders would beat all republican candidates if you ask all voters, and would be beaten by 1% by Bush if only registered voters are asked. That is pretty close, and with with low name recognition. Also, Sanders has the advantage that he isn't the antichrist incarnate for republicans like Hillary is, so I wonder if it would be harder for them to mobilize their base against him.

[Prannon]

Bernie had an organizational kickoff meeting tonight over the Internet. There were over 3000 individual meetings across the country with people attending, and Bernie addressed everyone over video.

They say there were over 100000 people in attendance, and team Bernie is really pushing the message that they have a lot of people really excited. Their strategy is very heavy on grass roots.

I can already tell what the message/slogan of Bernie's campaign is largely going to be. "enough is enough." That came up a lot in his address.

I put myself forward to volunteer for stuff. We'll see how it goes. I'm optimistic at the moment.

In a way Bernie Sanders is the Donald Trump of the Democrats. He is saying what they want to hear, and he truly means it.

Bernie Sanders is less Donald Trump and more Ron Paul, if you want to draw analogies.

Donald Trump is just an asshole.

[Borgholio]

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore has formally announced his bid for the White House, becoming the 17th Republican presidential primary candidate

So is the entire fucking GOP entering the race this time?

[Pelranius]

Well, everyone but Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels and Rob Portman.

[Welf]

Bernie Sanders is less Donald Trump and more Ron Paul, if you want to draw analogies.

Donald Trump is just an asshole.

Trump is an asshole, but at no point he tried to pretend he is not. In fact that is his whole message. Ron Paul already has lost his authentic by acting like a hawk on foreign issues.

[The Romulan Republic]

Jon Stewart's show actually did a thing recently about how Trump would be the first openly asshole President.

[Gandalf]

In a way Bernie Sanders is the Donald Trump of the Democrats. He is saying what they want to hear, and he truly means it.

Bernie Sanders is less Donald Trump and more Ron Paul, if you want to draw analogies.

Donald Trump is just an asshole.[/quote]

An arsehole certainly, but still troublingly reflective of the GOP's ideals. He just doesn't use their buzzwords to mask it like others do.

[Lagmonster]

I once read the Trump is a salesman who sells only one product: Trump. In that regard, it's hard to argue that he's uncomfortably good at selling that, and only fair to middling at selling anything else.

[Pelranius]

I once read the Trump is a salesman who sells only one product: Trump. In that regard, it's hard to argue that he's uncomfortably good at selling that, and only fair to middling at selling anything else.

The joke's on the customers, since the Trump product is the political equivalent of a plutonium lawndart. I don't know what it says about the American news media (or Trump's success is selling Trump) that Trump's still getting most of the attention, even after Huckabee said Obama was "marching the Jews to oven doors" and that if elected President, he'd consider sending out the Army and FBI to close abortion clinics.

There's a little ditty I made to the tune of "Thunder Buddies" from Ted about the Donald, but it's far too dirty for anywhere on the Internet, even 4chan, I dare say.

[The Romulan Republic]

I once read the Trump is a salesman who sells only one product: Trump. In that regard, it's hard to argue that he's uncomfortably good at selling that, and only fair to middling at selling anything else.

The joke's on the customers, since the Trump product is the political equivalent of a plutonium lawndart. I don't know what it says about the American news media (or Trump's success is selling Trump) that Trump's still getting most of the attention, even after Huckabee said Obama was "marching the Jews to oven doors" and that if elected President, he'd consider sending out the Army and FBI to close abortion clinics.

There's a little ditty I made to the tune of "Thunder Buddies" from Ted about the Donald, but it's far too dirty for anywhere on the Internet, even 4chan, I dare say.

Did Huckabee actually say that he would use the FBI and the fucking army to violate the Constitution? And they compare Obama to Hitler.

You know, American soldiers actually swear this oath:

"I, (state name of enlistee, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St ... enlistment

Any American soldier would be obligated to disobey such a command from Huckabee, and to do otherwise would reduce them to nothing more than the goons of a despot.

[Ahriman238]

It really is like the crazy train has come to town. It's only hard to see because Trump is dominating all discussion.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, it does at least, I hope, make the importance of this election and the potential stakes obvious- we may very well be voting to keep military rule from coming to the United States.

Edit: To be fair, Huckabee may be engaging in empty grandstanding. I hope so. But I don't think his attitudes are all that uncommon among the GOP.