The 2016 US Election (Part III)

[Q99]

Nate says it'll be til around Thursday when we can really judge the effect on the polls.

[The Romulan Republic]

Figures.

Well, something to look forward to.

I'm kind of cringing to think of how ugly the debate is probably going to be tonight, even if it does blow another hole in the sinking ship.

[Simon_Jester]

Gods I hope so. But, knowing the kneejerk stupidity of my fellow citizens I won't rest easy until after election day. The only poll that really counts is the one taken on the second Tuesday of November.

It's not just the polls alone... looks like he is becoming rapidly an "impossible candidate" even among his own. A candidate without a party is not going to win. That last scandal with groping looks very much like the last nail in the coffin.

I assure you, this will not be the last nail.

It may be the sufficient nail, but it won't be the last. Trump still has four weeks to wedge his foot further into his mouth.

[The Romulan Republic]

Trump 2016: How low can you go?

[Gaidin]

Did this just get interesting?

[Executor32]

Who tied Trump's tie tonight? It's so freaking long! He looks like a little kid who's gotten into his dad's wardrobe.

[FaxModem1]

Trump bringing up the emails again. And Hillary Clinton seems rather calm.

[FireNexus]

Dig that grave, Donnie Jingles.

[Gaidin]

I think he exploded.

[Dragon Angel]

So, Trump says he is going to try and prosecute Clinton if he wins?

What a guy.

And people cheered it on...

[FireNexus]

So, Trump says he is going to try and prosecute Clinton if he wins?

What a guy.

And people cheered it on...

I think at least a few of them were cheering because he Democrats are about to have all three branches of the federal government.

[FaxModem1]

Who was Donald pointing at?

[FaxModem1]

To Trump: How do you intend the upper class to pay their fair share in taxes?

Trump: Corporate tax cuts

[SolarpunkFan]

Who was Donald pointing at?

Could have been like that bit in Mr. B Natural where he was cursing someone with a magic finger.

(1:37 on this vid)

https://youtu.be/cAKentKiGOY?t=1m37s

[FaxModem1]

Debate's over. Thoughts?

[The Romulan Republic]

Holy shit. Trump threatened to jail Clinton if he wins, like a fucking dictator arresting the opposition. No wonder he likes Putin and Assad.

Though on that note: can someone please ask Secretary Clinton how she expects to enforce a no-fly zone in Syria without firing on the Russian airforce and potentially provoking World War III?

At least she ruled out ground forces beyond special forces (which we're already doing).

Also, watching Clinton try to brush off and evade the sexual assault allegations against Bill while his accusers were in the room was painful.

I know Bill hasn't been proven guilty, and innocent until proven guilty, but I can't help thinking "What if he is guilty? How horrible is that moment if he is?"

And even if it wasn't, it was very uncomfortable.

But back to Trump being a fucking piece of shit: Trump, stop trying to invoke Bernie Sanders. You do not care about Bernie Sanders, or his supporters, or any of the things we value. Stop trying to ride a better man's coattails.

At least they both handled the last question fairly well, as awkward as it was. I don't know if I could have said something nice about Trump, even indirectly, in Clinton's place.

I'll give Clinton a great deal of credit for this: She had to stand up their on stage and be civil to a man who boasts about sexually assaulting women. A man with a history of inciting and condoning violence. A man who threatened her to her face with prison if he wins, and loomed in a physically aggressive manner behind her for much of the debate.

And it was Trump, far more than Clinton, who seemed rattled and flustered.

Congratulations Madame Secretary. You stared the Devil down, and the Devil blinked.

[Gaidin]

Trump's favor is he didn't move the needle against him unless long term fact checking reveals some weird things.. But...he didn't move the needle for him. THAT'S KEY. Trump didn't move the needle for him. He needed to move the needle for him.

Oops.

[Patroklos]

Though on that note: can someone please ask Secretary Clinton how she expects to enforce a no-fly zone in Syria without firing on the Russian airforce and potentially provoking World War III?

Easy, don't attack the Russians. As we discussed before, no candidate has said anything about attacking the Russians, or enforcing a no-fly zone on them.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, then the no-fly zone will likely be an ineffectual joke, because Putin will still be supporting Assad.

So, likely ineffectual joke/empty posturing, or risk of WWIII. One or the other.

Edit: I mean, its not like it'll change my vote. Trump is still far worse, and far more dangerous. But I wish someone would question Clinton on this point. This has always been one of Clinton's weakest positions to me.

[Sea Skimmer]

The backroom implication is that the US would finally approve of the Saudis supplying anti aircraft weapons, including say anything Ukraine can make work with duct tape. But she's not ever going to say that in a debate.

[The Romulan Republic]

That... might actually be workable, maybe. I don't really know enough to say for sure. At least insofar as it would allow shooting down planes without a huge risk of a shooting war with Russia.

But I don't want to think who the Saudis would give those weapons to- jihadis, almost certainly.

[The Romulan Republic]

CNN poll result:

63% say Trump did better than they expected.

Clinton is still regarded as the winner by 57%, to 34% for Trump.

[Patroklos]

That... might actually be workable, maybe. I don't really know enough to say for sure. At least insofar as it would allow shooting down planes without a huge risk of a shooting war with Russia.

But I don't want to think who the Saudis would give those weapons to- jihadis, almost certainly.

That would be horrible, because while I am reasonably confident the US would not accidentally shoot down a Russian over a Syrian aircraft, the rebels wouldn't care. So while the idea of WWIII is still laughably stupid regardless of what happens, if there is going to be an incident that pretty much guarantees it.

[Dragon Angel]

Also, watching Clinton try to brush off and evade the sexual assault allegations against Bill while his accusers were in the room was painful.

I know Bill hasn't been proven guilty, and innocent until proven guilty, but I can't help thinking "What if he is guilty? How horrible is that moment if he is?"

And even if it wasn't, it was very uncomfortable.

It shouldn't even be a question to her. She isn't her husband. She's not the one who allegedly committed rape. Just like them trying to tar her for her husband's affair. I mean, it's bald-faced character assassination!

[The Romulan Republic]

That... might actually be workable, maybe. I don't really know enough to say for sure. At least insofar as it would allow shooting down planes without a huge risk of a shooting war with Russia.

But I don't want to think who the Saudis would give those weapons to- jihadis, almost certainly.

That would be horrible, because while I am reasonably confident the US would not accidentally shoot down a Russian over a Syrian aircraft, the rebels wouldn't care. So while the idea of WWIII is still laughably stupid regardless of what happens, if there is going to be an incident that pretty much guarantees it.

Their is a likelihood that the rebels would, yes.

Thought that would be less likely to lead to a war with America than if American/NATO forces did do it, obviously.

As to the likelihood of WW3, I won't debate the point, beyond saying that the smug complacency of believing that it can never happen may be the thing most likely to make it happen.

In any case, it doesn't change the point that the no-fly zone is a terrible idea with no remotely plausible positive outcome.