The 2016 US Election (Part IV)

[Tribun]

Something I did notice:

The recent bizarrly high gains for Trump look a lot like these convention bumps in polls (you know the ones, a sudden, sharp rise). Since polls in general by virtue of their nature lag behind by around a week, you think current polls are highly unreliable? On the other hand, it does make the crap that got pulled off at Friday even more "convenient" for Trump, as it was timed right so that he could hope to still profit from the bump at election day.

I know, it's just a theory, but it sounds quite possible.

[The Romulan Republic]

And people ask why victims do not come forward, and say they must be lying because they waited to speak up.

It must be hard enough to face coming forward about being abused under any circumstances. But to attempt to expose a man who is not only a narcissistic, vindictive bully with a habit of suing his critics, but has vast wealth and influence, legions of often violent followers, and may be a week away from being elected the most powerful man on Earth?

How many of us would ever have the courage to face that?

Yes, life for Brodrick under the long Clinton shadow has been and will be hard, no doubt.

I have little fondness for Bill Clinton, as I'm sure you know, but that you respond to the allegations against Trump by trying to change the subject to Bill Clinton, as if "someone else was accused too" is a defence, is deplorable.

In any case, Bill isn't running.

[Flagg]

I love how he obviously doesn't care about women being raped since he's excusing Rapist Donnie Douchebag by throwing accusations at Bill Clinton.

[Gandalf]

Its amazing that Trump hasn't landed in prison yet.

Well, unless you're cynical enough to just accept that rich people are generally above the law.

To be fair, he's not just rich, but also well connected. Unless he falls out of favour with the political class, what are the odds of him ever doing time?

But seriously, I wonder if the gamergate fucksticks are the same people supporting Rapist Donnie Douchebag and engaging in death threats.

"Nobody knows more about ethics in games journalism than me. Believe me. I love the gamers. They're great people, I've employed thousands of gamers, I have a great relationship with the gamers. I'm going to do great with the gamers, in fact a poll came out on Kotaku recently, I polled 75% with the gamers; someone said if you get 50% of the gamer vote, the election is over... but if I'm elected president, we are going to restore ethics in games journalism. We have to restore ethics in games journalism, or we won't have games any more. We're going to restore ethics in games journalism, and it's going to be a great industry... and the women are going to pay for it."

For reference, I borrowed from a few templates to make that speech.

[The Romulan Republic]

I don't know that Trump really has the favour of "the political class". He sure as hell doesn't have the favour of Democrats, of course, or progressives, and a lot of the Republican leadership is either against him, or grudgingly keeping their mouths shut because they're craven self-interested cowards who are scared of their crazy base that they stupidly whipped up and unleashed.

[Patroklos]

I have little fondness for Bill Clinton, as I'm sure you know,

Little fondness? If you cared about people being raped rather than just pushing politics you would treat both the SAME for that particular reason. Or do you only have "little fondness" for Trump on these grounds too?

but that you respond to the allegations against Trump by trying to change the subject to Bill Clinton, as if "someone else was accused too" is a defence, is deplorable.

What is actually happening is you are trying to mask your hypocrisy on the issue by inventing motives on my part. I didn't defend Trump at all, my post says nothing about him nor does it attempt to excuse him. I, unlike you, have no problems making an equivalency between Clinton and Trump when it comes to the allegations against them and damning them equally on those grounds.

Whats your excuse for not?

[Q99]

Actually, given the nature of this allegation, there seems to be at least some chance that this woman doesn't even exist. I get people are reluctant to come forward, but this whole thing is to a comical extent. All the reality TV producer BS just makes it weird.

I mean, she doesn't want to come on TV but there is really a court case that really happens soon? So we know she exists.

[I didn't defend Trump at all, my post says nothing about him nor does it attempt to excuse him.

Well, rather the point. One post was about one person's crimes.

Your reply was to change the subject to someone else unrelated with no mention of the original person or talking about the subject. "But what about X?" is a classic deflection tactic, it was an attempt to move the subject off the original. You weren't trying to excuse him, but you were trying to get us to talk about something else.

[Flagg]

Its amazing that Trump hasn't landed in prison yet.

Well, unless you're cynical enough to just accept that rich people are generally above the law.

To be fair, he's not just rich, but also well connected. Unless he falls out of favour with the political class, what are the odds of him ever doing time?

But seriously, I wonder if the gamergate fucksticks are the same people supporting Rapist Donnie Douchebag and engaging in death threats.

"Nobody knows more about ethics in games journalism than me. Believe me. I love the gamers. They're great people, I've employed thousands of gamers, I have a great relationship with the gamers. I'm going to do great with the gamers, in fact a poll came out on Kotaku recently, I polled 75% with the gamers; someone said if you get 50% of the gamer vote, the election is over... but if I'm elected president, we are going to restore ethics in games journalism. We have to restore ethics in games journalism, or we won't have games any more. We're going to restore ethics in games journalism, and it's going to be a great industry... and the women are going to pay for it."

For reference, I borrowed from a few templates to make that speech.

I want to have your babies.

[Flagg]

I have little fondness for Bill Clinton, as I'm sure you know,

Little fondness? If you cared about people being raped rather than just pushing politics you would treat both the SAME for that particular reason. Or do you only have "little fondness" for Trump on these grounds too?

but that you respond to the allegations against Trump by trying to change the subject to Bill Clinton, as if "someone else was accused too" is a defence, is deplorable.

What is actually happening is you are trying to mask your hypocrisy on the issue by inventing motives on my part. I didn't defend Trump at all, my post says nothing about him nor does it attempt to excuse him. I, unlike you, have no problems making an equivalency between Clinton and Trump when it comes to the allegations against them and damning them equally on those grounds.

Whats your excuse for not?

You're making him look smart. Bad troll! But no, you essentially are engaging in a red herring. Bill Clinton is a piece of shit rapist, tell us something we don't know. The issue is relevance. Bill Clinton isn't on the ballot, Rapist Donnie Douchebag is. So take your bullshit and spit it back up whatever rightwing asshole you suck on, unperson.

[Executor32]

And Iiiiiiiiiiiiii E-Iiiiiiiii will always love yooooouuuuuuu...

But seriously, I wonder if the gamergate fucksticks are the same people supporting Rapist Donnie Douchebag and engaging in death threats.

You even have to wonder? It's dirty /pol/luters in either case.

[Flagg]

And Iiiiiiiiiiiiii E-Iiiiiiiii will always love yooooouuuuuuu...

But seriously, I wonder if the gamergate fucksticks are the same people supporting Rapist Donnie Douchebag and engaging in death threats.

You even have to wonder? It's dirty /pol/luters in either case.

Not really, it had just occurred to me.

[MKSheppard]

I am sure the Goldman Sachs folks are so laughing at the gullible now.

Along with Hillary.

[Mr Bean]

We have less than a week to go. All the stops have been pulled out and it's clear that Trump has won. Not the election but he has won by creating the current zeitgeist. The great other is the word of the day. Everyone is a thing now not a person. People on both sides gleefully embrace invented slurs rather than treating the other side with respect or understanding.

This is not a woe is me won't someone please think of the children just a little look back to a kinder gentler time of the distant year 2012 when Mitt Romney was lambasted for his 47% comment. At the time President Obama said he would be the President to the entire US including the Republicans. And yet this year, the same year that Trump is using both coded and blatant hate mongering Secretary Clinton responds by saying a vote for Trump is an inherent statement of unfitness. Sure she "apologized" later but her statements since then have been anything but kind to Trumps supporters. Keeping in mind she hopes to governor such people as President in two short months and you see the growing problem. That's not in any way to imply Trump is a valid choice but American can survive him.

The problem is short is Polarization.

Polarization, if your not with me your against me and if your against me there must be something wrong with you. I get my news from different people than you, thanks to the internet I don't have to interact with your kind. And by god I'll do everything people to keep your types out of my community.

That is a very familiar and a very dangerous road.

[Flagg]

A vote for Trump is a sign of mental illness. Or lead pollution.

[Q99]

We have less than a week to go. All the stops have been pulled out and it's clear that Trump has won. Not the election but he has won by creating the current zeitgeist. The great other is the word of the day. Everyone is a thing now not a person. People on both sides gleefully embrace invented slurs rather than treating the other side with respect or understanding.

This is not a woe is me won't someone please think of the children just a little look back to a kinder gentler time of the distant year 2012 when Mitt Romney was lambasted for his 47% comment. At the time President Obama said he would be the President to the entire US including the Republicans. And yet this year, the same year that Trump is using both coded and blatant hate mongering Secretary Clinton responds by saying a vote for Trump is an inherent statement of unfitness. Sure she "apologized" later but her statements since then have been anything but kind to Trumps supporters. Keeping in mind she hopes to governor such people as President in two short months and you see the growing problem. That's not in any way to imply Trump is a valid choice but American can survive him.

Note- her apology was being a bit overly broad, but also made it clear she didn't change her stance on racists and sexists.

And frankly, when someone is so openly racist, saying, "Yea, you're voting for a racist if you're voting for Trump," is not a bad way to go. It's one thing to say, "I'm for all Americans," but when someone *else* is so heavily 'you're not part of us, you don't count,' saying 'it's those who are attacking you for your race, your sex, your religion,' is the right thing to do.

The problem is short is Polarization.

Polarization, if your not with me your against me and if your against me there must be something wrong with you. I get my news from different people than you, thanks to the internet I don't have to interact with your kind. And by god I'll do everything people to keep your types out of my community.

That is a very familiar and a very dangerous road.

Ironically? This year is a sign of depolarization, at least on classic lines. The states in play have shifted considerably more than normal. The reds are less red, the blues are less blue. 7+ states that have voted the same party since '00 are in play, depending on how you count it, and it's pretty likely that we will have states shift in both directions at the same time (i.e. Iowa going red while Arizona goes blue has high likelyhood).

This is a hostile election, but one that also suggests a change in alignment.

[Mr Bean]

The problem is short is Polarization.

Polarization, if your not with me your against me and if your against me there must be something wrong with you. I get my news from different people than you, thanks to the internet I don't have to interact with your kind. And by god I'll do everything people to keep your types out of my community.

That is a very familiar and a very dangerous road.

Ironically? This year is a sign of depolarization, at least on classic lines. The states in play have shifted considerably more than normal. The reds are less red, the blues are less blue. 7+ states that have voted the same party since '00 are in play, depending on how you count it, and it's pretty likely that we will have states shift in both directions at the same time (i.e. Iowa going red while Arizona goes blue has high likelyhood).

This is a hostile election, but one that also suggests a change in alignment.

Q99 do you think any of the above state shifts would have occured in this election if the nomiee was anyone other than Trump? If in January Trump had been hit by his tour bus and died and the nomie was Scott Walker or Ted Cruz those same states would be in play? Honsetly I don't think so because places like Utah are only in play because of Trump and we can tell it's Trump related because the Democratic votes are about where they are normally but the Republican votes are split almost 50/50 with a home state hopeful.

Side note fun fact if said home state hopeful wins Utah it would mean he would likely place third in total vote count, meaning he would be eligible in the event Secretary Clint or Trump fails to secure 270 electoral votes meaning the House gets to pick between him, Clinton or Trump for the 2017 President.

[Highlord Laan]

Its amazing that Trump hasn't landed in prison yet.

Well, unless you're cynical enough to just accept that rich people are generally above the law.

Please say you're not so naive as to think that's not the case.

[Q99]

I mean, Trump is openly known to use threats of lawsuits to intimidate people.

He's also got two upcoming criminal trials, and far more continuing cases involving him or his businesses.

Q99 do you think any of the above state shifts would have occured in this election if the nomiee was anyone other than Trump? If in January Trump had been hit by his tour bus and died and the nomie was Scott Walker or Ted Cruz those same states would be in play? Honsetly I don't think so because places like Utah are only in play because of Trump and we can tell it's Trump related because the Democratic votes are about where they are normally but the Republican votes are split almost 50/50 with a home state hopeful.

Oh, certainly not as many, no, and certainly not Utah. I could see getting a pickup or two, especially against Cruz.

A race along the old poles would've stuck with old polarization. This one shook up the map.


I heard an interesting story on the radio about how the polarization is far more in the politics than the populace. That is to say, most of the populace is still rather moderate despite how the parties have gotten, and that's where a lot of the frustration with the system is coming from, and Trump's an example of that as he is able to abandon a lot of conservative standbys in favor of popularism because the conservatives really weren't *that* into the standbys, just their politicians were.

[Flagg]

Holy shit, is Melania Trump a goddamned blithering idiot? She has as her main platform stopping cyber bullying. Does she read or watch anything her rapist cunt of a husband says? A goddamned tomato is more self aware. Pull the feeding tube.

[Civil War Man]

Holy shit, is Melania Trump a goddamned blithering idiot? She has as her main platform stopping cyber bullying. Does she read or watch anything her rapist cunt of a husband says? A goddamned tomato is more self aware. Pull the feeding tube.

Hey now, let's give her some credit. She'd be in a very good position to put a large dent in cyber bullying as First Lady. Her entire program could just consist of cold-cocking Donald in the temple any time he gets the urge to use Twitter.

[Flagg]

Holy shit, is Melania Trump a goddamned blithering idiot? She has as her main platform stopping cyber bullying. Does she read or watch anything her rapist cunt of a husband says? A goddamned tomato is more self aware. Pull the feeding tube.

Hey now, let's give her some credit. She'd be in a very good position to put a large dent in cyber bullying as First Lady. Her entire program could just consist of cold-cocking Donald in the temple any time he gets the urge to use Twitter.

He'd just trade her in for a newer model. Or rape another underage teenager. She's a Cylon skinjob afterall.

[FireNexus]

"Non-college-educated whites."

Can we please just start calling them "dumb racists" already?

[Flagg]

"Non-college-educated whites."

Can we please just start calling them "dumb racists" already?

Fuck you, I didn't go to college and I'm not a racist. Dumb as all hell, but I hate only one race. The human race.

But seriously, I know plenty of fucking idiots with "Doctor" in front of their name. College isn't for everyone.

[U.P. Cinnabar]

"Non-college-educated whites."

Can we please just start calling them "dumb racists" already?

Fuck you, I didn't go to college and I'm not a racist. Dumb as all hell, but I hate only one race. The human race.

But seriously, I know plenty of fucking idiots with "Doctor" in front of their name. College isn't for everyone.

Miguel Faria, who came over with with the families of other Batitsta cronies/supporters fleeing Castro, was a practicing doctor in Macon. And, an ardent racist and far-right winger.

Just to name an example.

[FireNexus]

"Non-college-educated whites."

Can we please just start calling them "dumb racists" already?

Fuck you, I didn't go to college and I'm not a racist. Dumb as all hell, but I hate only one race. The human race.

But seriously, I know plenty of fucking idiots with "Doctor" in front of their name. College isn't for everyone.

I'm also not college educated or an idiot racist. But the "non-college-educated whites" Trump is leading among aren't you or I. They're dumb racists. College degrees are one of many asshole filters. You get some false positives, but if you're a white man of a certain age without a college degree, it likely says something about you judging by their Trump support. Jut not definitely.