[US Election 2016] Democratic Primary Megathread III

[G-Tech Corporation]

So, Nevada the charlie foxtrot that created so much drama due to the tie-breakers and such. Bernie's state director advised her staffers to use two headed coins if it came to a coin toss. Apparently she was unaware that Nevada knows a thing or two about rigging games of chance and instead used decks of cards.

The article is obviously biased. Its title implies that this was directed by the national campaign without evidence, and the first line asserts that the Democratic Primary wasn't rigged (maybe not overall, at least in the sense of the results being fraudulent, but you can sure as hell point to a lot of sleazy shit in individual races and heavy establishment favouritism toward Clinton from the start), and then accuse the Sanders campaign of trying to rig it, and specifically accuse multiple staffers of being involved despite the article offering no evidence of that either and admitting they don't know weather any other staffers did this. While I have read all of the links, the only evidence quoted in the article itself is an "anecdote" from anonymous sources. Its hard for me to take their charges seriously when the article is an obvious Clintonite hit piece, designed to drag Sanders' name through the mud even though the campaign is effectively over.

And seriously, what is the point of this shit? You won. Why keep attacking the losing side with weak and disingenuous arguments? It only comes across as petty and spiteful and fuels internal divisions going into the general election. Winners who kick their opponent when he's down should not be looked on kindly.

It only makes sense as spite, wanting to punish Sanders for daring to challenge Clinton the way he did, or as fear, that what he represents will not end with his campaign.

As to the Nevada director- if it can be proved that she did this, then she's a sleazy piece of shit. This should not be held against Sanders' campaign as a whole unless this was condoned or ordered at high levels- and I see no evidence of that.

Or would you like me to lay every nasty thing a Clinton supporter ever did at Hillary's feet?

Yes, please

[Kelinfort]

It seems like this whole refugee crisis (In large part caused by America of course, though a lot to do with general hell in the middle east in general) has sparked a huge spike in nationalism and racism in general, and it's scary.

As my sister and I talked about before, it feels like we're stuck in this little weird area, worldwide, where we're stuck between making massive progress for the better in a large chunk of the world and stuck where a whole other group of people want to go the EXACT opposite and completely make us go further backwards. It just seems to be in a state of extreme one way, extreme the other way, and the middle ground is shrinking. Case in point the far right and far left being the two candidates in Austria recently. It's just a weird time.

Was the Arab Spring caused by America?

I don't see a direct link from America to the refugee crisis. Perhaps on a few indirect factors.

[The Romulan Republic]

It seems like this whole refugee crisis (In large part caused by America of course, though a lot to do with general hell in the middle east in general) has sparked a huge spike in nationalism and racism in general, and it's scary.

As my sister and I talked about before, it feels like we're stuck in this little weird area, worldwide, where we're stuck between making massive progress for the better in a large chunk of the world and stuck where a whole other group of people want to go the EXACT opposite and completely make us go further backwards. It just seems to be in a state of extreme one way, extreme the other way, and the middle ground is shrinking. Case in point the far right and far left being the two candidates in Austria recently. It's just a weird time.

Was the Arab Spring caused by America?

I don't see a direct link from America to the refugee crisis. Perhaps on a few indirect factors.

The strongest link is probably the Iraq 2003 invasion and resulting chaos, which contributed to the rise of Daesh.

[Kelinfort]

Was the Arab Spring caused by America?

I don't see a direct link from America to the refugee crisis. Perhaps on a few indirect factors.

The strongest link is probably the Iraq 2003 invasion and resulting chaos, which contributed to the rise of Daesh.

Daesh, while causing a proportion of the refugee crisis, probably has less of a hand in this than the governments of Bashar al-Assad and the Russian Federation.

[Geilinor]

So, Nevada the charlie foxtrot that created so much drama due to the tie-breakers and such. Bernie's state director advised her staffers to use two headed coins if it came to a coin toss. Apparently she was unaware that Nevada knows a thing or two about rigging games of chance and instead used decks of cards.

The article is obviously biased.

She worked for the Sanders campaign and if she hasn't been fired, it reflects badly on the entire campaign.

[USS Monitor]

It seems like this whole refugee crisis (In large part caused by America of course, though a lot to do with general hell in the middle east in general) has sparked a huge spike in nationalism and racism in general, and it's scary.

As my sister and I talked about before, it feels like we're stuck in this little weird area, worldwide, where we're stuck between making massive progress for the better in a large chunk of the world and stuck where a whole other group of people want to go the EXACT opposite and completely make us go further backwards. It just seems to be in a state of extreme one way, extreme the other way, and the middle ground is shrinking. Case in point the far right and far left being the two candidates in Austria recently. It's just a weird time.

It does seem that way, and it is definitely cause for concern because it's a lot like what was going on in the 1930s, and that ended really badly.

[USS Monitor]

The article is obviously biased.

She worked for the Sanders campaign and if she hasn't been fired, it reflects badly on the entire campaign.

Do we know the story is true in the first place? It's not a source I am familiar with, and there have been some other things reported this election that were unsubstantiated, like the chair-throwing at the Nevada convention.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

She worked for the Sanders campaign and if she hasn't been fired, it reflects badly on the entire campaign.

Do we know the story is true in the first place? It's not a source I am familiar with, and there have been some other things reported this election that were unsubstantiated, like the chair-throwing at the Nevada convention.

Or the virulent misogyny of that race of Bernie Bros. Or that one Bernie lady that got hit in the Democratic Convention by that old fella with his cane.

[Ngelmish]

She worked for the Sanders campaign and if she hasn't been fired, it reflects badly on the entire campaign.

Do we know the story is true in the first place? It's not a source I am familiar with, and there have been some other things reported this election that were unsubstantiated, like the chair-throwing at the Nevada convention.

I don't know that this particular allegation has been substantiated, but it's not the first time the Sanders' campaign has gotten into trouble in Nevada specifically. Remember much earlier in the primary when there was that widely publicized incident of a couple of campaign staffers lying to try to gain inner access to the largest union in the state.

Do we know the story is true in the first place? It's not a source I am familiar with, and there have been some other things reported this election that were unsubstantiated, like the chair-throwing at the Nevada convention.

Or the virulent misogyny of that race of Bernie Bros. Or that one Bernie lady that got hit in the Democratic Convention by that old fella with his cane.

We do know for a fact that a sizable contingent of so-called Bernie Bros online who claim to support Bernie Sanders have demonstrated repeated, misogynistic vitriol. It may be astroturfing, but it's stupid to call into question whether or not its actually happened.

[Guy]

The strongest link is probably the Iraq 2003 invasion and resulting chaos, which contributed to the rise of Daesh.

Daesh, while causing a proportion of the refugee crisis, probably has less of a hand in this than the governments of Bashar al-Assad and the Russian Federation.

Yeah, this. But hey, it's easier to blame America for everything.

[Guy]

So, Nevada the charlie foxtrot that created so much drama due to the tie-breakers and such. Bernie's state director advised her staffers to use two headed coins if it came to a coin toss. Apparently she was unaware that Nevada knows a thing or two about rigging games of chance and instead used decks of cards.

Hilarious. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and say she did so on her own initiative (that may even be probable), but state director is still pretty high up. I seem to recall not very long ago that the Sanders folk here seized on a Clinton precinct captain doing something shoddy, but I guess it's okay now.

The Sanders campaign's attempts to denigrate and attack the process, and saying they had lost unfairly after pretty much every state (or at least the ones that they did lose) did him no credit. It is one thing to suggest changes or improvements to the Primary process, another to denigrate it and attack its entire legitimacy and credibility. He is making amends now by recognising the result, but he went into very serious no-go territory there, especially as in 99% of the cases he's been wrong.

[USS Monitor]

Do we know the story is true in the first place? It's not a source I am familiar with, and there have been some other things reported this election that were unsubstantiated, like the chair-throwing at the Nevada convention.

Or the virulent misogyny of that race of Bernie Bros. Or that one Bernie lady that got hit in the Democratic Convention by that old fella with his cane.

Bernie Bros do actually exist, even if they are not Sanders' intended target audience. I think the people Sanders WANTS to lead are the committed left-wingers -- the people whose second choice is going to be Clinton or Stein -- but he also picked up some other supporters along the way, and a few of them are misogynists.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Or the virulent misogyny of that race of Bernie Bros. Or that one Bernie lady that got hit in the Democratic Convention by that old fella with his cane.

Bernie Bros do actually exist, even if they are not Sanders' intended target audience. I think the people Sanders WANTS to lead are the committed left-wingers -- the people whose second choice is going to be Clinton or Stein -- but he also picked up some other supporters along the way, and a few of them are misogynists.

Unfortunately, their volume was greater than their numbers.

[USS Monitor]

Bernie Bros do actually exist, even if they are not Sanders' intended target audience. I think the people Sanders WANTS to lead are the committed left-wingers -- the people whose second choice is going to be Clinton or Stein -- but he also picked up some other supporters along the way, and a few of them are misogynists.

Unfortunately, their volume was greater than their numbers.

Yes, some of them are quite vocal.

[Corrian]

And now they're attacking Warren for "Selling out" in a similar horrible manner.

[Guy]

And now they're attacking Warren for "Selling out" in a similar horrible manner.

I saw this on a news story's comments section the other day:

Is her house on an India reservation?
Warren lost all her credibility when she endorsed Wall Street Hillary.
Anyone who supports this disgusting cheating criminal has allowed their fears to overpower their integrity.
#BernBabyBern
We'll see you at the storming of the convention!
Let them eat cake!
Let the heads roll!

I agree that this isn't Bernie's target audience. I don't blame him for them - every candidate will manage to attract shitty supporters. But his have been either unusually numerous and/or loud.

[Maurepas]

The article is obviously biased.

She worked for the Sanders campaign and if she hasn't been fired, it reflects badly on the entire campaign.

It's time to move on. Nevada is so far down the list of things I give a shit about that it wouldn't even be written on it. I'm keen to never talk about it again in all honesty.

[Corrian]

Bernie Sanders posted this video about the situation in Puerto Rico

It's so depressing there.

[Guy]

Bernie Sanders posted this video about the situation in Puerto Rico

It's so depressing there.

Extremely fucked up.

I don't know if targeting CEOs of those hedge funds will really be so effective - they just see it as doing their jobs faithfully. Hopefully we see the US' political leadership do something, though.

[Corrian]

Extremely fucked up.

I don't know if targeting CEOs of those hedge funds will really be so effective - they just see it as doing their jobs faithfully. Hopefully we see the US' political leadership do something, though.

It's still depressing seeing these CEO's of these hedge funds living a life of ridiculous luxury (That guys apartment) off the backs of other people suffering, though.

[Maurepas]

I think Puerto Rican Statehood should be on the Democratic Party Platform. A lot of PR's problems stem from the fact that Congress doesn't have the same responsibilities to them that they do the rest of the States.

[Myrensis]

I think Puerto Rican Statehood should be on the Democratic Party Platform. A lot of PR's problems stem from the fact that Congress doesn't have the same responsibilities to them that they do the rest of the States.

So, put in a plank about campaigning for a straight up or down referendum on the matter in Puerto Rico? That is essentially the only thing in the way of Statehood, getting the Puerto Ricans themselves to directly and unequivocally vote for it.

[Galloism]

I think Puerto Rican Statehood should be on the Democratic Party Platform. A lot of PR's problems stem from the fact that Congress doesn't have the same responsibilities to them that they do the rest of the States.

So, put in a plank about campaigning for a straight up or down referendum on the matter in Puerto Rico? That is essentially the only thing in the way of Statehood, getting the Puerto Ricans themselves to directly and unequivocally vote for it.

Let them know that they'll suddenly be under the rules that govern states and state debt instead of the stupid-ass rules for debt they're under now.

I predict 80+% in favor.

[New Giliberafta]

I think Puerto Rican Statehood should be on the Democratic Party Platform. A lot of PR's problems stem from the fact that Congress doesn't have the same responsibilities to them that they do the rest of the States.

So, put in a plank about campaigning for a straight up or down referendum on the matter in Puerto Rico? That is essentially the only thing in the way of Statehood, getting the Puerto Ricans themselves to directly and unequivocally vote for it.

Agreed. It should be like the EU referendum. Remain its current status as a US territory and.eventually gain statehood, or leave the US all together.

[Geilinor]

So, put in a plank about campaigning for a straight up or down referendum on the matter in Puerto Rico? That is essentially the only thing in the way of Statehood, getting the Puerto Ricans themselves to directly and unequivocally vote for it.

Agreed. It should be like the EU referendum. Remain its current status as a US territory and.eventually gain statehood, or leave the US all together.

I don't think that should be the question. The question on a statehood referendum should simply be, "Should Puerto Rico become a state?" Independence should be a separate vote.