The 2012 Three Ring Circus AKA The US Presidential Election

[Wikkiwallana]

be funnier.

Seriously, you're awful at this schtick.

The individual decides what is funny. I say it is funny to me therefore it is.

That's nice. Nobody gives a fuck, but it's nice.

[Free South Califas]

Huh. Joe Biden just called the treatment of transgender people the civil rights issue of our time.

If only he was younger. I want this man to run for president.

If we truly must pick one civil rights issue of our time, it's the drug war. It has stripped inner-city neighborhoods of their men, branded them criminals and disenfranchised them, perpetuating itself through this culling of the electorate while, increasingly, enriching private prison corporations. Don't get me wrong, transgender rights are as important as any other rights, and I've worked as an advocate and school intermediary for LGBT children so I don't take this issue lightly. But to pretend it affects anywhere near as many people, as profoundly (in an economic and civil participation sense), is a nasty bit of equivocation that excuses the Democrats for doing nothing to stop the horrible violence. Then there's the record deportations...but somehow I suspect mere reason isn't sufficient to win this one.

And once again, the Christian Taliban starts the usual intimidate-the-voters-in-Jesus'-name drive.

To think that I once considered Mike Huckabee a sane conservative. Hoo boy howdy, was I ever off on that!

Check out this gem from Huckabee's ad, emphasis mine:

Christians across the nation will have an opportunity to shape the future for our generation and generations to come. Many issues are at stake, but some issues are not negotiable: The right to life from conception to natural death. Marriage should be reinforced, not redefined. It is an egregious violation of our cherished principle of religious liberty for the government to force the church to buy the kind of insurance that leads to the taking of innocent human life.

"The right to life from conception to natural death" is 'not negotiable', yet, not only does he apparently intend to let miscarrying women off the hook, he manages to leave room to justify the death penalty, almost in the same breath. Well, he's good at what he does...

[New Chalcedon]

Huh. Joe Biden just called the treatment of transgender people the civil rights issue of our time.

If only he was younger. I want this man to run for president.

If we truly must pick one civil rights issue of our time, it's the drug war. It has stripped inner-city neighborhoods of their men, branded them criminals and disenfranchised them, perpetuating itself through this culling of the electorate while, increasingly, enriching private prison corporations. Don't get me wrong, transgender rights are as important as any other rights, and I've worked as an advocate and school intermediary for LGBT children so I don't take this issue lightly. But to pretend it affects anywhere near as many people, as profoundly (in an economic and civil participation sense), is a nasty bit of equivocation that excuses the Democrats for doing nothing to stop the horrible violence. Then there's the record deportations...but somehow I suspect mere reason isn't sufficient to win this one.

And once again, the Christian Taliban starts the usual intimidate-the-voters-in-Jesus'-name drive.

To think that I once considered Mike Huckabee a sane conservative. Hoo boy howdy, was I ever off on that!

Check out this gem from Huckabee's ad, emphasis mine:

Christians across the nation will have an opportunity to shape the future for our generation and generations to come. Many issues are at stake, but some issues are not negotiable: The right to life from conception to natural death. Marriage should be reinforced, not redefined. It is an egregious violation of our cherished principle of religious liberty for the government to force the church to buy the kind of insurance that leads to the taking of innocent human life.

"The right to life from conception to natural death" is 'not negotiable', yet, not only does he apparently intend to let miscarrying women off the hook, he manages to leave room to justify the death penalty, almost in the same breath. Well, he's good at what he does...

"Natural death"??

Waitaminit.... *does research*

Huckabee signed more death sentences than any other Governor in Arkansas history, and he was even proud of it! Why, that double-talking, two-faced, slimy, hypocritical, no-good sonofa......!!!

Apparently, it's not murder if it's done after you've left the womb. Bloody Tealiban hypocrites.....

[Free South Califas]

The irony of it all is that people like Huckabee were practically invented for the purpose of inserting into guillotines.

"How ya like the death penalty now, Huck? Chafe a bit?"

[Objectiveland]

The irony of it all is that people like Huckabee were practically invented for the purpose of inserting into guillotines.

"How ya like the death penalty now, Huck? Chafe a bit?"

Apparently you don't know your French history and are just spouting platitudes to sound intelligent.

[Miss Defied]

Sorry if this has been put through the ringer here, I can't read here everyday and don't keep up 100%. I was just wondering if, since the Romney campaign is now blaming Obama for the loss of Delphi pension funds, is it now okay to talk about the shit ton of money Romney made off that deal? Or is it still off limits to discuss the job creators' machinations?

[Cannot think of a name]

Sorry if this has been put through the ringer here, I can't read here everyday and don't keep up 100%. I was just wondering if, since the Romney campaign is now blaming Obama for the loss of Delphi pension funds, is it now okay to talk about the shit ton of money Romney made off that deal? Or is it still off limits to discuss the job creators' machinations?

Wait, really? This has to be the worst case of 'attack where you're weak' I've seen...this bypasses that really and goes straight to, "Why are you hitting yourself!"

[Farnhamia]

Sorry if this has been put through the ringer here, I can't read here everyday and don't keep up 100%. I was just wondering if, since the Romney campaign is now blaming Obama for the loss of Delphi pension funds, is it now okay to talk about the shit ton of money Romney made off that deal? Or is it still off limits to discuss the job creators' machinations?

Wait, really? This has to be the worst case of 'attack where you're weak' I've seen...this bypasses that really and goes straight to, "Why are you hitting yourself!"

New Chalcedon covered it earlier today or maybe yesterday, but it doesn't hurt to repeat it.

[Miss Defied]

Sorry if this has been put through the ringer here, I can't read here everyday and don't keep up 100%. I was just wondering if, since the Romney campaign is now blaming Obama for the loss of Delphi pension funds, is it now okay to talk about the shit ton of money Romney made off that deal? Or is it still off limits to discuss the job creators' machinations?

Wait, really? This has to be the worst case of 'attack where you're weak' I've seen...this bypasses that really and goes straight to, "Why are you hitting yourself!"

Well this ASB post started it for me, and then I looked into it and I am scratching my head.

[Telesha]

Sorry if this has been put through the ringer here, I can't read here everyday and don't keep up 100%. I was just wondering if, since the Romney campaign is now blaming Obama for the loss of Delphi pension funds, is it now okay to talk about the shit ton of money Romney made off that deal? Or is it still off limits to discuss the job creators' machinations?

Wait, really? This has to be the worst case of 'attack where you're weak' I've seen...this bypasses that really and goes straight to, "Why are you hitting yourself!"

*smack* "Because the polls say it shows humility!" *smack*

--

I can't help but wonder if the jobs report this Friday is going to get lost in the Sandy-shuffle. Unless we get something that's just truly god-awful or vice versa I'm having trouble seeing it making really big news.

[Cannot think of a name]

Wait, really? This has to be the worst case of 'attack where you're weak' I've seen...this bypasses that really and goes straight to, "Why are you hitting yourself!"

*smack* "Because the polls say it shows humility!" *smack*

--

I can't help but wonder if the jobs report this Friday is going to get lost in the Sandy-shuffle. Unless we get something that's just truly god-awful or vice versa I'm having trouble seeing it making really big news.

If it ticks the unemployment rate down another whole .1% and the Republicans again abandon the entirely reasonable "not good enough" and double down on the "Conspiracy!" so they look like complete nutters four days before the election, you might see the final swing to Obama for those last people left who 'vote their gut' or some other nonsense...


...at least that's how I'd hope the electorate thinks...

[Telesha]

*smack* "Because the polls say it shows humility!" *smack*

--

I can't help but wonder if the jobs report this Friday is going to get lost in the Sandy-shuffle. Unless we get something that's just truly god-awful or vice versa I'm having trouble seeing it making really big news.

If it ticks the unemployment rate down another whole .1% and the Republicans again abandon the entirely reasonable "not good enough" and double down on the "Conspiracy!" so they look like complete nutters four days before the election, you might see the final swing to Obama for those last people left who 'vote their gut' or some other nonsense...


...at least that's how I'd hope the electorate thinks...

I don't think the "not good enough" is particularly reasonable as it reeks far too much of goalpost moving, but that's neither here nor there.

It just seems like that most people, even now that the brunt of Sandy is over, aren't going to care much about some economic numbers. The cleanup and rebuilding is going to last days at least.

...what's the news shelf-life for pictures of devastation and misery? Is it going to last through the weekend before the press goes back into election mode?

[Gauntleted Fist]

If Obama wins, will this really be the first time that we've had three two-term presidents in a row actually be elected since Jefferson-Madison-Monroe?

I suppose he will have to actually make it through the term.

[Cannot think of a name]

If it ticks the unemployment rate down another whole .1% and the Republicans again abandon the entirely reasonable "not good enough" and double down on the "Conspiracy!" so they look like complete nutters four days before the election, you might see the final swing to Obama for those last people left who 'vote their gut' or some other nonsense...


...at least that's how I'd hope the electorate thinks...

I don't think the "not good enough" is particularly reasonable as it reeks far too much of goalpost moving, but that's neither here nor there.

Let me clarify...there's only so much you can say if you're trying to convince people you should be in charge instead of the other guy. So you're either stuck saying, "Yeah, he's doing great, but I've got great hair" or you can say, "Yeah, we're recovering, but we're doing it slower than we should and that's because the other guy is holding us back..." Because it has been a slow and rather lopsided recovery (I mean, rich people, doin' great), and you could (you could, maybe not Romney) make a reasonable argument that if we did X we might have a more robust recovery. In fact, that's pretty much all you can say.

Whether I agree with that, or even if that is a far too simplistic way to look at the way the economy operates, that's another conversation. But when you're making your argument 30 seconds at a time with dramatic music, it's about as reasonable an argument as you could make.

It just seems like that most people, even now that the brunt of Sandy is over, aren't going to care much about some economic numbers. The cleanup and rebuilding is going to last days at least.

As far as I can tell, the story is moving back to election politics with hints of how different Romney and Obama have reacted to this.

...what's the news shelf-life for pictures of devastation and misery? Is it going to last through the weekend before the press goes back into election mode?

By the Sunday talk shows, we're back on. Pictures of a disaster receding are not as compelling as disaster happening.

[Telesha]

If Obama wins, will this really be the first time that we've had three two-term presidents in a row actually be elected since Jefferson-Madison-Monroe?

I suppose he will have to actually make it through the term.

I believe so, but my presidential history is pretty rusty.

Also: xkcd

Let me clarify...there's only so much you can say if you're trying to convince people you should be in charge instead of the other guy. So you're either stuck saying, "Yeah, he's doing great, but I've got great hair" or you can say, "Yeah, we're recovering, but we're doing it slower than we should and that's because the other guy is holding us back..." Because it has been a slow and rather lopsided recovery (I mean, rich people, doin' great), and you could (you could, maybe not Romney) make a reasonable argument that if we did X we might have a more robust recovery. In fact, that's pretty much all you can say.

Whether I agree with that, or even if that is a far too simplistic way to look at the way the economy operates, that's another conversation. But when you're making your argument 30 seconds at a time with dramatic music, it's about as reasonable an argument as you could make.

Fair enough.

As far as I can tell, the story is moving back to election politics with hints of how different Romney and Obama have reacted to this.

Which is bad news for "giving FEMA to the states: good, privatizing it: better" Romney.

By the Sunday talk shows, we're back on. Pictures of a disaster receding are not as compelling as disaster happening.

Yeah, you're probably right there. Sandy will still likely be a major theme, but if they're not in full election mode I'll be pretty surprised. I wonder if we'll see a frantic attempt to re-focus the spotlight on something else by the Romney campaign to keep from being seen as politizing the hurricane.

Not that I'd be paying much attention, our election night plan is seeing the Dark Knight Rises at the dollar theatre.

[Gauntleted Fist]

I believe so, but my presidential history is pretty rusty.

Also: xkcd

I'm not really concerned about breaking a streak or whatever. It's just interesting to see how many times the US has had to deal with losing its actual elected leader or voted him out after four years. It's a pretty decent turnover rate.

Yeah, you're probably right there. Sandy will still likely be a major theme, but if they're not in full election mode I'll be pretty surprised. I wonder if we'll see a frantic attempt to re-focus the spotlight on something else by the Romney campaign to keep from being seen as politizing the hurricane.

They have been trying this already. Have you heard about this place in Libya called Benghazi.

[Cannot think of a name]

Not that I'd be paying much attention, our election night plan is seeing the Dark Knight Rises at the dollar theatre.

I keep thinking that I should put on an all day show on election day, go ahead and give people with "I voted" stickers half price or free admission or something, but then have a strict ban on any results reporting, calling it something like "No Results All Star Jam" or something, the motto being, "We've put up with a solid year of campaigning and election news, it's over, the winners will still be the winners in the morning, now is our time to celebrate not having to hear about this shit for at least another year or so..." Ideally I'd be able to pull this off without threatening any puppies...

[Telesha]

Yeah, you're probably right there. Sandy will still likely be a major theme, but if they're not in full election mode I'll be pretty surprised. I wonder if we'll see a frantic attempt to re-focus the spotlight on something else by the Romney campaign to keep from being seen as politizing the hurricane.

They have been trying this already. Have you heard about this place in Libya called Benghazi.

Yeah, but I don't see Libya getting any traction anymore. It's just too old.

Despite my skepticism that it's going to make much of a splash from earlier, I think the only chance they're going to get is the jobs report.

Not that I'd be paying much attention, our election night plan is seeing the Dark Knight Rises at the dollar theatre.

I keep thinking that I should put on an all day show on election day, go ahead and give people with "I voted" stickers half price or free admission or something, but then have a strict ban on any results reporting, calling it something like "No Results All Star Jam" or something, the motto being, "We've put up with a solid year of campaigning and election news, it's over, the winners will still be the winners in the morning, now is our time to celebrate not having to hear about this shit for at least another year or so..." Ideally I'd be able to pull this off without threatening any puppies...

I'd be all over that. Can't even risk going to the game store for Malifaux or something that night, someone is bound to be giving minute-by-minute updates of the election.

[Miss Defied]

[quote="Telesha";p="11446549"]
Which is bad news for "giving FEMA to the states: good, privatizing it: better" Romney.
[quote]

Yes, this is quite the message as I am interpreting it. Instead of Romney having to directly address the fact that FEMA is, in essence, a good thing, they are trying to present the notion that, look! Private charity can do this.
"Look while we gather water and Powerbars and load them on trucks destined for the surge-stricken coasts of New Jersey and New York. Look at how efficiently we can collect goods for distribution! We don't need the government for disaster relief, we just need the benevolent hands of the churches!"

Nevermind the fact that we don't see it working in reality. Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the distribution chain of goods knows that it's a complete clusterfuck when you have 115 different churches trying to get needed items to a singular location. Which is why the Red Cross basically says, "thanks for the water bottles and Powerbars, but in the future, just send money."

Edit: tried to fix the quote tag. Not happening. Apologies. Rum.

[The Tiger Kingdom]

The irony of it all is that people like Huckabee were practically invented for the purpose of inserting into guillotines.

"How ya like the death penalty now, Huck? Chafe a bit?"

Apparently you don't know your French history and are just spouting platitudes to sound intelligent.

Ironic.
Also, what's French history got to do with it? Nobody mentioned anything beyond the guillotine, which is pretty damn rudimentary.

[Blouman Empire]

Really? It's just the fact that Obama is a Democrat?

I don't recall Clinton ever being harped at to produce a birth certificate. He never was called a liar during the State of the Union address, didn't have some pissant racist governor shove a finger in his face. Did Ken Starr and the rest of the "moral majority" waste our time with an impeachment hearing because they felt like everyone should know about the president's private affairs more than we needed to in the first place? Yes, but even then you didn't have Newt Gingrich using the same vitriol and venom that the neo-con GOP rhetoric uses these days.

And that's just the abuse he gets from his "peers" in government. It gets worse when you consider the Tea Party and their blatant crass bigotry.
http://www.obamaftw.com/blog/wp-content ... -party.jpg
http://mokellyreport.files.wordpress.co ... -kenya.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EyMUWXE9nzg/U ... turban.png
http://www.blueridgemuse.com/wp-content ... acism5.jpg

Hell yes the whole GOP plan has been structured around old-school WASP racism and fear. Sure the end result may be a return to absolute power like the US experienced...well before it was a nation and just a bunch of colonies on the east coast. But make no mistake, the core underlying motif behind the GOP platform since at least 2008 is "the other", and how much "other" can you get in this country than a black man when your core demographic is under-educated, caucasian (mostly), and easily swayed by fanatical dialogue?

there is some small element of true racism in it.

but asb is right. its a democrat thing. they were brutal in their criticism of bill clinton and his wife. they accused mrs clinton of murder for god's sake. they impeached the president over nothing--any excuse would do once they decided on their course of action. they accused the clintons of looting the white house on their way out.

the reason it feels worse now is because they are crazier than ever. crazier people do and say crazier things.

And wasn't it Clinton's team that started the whole "Born in Kenya" thing?

[Blouman Empire]

I wish my moderate Republican friends would simply be honest. They all say they’re voting for Romney because of his economic policies (tenuous and ill-formed as they are), and that they disagree with him on gay rights. Fine. Then look me in the eye, speak with a level clear voice, and say, “My taxes and take-home pay mean more than your fundamental civil rights, the sanctity of your marriage, your right to visit an ailing spouse in the hospital, your dignity as a citizen of this country, your healthcare, your right to inherit, the mental welfare and emotional well-being of your youth, and your very personhood.”

It’s like voting for George Wallace during the Civil Rights movements, and apologizing for his racism. You’re still complicit. You’re still perpetuating anti-gay legislation and cultural homophobia. You don’t get to walk away clean, because you say you “disagree” with your candidate on these issues.

http://www.salon.com/2012/10/26/my_taxe ... il_rights/

Hmmmmm. I never thought of it that way. How many times have we read I have nothing against gays but I am voting for the guy that does.

Oh well. Just one of the many reasons I don't like Willard.

Can't wait for the elections to be over.

So what are the Log Cabin Republicans doing?

[Miss Defied]

Apparently you don't know your French history and are just spouting platitudes to sound intelligent.

Ironic.
Also, what's French history got to do with it? Nobody mentioned anything beyond the guillotine, which is pretty damn rudimentary.

Well, it's not like you are that new here, but there is this.
And if you actually get something that resembles a comprehensive response, there's this.

[The Tiger Kingdom]

Ironic.
Also, what's French history got to do with it? Nobody mentioned anything beyond the guillotine, which is pretty damn rudimentary.

Well, it's not like you are that new here, but there is this.
And if you actually get something that resembles a comprehensive response, there's this.

I know, I know.
And yet I still feel the need to act like there's a coherent argument being made...

[Cannot think of a name]

538 keeps faking me out (I'm putting this here instead of the horse race thread because any horse race observations are not mine really, but Silver's...).

It was at 78.4% chance of Obama winning @7pm PDT and now it's at 79%. Still a ways away from the pre-first debate debacle high, but...

Nate (I can call him Nate, we're close like that) hasn't said anything about it yet, but I'm guessing it has a little to do with Florida turning a little pink.