2020 US General Election Thread IV: The Battle Begins

[The Emerald Legion]

Most Trump Supporters I've seen have had an attitude of "Yes he's an asshole, but he's being an asshole to the right people and we can use him to get what we want."

That's why attacks on his character Don't work. Not because of cultish devotion, but because it's irrelevant to why he's being supported.

Meanwhile, the Anti Trump crowd really does show some hysterical cult-like behavior on a regular basis.

Such as? Personally I think defending murder as being essentially the same as death from natural causes is a hysterical cult-like behavior.

That's because you don't seem to be able, or willing, to comprehend the English language and would rather hang on to that strawman.

But to make it clearer. There were 17,284 cases of murder in the USA in 2017. Unite the Right had ONE of those 17,284 murders. Of those, White offenders IN GENERAL only make up 29% of murders in 2017.

This is ALL offenders who are white, not just white supremacists because I couldn't find the numbers for White Supremacists.

This is not an issue.

[Ifreann]

It's endlessly fascinating that when left wing parties do badly in Europe, Americans say "Look, look! That's what happens if you go too far left!", but when left wing parties do well in Europe...nothing. I know some of this is coming from people who just want to keep America as far right as possible and are concern trolling Democrats, but you seem to have genuinely fallen for it.

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For a while the YouTube app on my TV played "ads" that were hour long vlogs from random Vietnamese people.

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I think you're inventing common ground where none really exists. Trump's followers don't "realise an elite group with special interests controls the country", they believe in conspiracies about a Deep State run by Satanic paedophiles. Trump's followers don't hate mainstream media because they inherently prioritise corporate interests, they hate specific media outlets they associate with the left because they believe they're run by Jews who want to destroy the white race.

You have a misunderstanding of most Trump supporters

I might be engaging in some hyperbole with the degree of wackiness they believe, but I think my basic point is correct. Trump supporters and Sanders supporters might have problems with some of the same parts of American politics/society, but their respective objections are entirely different.

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I don't think anyone saw John McCain as some kind of player who was riding Sarah Palin on the side.

And yet, this got tens of thousands of views.

131.5 million people voted in the 2008 presidential election. A video getting tens of thousands of views from YouTube's global viewer base is meaningless.

And I'm sure that some people give more of a pass to politicians they like who cheat on their spouse than to politicians they don't who do the same, but I still don't think that what you are describing happens to any significant degree. Some people probably do think that Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are making the Democrat with two backs, but so far as I'm aware it's nothing politically consequential for either of them.

Ordinary congressional elections don't get as much attention in a general sense as Presidential ones.

Okay, so it didn't happen with Clinton and Kaine. It didn't happen with McCain and Palin. It doesn't happen with Pelosi and Schumer. Where are you actually getting this idea from? Is there actually a trend of Republicans accusing Democrats of infidelity on the basis of working with someone they aren't married to?

It happens with Twitch streamers, it can happen with politicians. Once there's a crack in the "don't go there" barrier, it all comes tumbling down.

Twitch streamers are essentially normal celebrities, like musicians and actors, so that kind of gossip swirling around them is normal. Politics doesn't really behave the same way.

Actually, I think in a way McCain/Palin might have helped the way for this. Obama had this whole "when they go low, we go high" approach, so he backed off milking the "McCain's Wandering Eyes" meme even while McCain was accusing him of "palling around with terrorists." Now that we have a known adulterer in the White House, and "when they go low, we go high" approach has proven ineffective, all bets are off.

I'll grant that Trump has little if any filter between his brain and his mouth, but I think that even he has the requisite sense to realise that accusing his ultimate opponent in this election of infidelity would be a neutral move at best.

Another aspect of Clinton/Kaine, let's keep it real here, is that Time Kaine doesn't have the macho look associated with the kinds of guys with whom women cheat on their spouses. Sanders doesn't quite have it either, but he comes closer than Tim Kaine did.

None can deny the high octane sexual energy of Bernard Sanders.

Well they're going to call Sanders a communist until, somewhat ironically, they turn red in the face.

But even communist voters don't necessarily approve of adultery. It's an entirely separate thing, if not inversely correlated with it. Remember, the last known adulterous Democratic President was the one known for gutting "welfare as we know it."

Hell, one of the things people dislike the most about communism is its perceived "godlessness," yet godless South Korea outright criminalized adultery until a few years ago.

My point is that Republicans, excepting Trump, won't feel the need to make shit up about Sanders, they'll feel like him being some class of commie who wants to do commie things will be enough. Trump will make shit up about Sanders, but Trump lies reflexively.

[Necroghastia]

Such as? Personally I think defending murder as being essentially the same as death from natural causes is a hysterical cult-like behavior.

That's because you don't seem to be able, or willing, to comprehend the English language and would rather hang on to that strawman.

But to make it clearer. There were 17,284 cases of murder in the USA in 2017. Unite the Right had ONE of those 17,284 murders. Of those, White offenders IN GENERAL only make up 29% of murders in 2017.

This is ALL offenders who are white, not just white supremacists because I couldn't find the numbers for White Supremacists.

This is not an issue.

Cool beans. Still pointless and unnecessary. I don't know what you think you're refuting.
You still have yet to show any of the "hysterical cult-like behavior" that you lay on the Anti-Trump crowd.

[The Emerald Legion]

That's because you don't seem to be able, or willing, to comprehend the English language and would rather hang on to that strawman.

But to make it clearer. There were 17,284 cases of murder in the USA in 2017. Unite the Right had ONE of those 17,284 murders. Of those, White offenders IN GENERAL only make up 29% of murders in 2017.

This is ALL offenders who are white, not just white supremacists because I couldn't find the numbers for White Supremacists.

This is not an issue.

Cool beans. Still pointless and unnecessary. I don't know what you think you're refuting.
You still have yet to show any of the "hysterical cult-like behavior" that you lay on the Anti-Trump crowd.

Look in a mirror.

[Necroghastia]

Cool beans. Still pointless and unnecessary. I don't know what you think you're refuting.
You still have yet to show any of the "hysterical cult-like behavior" that you lay on the Anti-Trump crowd.

Look in a mirror.

What sort of things am I looking for? Tattoos? Scarification?
Ooooh, maybe it's a jab at me being trans?
Or perhaps your post is just the desperate, petty deflection of someone who knows they are in the wrong but cannot admit it lest they lose face.
...Which side was displaying the "hysterical cult-like behavior," again?

[The Emerald Legion]

Look in a mirror.

What sort of things am I looking for? Tattoos? Scarification?
Ooooh, maybe it's a jab at me being trans?
Or perhaps your post is just the desperate, petty deflection of someone who knows they are in the wrong but cannot admit it lest they lose face.
...Which side was displaying the "hysterical cult-like behavior," again?

Your behavior. This is obvious.

Though, given your behavior I suppose self reflection was a bit much to expect.

[Tarsonis]

What sort of things am I looking for? Tattoos? Scarification?
Ooooh, maybe it's a jab at me being trans?
Or perhaps your post is just the desperate, petty deflection of someone who knows they are in the wrong but cannot admit it lest they lose face.
...Which side was displaying the "hysterical cult-like behavior," again?

Your behavior. This is obvious.

Though, given your behavior I suppose self reflection was a bit much to expect.

I can hit 12 feet

[Valrifell]

What sort of things am I looking for? Tattoos? Scarification?
Ooooh, maybe it's a jab at me being trans?
Or perhaps your post is just the desperate, petty deflection of someone who knows they are in the wrong but cannot admit it lest they lose face.
...Which side was displaying the "hysterical cult-like behavior," again?

Your behavior. This is obvious.

Though, given your behavior I suppose self reflection was a bit much to expect.

Says the one arguing that murder isn't a problem since it happens all the time?

[USS Monitor]

Cenk was suggesting last night Bernie Sanders running with Elizabeth Warren as running mate.

No. Just no. Republicans smear Democrats as adulterers enough without a man and woman next to each other on the campaign trail to add fuel to the fire.

Cos it was so effective last time they accused Warren of having an extra-marital affair.

Also, WTF dude? Get your mind out of the gutter. I don't think anybody except you looks at those two and immediately wants to think about their sex life.

[Necroghastia]

Your behavior. This is obvious.

Though, given your behavior I suppose self reflection was a bit much to expect.

Says the one arguing that murder isn't a problem since it happens all the time?

[The Emerald Legion]

Your behavior. This is obvious.

Though, given your behavior I suppose self reflection was a bit much to expect.

Says the one arguing that murder isn't a problem since it happens all the time?

That isn't what I said. What I said was that pretending one murder is a sign of the overthrow of our country by jackbooted Nazis was asinine and nothing more than liberal propaganda to get the emotional leverage they need to fuck us over more.

I've now explained this for the third time.

[Necroghastia]

Says the one arguing that murder isn't a problem since it happens all the time?

That isn't what I said. What I said was that pretending one murder is a sign of the overthrow of our country by jackbooted Nazis was asinine and nothing more than liberal propaganda to get the emotional leverage they need to fuck us over more.

I've now explained this for the third time.

More than Seven Thousand People die every day in the united states. Every twelve seconds, a person dies.

Three deaths is nothing. A drop in the bucket.

[USS Monitor]

Another aspect of Clinton/Kaine, let's keep it real here, is that Time Kaine doesn't have the macho look associated with the kinds of guys with whom women cheat on their spouses. Sanders doesn't quite have it either, but he comes closer than Tim Kaine did.

Please. Who's going to sleep with Bernie Sanders when she can bang a 24 year old marine?

[Gormwood]

That isn't what I said. What I said was that pretending one murder is a sign of the overthrow of our country by jackbooted Nazis was asinine and nothing more than liberal propaganda to get the emotional leverage they need to fuck us over more.

I've now explained this for the third time.

More than Seven Thousand People die every day in the united states. Every twelve seconds, a person dies.

Three deaths is nothing. A drop in the bucket.

[Little St James Island]

Another aspect of Clinton/Kaine, let's keep it real here, is that Time Kaine doesn't have the macho look associated with the kinds of guys with whom women cheat on their spouses. Sanders doesn't quite have it either, but he comes closer than Tim Kaine did.

Please. Who's going to sleep with Bernie Sanders when she can bang a 24 year old marine?

Hmm. I wonder who Melania is cheating with these days?

[Ifreann]

Another aspect of Clinton/Kaine, let's keep it real here, is that Time Kaine doesn't have the macho look associated with the kinds of guys with whom women cheat on their spouses. Sanders doesn't quite have it either, but he comes closer than Tim Kaine did.

Please. Who's going to sleep with Bernie Sanders when she can bang a 24 year old marine?

Someone who doesn't want to replace all her crayons?

[Gormwood]

Please. Who's going to sleep with Bernie Sanders when she can bang a 24 year old marine?

Hmm. I wonder who Melania is cheating with these days?

A picture of Obama.

[Valrifell]

Says the one arguing that murder isn't a problem since it happens all the time?

That isn't what I said. What I said was that pretending one murder is a sign of the overthrow of our country by jackbooted Nazis was asinine and nothing more than liberal propaganda to get the emotional leverage they need to fuck us over more.

I've now explained this for the third time.

So, at best, you're arguing against a strawman entirely out of your creation and at worst your conclusion is "murder isn't that bad, guys, really!"

I mean, either way...

[Corrian]

So Bloomberg is trying to meme his way to the presidency now

[USS Monitor]

Please. Who's going to sleep with Bernie Sanders when she can bang a 24 year old marine?

Hmm. I wonder who Melania is cheating with these days?

Nancy Pelosi. That's why Trump and Pelosi hate each other so much. It's all a big love triangle.

[Valrifell]

So Bloomberg is trying to meme his way to the presidency now

I am viscerally repulsed and disgusted.

[Genivaria]

So Bloomberg is trying to meme his way to the presidency now

FUCKING LOL

[The Emerald Legion]

Thousands show up and people actually die, but it's "tiny."

just like the three battles of Berkeley
Tiny compared to what? World war II?

The argument was a direct response to this post Valrifell. Necroghastia's just been ignoring that for page after page to focus on taking things out of context to score points. You'll notice they focus on the first part of the post... As opposed to the whole post, which makes it incredibly clear as to what this is responding to.

More than Seven Thousand People die every day in the united states. Every twelve seconds, a person dies.

Three deaths is nothing. A drop in the bucket.

And yes, it was tiny and the counter protesters dwarfed the actual racists. It would have been forgotten already if somebody hadn't rammed a car into that poor woman.

[Necroghastia]

Thousands show up and people actually die, but it's "tiny."

just like the three battles of Berkeley
Tiny compared to what? World war II?

The argument was a direct response to this post Valrifell. Necroghastia's just been ignoring that for page after page to focus on taking things out of context to score points. You'll notice they focus on the first part of the post... As opposed to the whole post, which makes it incredibly clear as to what this is responding to.

More than Seven Thousand People die every day in the united states. Every twelve seconds, a person dies.

Three deaths is nothing. A drop in the bucket.

And yes, it was tiny and the counter protesters dwarfed the actual racists. It would have been forgotten already if somebody hadn't rammed a car into that poor woman.

I really don't see how I'm taking anything out of context. Comparing murder, especially when it is caused in a cultural climate that has been emboldening bigots of all stripes, to death from natural causes and excusing it as "a drop in the bucket" is a morally bankrupt thing to do and pretending that Donald "Very Fine People" Trump doesn't have any blame for this or that we don't have a serious problem with rising emboldening of bigots in this country is asinine.

[Corrian]

#National
@MorningConsult
Post New Hampshire Primary Poll (2/12):
Sanders 29%
Biden 19%
Bloomberg 18%
Buttigieg 11%
Warren 10%
Klobuchar 5%