Republican circus

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1. vto 1

   26 March 2016 at 8:53 am

   Stick a fork in western style democracies, they are done

   have been for a while…. trump is just the manifestation of the bullshit and lies and distortions that have been fed to us by political parties, left and right, for the last few decades

   we eat what we sow
   • AmaKiwi 1.1

     26 March 2016 at 10:11 pm

     What you call “western style democracies” are not democratic at all. Their leaders are puppets of their business patrons who bought them their election victories.

     I remain optimistic that government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” will triumph. People are becoming aware.
2. Lanthanide 2

   26 March 2016 at 9:04 am

   Clinton vs Trump has her winning about 50% vs 40%: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html
   • happynz 2.1

     26 March 2016 at 3:07 pm

     Due to the electoral college peculiarities national polls are not good for much other than slanging matches for partisans.

     The majority of states are safely in either D or R columns. Then there are the leaning states, and finally the “battleground” states that could swing D or R. Several Midwestern states and Florida are the usual suspects. With changing demographics normally safe states could swing. For example, Texas is a state with a rapidly expanding Hispanic population. If one looks at the map they would see the Ds dominate in the area along the US/Mexico border, especially in La Valle. With the “latinisation” of Texas it is not inconceivable that Texas could go from a safe 35 electoral vote to the Rs to 35 votes to the Ds. Blithering blowhards such as Trump will likely encourage the flipping of Texas thanks to his racist rants.
     • Lanthanide 2.1.1

       26 March 2016 at 4:57 pm

       Yes, of course the electoral collage means relying on national polls doesn’t guarantee a win.

       History shows however, that in the cases where a president wins the election based on the electoral collage, but loses the “popular vote”, they usually lose the popular vote by only 1-2%. In other words, if the margin of the popular vote is 10% as in these polls, it is VERY unlikely that Donald Trump could somehow win the electoral collage while still losing the national popular vote by that margin.
       • happynz 2.1.1.1

         26 March 2016 at 5:41 pm

         10% is a landslide, no doubt. Off the top of my head I believe in the popular vote Obama bested Romney by 4% or so. Obama had 65 million votes compared to Romney’s 60 million. Sure, 5 million votes difference is a lot, but out of 125 million cast maybe not so much. Where Obama really shellacked Romney was in the Electoral College, 332-206.

         If the Dems get a ten percent margin of win I reckon that there will be many former red states going blue leading to an electoral blowout of the Republican candidate (yay!). Cruz isn’t liked by many, but he will still pull in the fundies and Dominionist dead-enders. Trump will scare the crap out of the traditional Chamber of Commerce Republican. Expect many Republicans to hold their nose and pull the lever for the Dem candidate. Failing that, they’ll stay home. Trump might well pull in the Tea Party nutters and other nihilists, but thankfully in the States they are a small minority, despite what the popular notion is outside the US.

         But wait! What if the Republicans end up with a brokered convention? Will Trump go rogue with a third party tilt? Will the establishment put up the alledgedly moderate Kasich, the guy who has one primary win and mostly 4th place finishes? Remember, Cruz isn’t liked much outside the death wish rapture mob. If you’re looking for a longshot maybe put a lazy tenner on former Veep Dan Quayle as the compromise candidate for the general election. Why not? This year’s election is cuckoo.
         • Lanthanide 2.1.1.1.1

           26 March 2016 at 6:59 pm

           It’s practically too late for any 3rd party candidate, as they won’t be able to get their name on the ballot in all 50 states (it requires a lot of organisation and time to do this, as each state has their own requirements and rules).

           The biggest issue for republicans if Trump wins the nomination, is not so much losing the presidency (as that is very likely), but how much damage it will do to them in the house and senate, and again in the mid-term elections in 2018.

           Republicans won the 2010 and 2014 elections because democrats didn’t turn out; Trump being the nominee could similarly wound the republicans in 2016 and 2018.
           • AmaKiwi 2.1.1.1.1.1

             26 March 2016 at 10:16 pm

             I am optimistic that a lot of male Senators and Representatives will be replaced by women in an overwhelming turnout of women voters voting against Trump.
           • happynz 2.1.1.1.1.2

             26 March 2016 at 10:35 pm

             Good point. So much attention is placed on the presidential contest. Yet the problems have mostly been the doing of an obstructionist congress. If the Republicans carry on with their circular firing squad the down ticket races should find the Dems taking back the Senate. The House may be a steeper climb as currently the Repubs have 246 seats to the Dems 188.
             • Lanthanide …

               26 March 2016 at 10:38 pm

               According to 538, a lot of the senate seats up for vote this year were last up in 2010, when the republicans won several senate seats in otherwise blue states. So Trump being on the nominee would strongly favour these seats being won back by democrats.
3. Esoteric Pineapples 3

   26 March 2016 at 9:06 am

   Our PM and the people who vote for him are a nuts too, especially it comes too climate change.
   • Paul 3.1

     26 March 2016 at 9:14 am

     If people are too lazy and ignorant to find out what actually stands for, then they deserve his appalling government.
     Only a small fraction of those voting for him actually benefit from his fire sale of the economy.
     • AmaKiwi 3.1.1

       26 March 2016 at 10:22 pm

       @ Paul

       I (and probably you) are politics junkies. For many people just keeping one’s head above water financially is all they can manage.

       You can also say, “If people are too lazy and ignorant to follow a healthy lifestyle, they deserve to die young.” Many don’t have the TIME.

       Life ain’t easy.
4. Paul 4

   26 March 2016 at 9:11 am

   Stupid people vote for stupid and manipulative politicians.
   The US deserves Trump or Clinton.
   It’s just the rest of the world that doesn’t.
   • happynz 4.1

     26 March 2016 at 11:46 am

     Paul — don’t be a dick. The US doesn’t deserve the clowns driving the Republican bus. No country does.
     • Lara 4.1.1

       26 March 2016 at 7:17 pm

       Nope.

       I’ve been there.

       I know people who live there.

       There is a reason why these idiots win elections. People vote for them. Enough of those people actually believe that shit and don’t look any deeper.

       A country filled with people happily consuming, supporting “their troops” to go abroad and bomb the shit out of people in countries they have no idea about (and couldn’t point out on a map), contributing to climate change at a per capita rate greater than any other group of people on the planet… self satisfied, smug, sure they are the best country in the world and sure everyone else wants to be like them and is clamouring to get into their country.

       Oh yeah, and mention “socialism” to them and most of them are so damn sure it is a massive failure. They have no idea what that word means, and less idea that there are examples of countries which have been socialist for decades. And are rather successful by any measurement.

       Nope. They get the government they deserve. Unfortunately we get it too, even though we have no say.
       • millsy 4.1.1.1

         26 March 2016 at 9:39 pm

         “Oh yeah, and mention “socialism” to them and most of them are so damn sure it is a massive failure. They have no idea what that word means, and less idea that there are examples of countries which have been socialist for decades. And are rather successful by any measurement.”

         The USA is probably one of the most socialist nations out. That country has extensive public ownership and control of various sectors and regulation of those that it doesnt.
         • Lara 4.1.1.1.1

           27 March 2016 at 8:41 am

           Socialism for big business, not socialism for people. Quite a difference.

           Same concept, different beneficiaries.
       • happynz 4.1.1.2

         26 March 2016 at 11:32 pm

         Were you in the 1st congressional district in Texas? If so, I understand your negativity towards the US. Congressman Louie Gohmert is the stupidest person in congress (at least since Michelle Bachmann retired). It’s a mystery to me why this certifiable loon is re-elected time after time. The people you describe in your post probably would match most of those in the first district of Texas.
         • Lara 4.1.1.2.1

           27 March 2016 at 8:43 am

           No. I was in Texas though. And New York (city) and California. Some variation between them, but the thing I did notice in common was the massive consumption. And a complete lack of outrage and dissatisfaction with their foreign policy from every single person I met. The support for their military appeared to me to be deep and widespread. .
           • ropata 4.1.1.2.1.1

             27 March 2016 at 5:11 pm

             In the USA, Religion is tied up with Nationalism and Militarism, and a lot of self-described “good Christians” buy into the clusterfuck of ignorance that is preached in (almost) every pulpit, on TV and in the news. Even some well educated people believe the horseshit because they live in the goddamn fishbowl and fail to grow up and think for themselves and their morality is twisted by constant disinformation and psychological warfare and a fucked up consumerist culture.
5. Murray Simmonds 5

   26 March 2016 at 9:37 am

   All a distraction to keep the minds of the average U.S. citizen off the real issue that counts – the onset of Global Financial Crisis 2.

   The american equivalent of “Look – over there – a new flag – or PANDAS!”
6. Incognito 6

   26 March 2016 at 9:51 am

   One way or another, the Agopalypse is near.
   • Tony Veitch (not the partner-bashing 3rd rate broadcaster) 6.1

     26 March 2016 at 10:42 am

     Agopalypse? perhaps Apocalypse?
     • te reo putake 6.1.1

       26 March 2016 at 10:51 am

       The Republicans are also known as the Grand Old Party or GOP for short. Ironically, they started out as lefty liberals in opposition to the conservative Democrats.
       • Incognito 6.1.1.1

         26 March 2016 at 11:11 am

         🙂
       • RedLogix 6.1.1.2

         26 March 2016 at 11:19 am

         Having been variously captured by fundie anti-choicers, Tea Party loons, climate change denier fossil fuel corporates and then a racist agenda to blindly oppose anything Obama did simply because he is black (even when it’s their own policy he’s implementing) … the GOP is overdue a purging.

         Only question is how deep and and dark it will be.
       • joe90 6.1.1.3

         26 March 2016 at 5:07 pm

         Jim Wright –

         This is what it’s come down to

         The Republican Party was born on the eve of the Civil War, with a House Divided and a nation tearing itself apart. The GOP’s first president was Abraham Lincoln, a man who held the Union together in its darkest hour and was murdered for it. As such, Lincoln is rightfully revered by all Americans – and many non-Americans – for his courage, conviction, strength of character, and as THE example of what the Grand Old Party once was.

         162 years later and the very best the Republican Party can offer the world is two grown men literally comparing the size of their dicks on national TV and insulting each other’s wives. If these two jackasses are the best they can offer, they’ve got no business running the country.

         Republicans don’t need to “take back their country,” they need to take back their goddamned party

         https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=984253091610094&set=a.100840766618002.1846.100000762374540&type=3&theater
7. repateet 7

   26 March 2016 at 9:58 am

   Why the hysteria, panic and perturbation about a Presidential candidate who might like ‘sleeping around’?

   Isn’t such a loony lot getting to the stage they have in their election process proof positive that it’s not just them but America that’s fucked?
   • mac1 7.1

     26 March 2016 at 10:09 am

     Remember the hoo-hah in Auckland about Mayoral activity? We do this stuff/Stuff in NZ, too.
   • Sabine 7.2

     26 March 2016 at 10:43 am

     the sleeping around is not the issue, if Cruz would be like Trump, he’d sleep around, get divorced, marries former mistress, sleeps around, gets divorced and marries former mistress and rinse and repeat.

     the thing with Cruz would be the hypocrisy running on an evangelic platfomr – God called upon me to run for Presnit and such. No done of the republicans has an issue with a man sleeping around, in fact for many evangelic it would be the wifes fault for not joyfully submitting to the sexual needs and thus he was tempted by the devil to seek solace elsewhere. But now he has repented and was forgive
     n.
     No harm done.

     Trump said it very well in regards to Hilary Clinton, it was her fault for Bill going astray as she did not satisfy him enough.

     And yes, America is fucked. But we have known that for a while now, at least since the election in 2000.
     • happynz 7.2.1

       26 March 2016 at 12:12 pm

       America is fucked

       Well, things are not looking all that great in the United States from afar. Hey, you may find this unbelievable, but I’d venture three out of five people in the States are good folk. The idiots in the US that are portrayed for the consumption of the righteously indignant…ah, fuck it. If you are of the mind that the majority of Americans are hillbilly racists or evil whatevers, well, hold on to your prejudices tight if it makes you feel good.

       My mom, siblings, nieces, nephews, and many many rellies all live there. I’ll send them your kind wishes.
       • Gangnam Style 7.2.1.1

         26 March 2016 at 12:57 pm

         It would be like overseas people thinking we were all like the National party representatives.
         • Lara 7.2.1.1.1

           26 March 2016 at 7:20 pm

           A great many of us are.

           Enough to vote for the bastards to get them into power, THREE times in a row!
       • Sabine 7.2.1.2

         26 March 2016 at 3:08 pm

         they are nice enough until they want to defund Planned Parenthood, or they introduce legislation that allows for discrimination based on religion, gender, sexual preference and the likes. they are nice enough individually unless they want to save you, or talk about Christ.
         They are nice enough until they want to nuke and glass Iran, or invade Iraq cause Saddam insulted Poppy Bush…..and so on and so on and so on.

         The reason the republican party is where it is, is due to the white fearful minority throwing a hissy fit, refusing to work with an elected presnit cause black and Kenyan born Muslim, they have been pondering to the violent, fundamentalist American Taliban for so long they can’t even allow for a clinic to provide basic reproductive and family health care cause Abortion and every fetus is sacred and the born child can get a job if it wants to eat.

         No sorry mate, i know a lot of US Americans, and while individually they are lovely, i would not want to have to deal with a pack of them.
         Also, coming from Germany form a town that had three Military Bases, an Airport, a Hospital, a Kindergarten, PX and Commisionary, High School and Baseball Fields, i can guarantee you these guys are not the finest nor the bravest, they are just the poorest in search of a GI Bill, or some free military grade dental care.

         The US is fucked.
         • happynz 7.2.1.2.1

           26 March 2016 at 3:52 pm

           I wasn’t aware that baseball fields were a foreign policy failure.

           I do agree that many in the US military are in it for three hots and a cot ‘cos there is nothing happening job-wise in their town. Others join up because it is the only way they can afford further studies. A significant number are there simply because “WTF, why not”. In this way the US military is the world’s largest social benefit agency. Too bad that one has to carry a weapon to get a benefit. But there’s nothing new here. Situations were likely similar for earlier empires. (I can appreciate that those “colonised” by the empire would like the empire to kindly fuck off)
           • sabine 7.2.1.2.1.1

             26 March 2016 at 9:48 pm

             maybe you should just google sexual assault US Soldiers overseas, drunken brawls us soldiers overseas, and so on and so on to understand that the worst thing for a city to happen is the US Military come in and station their lowest, most un-educated, least sophisticated and dumbest members of society there, so that they have a job and maybe get enough money to go to evening school.

             And maybe you want to google environmental hazards in ex military stations around the world, cause one thing this supersized army on steroids is not doing is cleaning up once they pull out, but leaving contaminated sites behind for the host country to clean up at their own cost, of course.

             And maybe you want to google abandoned children of service personel left behind looking for their fathers who btw, do not pay a cent towards raising that child.

             fuck, no the average US American is not a nice person. They are arrogant, full of themselves, can only solve a dispute by either shooting the opponont or bombing their opponents country to the middle ages, they have a health care system that will leave you bankrupt should you dare get cancer, and they bring forwith Ted Cruz, Rush Limbough, the fucking Duggar Family, Gothard, ‘raped women can’t get pregnant cause the body shuts down Todd Atkin, Phil “Rape is Kinda Like Being Tense and Uptight” Gingrey, Ben Fucking Carson, Ryan Paul and gosh who could forget the Witch Christine O’Donnell.

             And now they have an ivy leaque Billionaire running for Presnit, pretending to be as dumb as his Charter School educated voters that believe that evolution is a theory of the devil, that the gay can be prayed away, and that US of America is to reign supreme or else they gonna nuke someone, cause the second coming of christ is near.

             fuck no way, these guys get what they deserve, and like Paul said, sadly we get it too.
8. Malconz 8

   26 March 2016 at 11:59 am

   As someone remarked on Daily Kos, “it’s probably time for the Republicans to burn the party down for the insurance!”
9. The Pink Postman 9

   26 March 2016 at 3:15 pm

   Let us all remember that the NZ National Party has close connections with the Republican Party through its membership of the Pacific Democratic Union .I have no doubts that the Republican Party has helped the Nat’s with election expenses in the past .
   for instance the Nat’s never disclosed how the infamous “Dancing Cossack’s was paid for.
10. millsy 10

    26 March 2016 at 11:11 pm

    Sabine — the American’s have been fucked for the past 300-400 years.

    Their whole concept of society is built upon the notion that the wealthy white male Protestant land/business owner at at the top, and everything, and everybody and everything else is subjugated to him.

    The US should have closed all their bases in Germany (except perhaps for their hospital maybe) the moment the Berlin Wall fell. In fact, I dont think there was a need for them to be there in the first place. The communist nations were only every interested in peaceful relations with the rest (same with Cuba).
    • sabine 10.1

      26 March 2016 at 11:16 pm

      they were there as were the English, the French and the Russians as Germany was an occupied nation. Germany got their Peace Contract in 1991 (that was the day the 2.WW stopped officially for the Germans). At that stage they should have buggered off, but then supremacy n shit.
      Also, can you imagine the shit that would go down in the US if the US would re-deploy their service personal to home base on US soil? What would they do there, no the US Army overseas is an ’employment’ programme, and an intimidation programme.
11. Richard McGrath 11

    27 March 2016 at 10:36 pm

    There is nothing wrong with questioning a hypothesis (AGW) which is as yet unproven. When questioners are labelled deniers, the hypothesis has become a religion.
    • Muttonbird 11.1

      27 March 2016 at 10:56 pm

      Exactly the same could be said for small, do nothing governments like our one. When socially responsible questioners of that approach are labelled leftie loons and commies, the the hypothesis has become a religion.
    • pat 11.2

      27 March 2016 at 11:01 pm

      which part is unproven?
      • Richard McGrath 11.2.1

        14 April 2016 at 12:09 am

        There is evidence that human activity that produces CO2 can contribute to warming. However there is disagreement about the degree to which humans are responsible for overall greenhouse gas production. Termites were thought to contribute to a far greater degree. The lack of overall warming in the face of rising CO2 levels since 1998 does throw some doubt on the theory of inevitable temperature rises with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration.
        • pat 11.2.1.1

          14 April 2016 at 12:21 am

          Termites!…really i can’t be bothered to look for the links that show that for the absolute crap that it is…..why do you waste you energy ?
          • Richard McGrath 11.2.1.1.1

            14 April 2016 at 7:21 am

            From the American EPA website:

            “Termites. Global emissions of methane due to termites are estimated to be between 2 and 22 Tg per year, making them the second largest natural source of methane emissions. Methane is produced in termites as part of their normal digestive process, and the amount generated varies among different species. Ultimately, emissions from termites depend largely on the population of these insects, which can also vary significantly among different regions of the world.”
            • miravox 11.2.1.1.1.1

              14 April 2016 at 7:45 am

              hmmm I wonder if termites have massively increased their greenhouse gas emissions since the industrial revolution.

              Nah, I don’t really.
              • Richard McGrath …

                16 April 2016 at 9:59 am

                Whether termites have increased their emissions since the IR is irrelevant. It’s their absolute contribution that matters.
                • miravox …

                  16 April 2016 at 4:50 pm

                  Really?

                  And here’s me thinking that increasing greenhouse gas emissions is the problem.

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