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[Hylian7]

Alright, all this stuff about Republicans, Perry's prayer rally, and everything have gotten me thinking about something. I may split this off into a new thread if it ends up derailing things in here.

Are there actually any non-religious Republicans in recent memory? Seriously, I'm having trouble thinking of a single one. If I'm missing an obvious one, please point it out. I was born in 1989, so much before that, I hardly know about.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

Fuck.


His worst yet.

Meanwhile the nuttiest group of Republicans ever running for President are starting to present themselves as the alternative.

Please, Obama, figure out a way to get re-elected. :|

Obama 2012: Hey, I'm Bipartisan.

 

[RustyNails]

It's like he's not even trying anymore.

 

[Synth_floyd]

Yeah I'd put my money on Perry at this point. He has the right amount of "mainstream" Republican and tea party support, money, authenticity and a "record" to run on. Plus he's not Mormon.

If Perry implodes then it could be Romney though. Ron Paul and Bachmann are the wild cards as well.

The rest of the losers (Santorum, Cain, Gingrich, etc.) don't have a chance.

 

[RustyNails]

Fuck.


His worst yet.

Meanwhile the nuttiest group of Republicans ever running for President are starting to present themselves as the alternative.

Please, Obama, figure out a way to get re-elected. :|

At the same time, about 70% of Democrats want Obama to be re-elected.

That figure may seem promising, but support for Obama's re-nomination has fallen 11 percentage points since June.

Despite the decline, history is on Obama's side. "In 1994, only 57% of Democrats wanted the party to renominate Bill Clinton, and he went on to win the nomination and a second term two years later," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

Without a prominent primary challenger, Obama's bid for re-election seems to be safe for now. But of those losing faith, the poll reveals that moderate Democrats are more likely than liberals to say the party should nominate someone else and younger Democrats are more likely to favor a new nominee than those who are older.

A lot more can happen in the next year. In any case, it will be amusing to see Rick Perry jump through the hoops with regards to social issues.

 

[KtSlime]

Alright, all this stuff about Republicans, Perry's prayer rally, and everything have gotten me thinking about something. I may split this off into a new thread if it ends up derailing things in here.

Are there actually any non-religious Republicans in recent memory? Seriously, I'm having trouble thinking of a single one. If I'm missing an obvious one, please point it out. I was born in 1989, so much before that, I hardly know about.

There are no non-religious members in either party. In the US you cannot be elected to higher office if you take a position of atheism/agnosticism.

 

[Gary Whitta]

I think it's going to be Perry and I think he's going to give Obama a real fight. He's the only one who can appeal to the Tea Party nuts and also crossover to to the mainstream GOP base, from what I've seen.

 

[The Chosen One]

Ok seriously, Fuck You Rick Perry. This is just disgusting:



http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensm..._military_respect_for_presidency.html?showall

I mean really? Will the media call him out on this type of crap?

Is that an old southern dog whistle, or am I reading too much into it?

Anyway it seems strong Tea Party support is pretty much going to be mandatory for becoming the Republican nominee this cycle. I just don't see how someone like Romney can become the nominee when Perry is strong with both Teabaggers and social conservatives.

Romney doesn't know it yet but he's already dead.

 

[Hylian7]

There are no non-religious members in either party. In the US you cannot be elected to higher office if you take a position of atheism/agnosticism.

How sad, that truly is sad.

 

[Diablos]

Clinton won over moderates, so that combined with >50% of Democrats was something for the GOP to worry about.

Support among Democrats remains high but support of independents is what to watch for. He's tanking.

I'd be awfully worried if I were the President right now. Clinton's lowest was 37% but that was also during his first two years. Obama really can't afford to sink any further.

 

[TacticalFox88]

There are no non-religious members in either party. In the US you cannot be elected to higher office if you take a position of atheism/agnosticism.

Truly ironic considering that America was founding on non-religion and the religious beliefs of fellow leaders were his own business. Yet England was created as a religious constitution eons ago, yet they aren't as religious nowadays as we are.

 

[Mardak]

For every great, sane idea Paul has, he has two horrible, insane ideas

Do you have any particular examples of these "insane ideas"?

 

[Pctx]

I'm surprised people are surprised by the gallup #'s.

 

[Mardak]

His policies would still totally fuck over our economy.

How so? One of his main positions is to bring home all our troops from bases in Germany, Japan, Korea so that those troops could defend the US's own borders and even spend their salary in the US instead of those foreign countries.

He would stop bombing Libya and Pakistan while stopping the foreign entitlements to those countries as well.

Saving trillions of dollars by not wasting them in unwinnable wars and instead improving the national defense. That saved money would be directed back towards the US to help pay for local entitlements in the mean time.

 

[Diablos]

I'm surprised people are surprised by the gallop #'s.

What?

 

[ToxicAdam]

Begun it has

 

[KtSlime]

Do you have any particular examples of these "insane ideas"?

You know those ideas you were spouting off yesterday? Those.


TacticalFox88, Hylian7, yeah, the US is a pretty depressing place for those who hold rational thoughts about the government and the nature of the universe.

And it's really mind-boggling when people throw around statements like "The US is a Christian Country" or even worse "The Founding Fathers were Christian". It couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[Mercury Fred]

Work, miss thing! Eat that dog!

Seriously, how long until he ends as a guest judge in RuPaul's Drag Race?

 

[Pctx]

What?

The lower rating of our sovereign lord and savor, president Barack Camacho Obama.
I'm guessing he will hit below 35% before falls end.

 

[Plinko]

Begun it has

The democratic party needs to start working on this connection ASAP. Brilliant strategy.

 

[Mardak]

You know those ideas you were spouting off yesterday? Those

Like Ron Paul being against the Patriot Act? Him wanting to stop the groping of passengers by the TSA? If he were President, you would know for sure that he would veto those bills. Anyone else and you're taking a gamble.

For positions that you don't agree with Ron Paul, which of those can he actually affect as President? I still don't know which ideas you're talking about, so I can't really address those concerns.

But for a fact, Ron Paul as commander-in-chief gets the final say of where troops are deployed. You know that if he were elected, he would bring the troops home as promised.

 

[Escape Goat]

I don't think anyone is buying it.

 

[Synth_floyd]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/opinion/sunday/Friedman-a-theory-of-everyting-sort-of.html

I really like this editorial. It kind of explains why unemployment may never reach such low levels again. Basically there's too many people to do the jobs that need to be done. Basic industries like farming and manufacturing once employed so many more people, but because of technological advances they can be done much more efficiently with newer methods and machines. There's a recent article that Flextronics, the company that builds iPads and iPhones is going to be putting in 1,000,000 machines in the next few years and laying off tens of thousands of their workers.

That leaves the service sector, but without easy credit and bubbles, what kind of jobs can you do that don't produce anything? There of course will always be a large service sector, but with a burgeoning population and advances in efficiency due to technology, it seems like there will always be a surplus of people vs. jobs that need to be filled.

 

[Canova]

DO NOT SAY THAT

well if republican or tea baggers were to win, might as well the hot one

 

[RustyNails]

But for a fact, Ron Paul as commander-in-chief gets the final say of where troops are deployed. You know that if he were elected, he would bring the troops home as promised.

Obama is bringing the troops home too as promised. What's your point?

Basically there's too many people to do the jobs that need to be done. Basic industries like farming and manufacturing once employed so many more people, but because of technological advances they can be done much more efficiently with newer methods and machines.

People said the same thing when assembly lines were becoming automated or outsourced.

 

[Mardak]

Obama is bringing the troops home too as promised. What's your point?

Bringing troops home and then sending out more? How many places is the US involved in right now? Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia?

Not to mention the war on drugs that spends so much money to put so many US citizens in jails.

Ron Paul wants wants to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level so that each state can decide if the state wants to legalize it. California already has medical marijuana legal but the federal government comes in and destroys families.

Other states might choose to legalize only hemp, a close cousin of marijuana that gets federally banned, so farmers can grow that locally in the US instead of requiring US companies to buy foreign from Canada and other countries.

 

[KHarvey16]

How so? One of his main positions is to bring home all our troops from bases in Germany, Japan, Korea so that those troops could defend the US's own borders and even spend their salary in the US instead of those foreign countries.

He would stop bombing Libya and Pakistan while stopping the foreign entitlements to those countries as well.

Saving trillions of dollars by not wasting them in unwinnable wars and instead improving the national defense. That saved money would be directed back towards the US to help pay for local entitlements in the mean time.

You know, you never answered my question about the FAA. Do you think we should get rid of it?

 

[Zzoram]

If Bachmann was on the GOP ticket and her husband got outed, what the hell would even happen? Would they replace her spot on the ticket?

 

[teruterubozu]

Obama is bringing the troops home too as promised. What's your point?

Only in metaphor. There are still 46,000 troops in Iraq, with no further draw down plans there after the initial withdrawal.

The 33,000 troops being withdrawn out of Afghanistan were part of the "surge" that Obama announced in 2009. That leaves around 68,000 troops which is significantly higher than when Obama took office.

Please, those bases we built out there are PERMANENT. We're there for the long haul, Ron Paul or not.

 

[besada]

Wow. I'm not sure if I should be more disgusted by that slap at the current president or his own massive arrogance at expecting to be "respected highly".

One suspects he means that he was an Air Force officer and served in the forces unlike the present occupant of the WH. But he's definitely an arrogant dick.

 

[Piecake]

There are no non-religious members in either party. In the US you cannot be elected to higher office if you take a position of atheism/agnosticism.

Oh, I don't think that is necessarily true. I mean, Minnesota elected a Muslim to the House of Reps, and I think among the people who really care about that, having a Muslim in charge of government is worse than having an atheist/agnostic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ellison_(politician)

 

[besada]

There are no non-religious members in either party. In the US you cannot be elected to higher office if you take a position of atheism/agnosticism.

Personally, I'd like to see a pantheist President.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I don't think anyone is buying it.

Well, to be fair, they probably have as much sex as most couples into their 50's.

 

[Mardak]

You know, you never answered my question about the FAA. Do you think we should get rid of it?

Sorry about that -- was caught up in all the happenings of yesterday with the straw poll and all.

Do you think that's something Ron Paul would cut back on first? And just because the federal government isn't involved doesn't mean each state would have to design its own.

Canada has its own private non-profit that does pretty much what the FAA does in the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nav_Canada

 

[A Human Becoming]

Bringing troops home and then sending out more? How many places is the US involved in right now? Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia?

Funny you ask that, as I just read an article saying American troops are spread across 75 countries and expected to rise up to 120 in the near future. 85% though are in the countries you listed plus a few others.

 

[KHarvey16]

Sorry about that -- was caught up in all the happenings of yesterday with the straw poll and all.

Do you think that's something Ron Paul would cut back on first? And just because the federal government isn't involved doesn't mean each state would have to design its own.

Canada has its own private non-profit that does pretty much what the FAA does in the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nav_Canada

Air traffic safety isn't the only function of the FAA. It also establishes and enforces safety regulations and protocols for airplanes and equipment installed on airplanes. This portion of the FAA's duties are performed by Transport Canada, a department within the Canadian government. Likewise this agency performs a job similar to the US's NHTSA.

You'd like to replace these two agencies with private companies hired by the government?

 

[scorcho]

Fuck.


His worst yet.

Meanwhile the nuttiest group of Republicans ever running for President are starting to present themselves as the alternative.

Please, Obama, figure out a way to get re-elected. :|

OMG. if this trend continues to the election he could possibly be at a 0% approval rating!

what will he do then?

 

[Zzoram]

Oh, I don't think that is necessarily true. I mean, Minnesota elected a Muslim to the House of Reps, and I think among the people who really care about that, having a Muslim in charge of government is worse than having an atheist/agnostic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ellison_(politician)

Wrong. Repeated study shows that Christians fear atheists more than Muslims.

 

[RustyNails]

Bringing troops home and then sending out more? How many places is the US involved in right now? Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia?

We are involved with ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with drone strikes carried out in Yemen and Pakistan. We are involved in a NATO mission in Libya. The deadline has been set for Afghanistan and Iraq withdrawals, and as much as we'd like, we cant turn off the switch and instantly bring the troops home. The combat troops will be brought home with a small contingent of special training/services forces relegated to the main bases. It was never possible under Bush's term, and it isn't possible under Obama's term.

 

[Piecake]

Wrong. Repeated study shows that Christians fear atheists more than Muslims.

Find that kinda odd after 9/11. Oh well, I still say that an agnostic/atheist could get elected to the house of reps, they just need to find the right district

 

[RustyNails]

Funny you ask that, as I just read an article saying American troops are spread across 75 countries and expected to rise up to 120 in the near future. 85% though are in the countries you listed plus a few others.

Interestingly, #1 reason why Bin Laden revolted against USA in such a violent fashion is due to the presence of US troops in KSA. When Saddam threatened KSA prior to the gulf war, Bin Laden offered his services to defend his country along with his victorious Mujahideen, but the cowardly king of KSA King Fahd lost his marbles and instead requested America's help, and had forsaken UBL. UBL fled to his adopted base in Afghanistan and started a movement against the Saudi royal family and USA. There were many important reasons too, but this was the main one that caused an immediate reaction.

 

[SomeDude]

The democrats and republicans are collapsing.

 

[Mardak]

drone strikes carried out in Yemen and Pakistan. We are involved in a NATO mission in Libya.

Would you say that we aren't involved in wars in those places?

Would you be okay with NATO countries like the UK helping get rid of the terrorists that might be in the US?

Just like how the Patriot Act allows targeting US citizens as enemy combatants, would you be okay with the UK flying drones in US air space to bomb a building that contained terrorists? How about if the drone bombing was assisted by China? What if there was just one instance of collateral damage?

How do people in Yemen and Pakistan feel when they get bombed by the US? Do they care it's a drone or not if a loved one dies as an accident?

 

[TacticalFox88]

The democrats and republicans are collapsing.

Oh god. How? HOW!?

 

[empty vessel]

Canada has its own private non-profit that does pretty much what the FAA does in the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nav_Canada

Can you articulate the difference between a monopoly non-profit company regulated by the government and the government itself? I'm not suggesting that there aren't any differences, mind you, but I would be interested in your articulation of those differences.

 

[RustyNails]

Would you say that we aren't involved in wars in those places?

Would you be okay with NATO countries like the UK helping get rid of the terrorists that might be in the US?

Just like how the Patriot Act allows targeting US citizens as enemy combatants, would you be okay with the UK flying drones in US air space to bomb a building that contained terrorists? How about if the drone bombing was assisted by China? What if there was just one instance of collateral damage?

How do people in Yemen and Pakistan feel when they get bombed by the US? Do they care it's a drone or not if a loved one dies as an accident?

How are we involved in a war with Pakistan or Yemen? We are engaging in unilateral drone strikes, and I'm the last person on earth to defend those. But it's wrong to label it as some sort of a war or conflict against those states. Just look at the Pakistan thread on the front page to see my contribution. But Ron Paul's foreign policy is the least of my concerns when it comes to his electability.

 

[Vestal]

Oh dear lord...

Preview image... spoiler one is were the meat is at.

Spoiler

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/files/2011/08/Corndog1-384x288.jpg

Dont wana post it outright.. might be a bit too graphic and get me banned.


Seriously don't they actually have people to counsel candidates to prevent images like these?

 

[RustyNails]

The democrats and republicans are collapsing.

Now that Rick Perry has thrown his hat into the ring, your dreams of secession are finally going to happen!

 

[SomeDude]

Now that Rick Perry has thrown his hat into the ring, your dreams of secession are finally going to happen!

Ron Paul is a secessionist also. And yes, america is ending soon, regardless of what alec ross is blabering about.

 

[Clevinger]

Begun it has

heh. He looks more like Two-Face there than Bush.