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[Jack Remington]

I wouldn't deny that Hillary has faced a lot of sexism throughout her career, but at the same time a number of these critiques are specific to who she is, not just that she's a female politician. You don't see all of these same critiques leveled against Elizabeth Warren, for instance. Warren doesn't have a reputation for being a calculating politician, or for trying too hard to be hip. In Hillary's case there are definitely sexist assumptions and accusations working against her, but at the same time she is genuinely awful at coming across like a real human being. She's a policy wonk who first and foremost enjoys politics and the political process. I think it would suit her well to embrace that rather than focus on being relatable. It's easy to relate to someone who has been a politician for decades and therefore discusses and thinks mostly about politics. You don't need to do anything else in my opinion.

You have something of a fair point here. However, I don't think the comparison is totally valid. Warren didn't spend 8 years as the wife of a president who many Republican voters literally saw as the antichrist. She also didn't try to push failed communist universal healthcare in the 90s and get excoriated for it. Hillary has been savaged for 23 years at this point. That has to take a toll on you.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

thought leaders on the right continue to right stuff like this

After the compassionate conservatism of George W. Bush and the earmark-happy excesses of congressional Republicans in the Bush years, the tea party rebaptized the GOP in the faith of limited government and constitutional constraints. If you weren’t down with the 10th Amendment, you weren’t down with the tea party. Glenn Beck earnestly explored the Founding Fathers with his audience. It was a time of first principles.

Can they not see this was never the case? They didn't care about the principles. They cared about the base racism/xenophobia. Trump has exposed the tea party for what it was.

 

[Jack Remington]

I would fucking lose it if Jeb got relegated to the kids table debate. That would instantly become must-see tv.

 

[Coriolanus]

thought leaders on the right continue to right stuff like this

Can they not see this was never the case? They didn't care about the principles. They cared about the base racism/xenophobia. Trump has exposed the tea party for what it was.

Of course they can. This is framing your goals as a nobler cause. Nothing new here. Heck, they probably even believe that shpiel.

It is the same way that, say, white supremacists frame their issues as respecting their values (which are under attack) and protecting their culture/way of life from the thuggish hordes. The reality gives way to the narrative.

Bottom shaming smdh

What you got against bottoms that enjoy some submission and degradation, doe?

 

[User 463088]

Kinda off topic, but I hope everyone has a nice holiday. If you don't celebrate, have a nice Friday. Thanks for being welcoming and listening to my insane rants about politics.

What you got against bottoms that enjoy some submission and degradation, doe?

 

[Maledict]

I don't get it.

The constant refrain in republican circles is that the democratic debates are a joke as they push failed policies and the moderators ask them softball questions. Somehow they honestly seem to believe that they get the tough questions and the media goes easy on the democrats (who are talking nonsense anyway).

The level of self delusion is fairly astonishingly. It's living testimony to the fact if you repeat something enough, people believe it no matter what.

 

[Hexa]

Kinda off topic, but I hope everyone has a nice holiday. If you don't celebrate, have a nice Friday. Thanks for being welcoming and listening to my insane rants about politics.

Happy holidays to everyone!

 

[NeoXChaos]

The party knows it has an attendance problem. This is reoccurring, becomes more severe as the party maintains a lock on the presidency, and will most likely rear its head again in 2018 and 2022.

Given that, one should not blame the voters. They are legion. You will have a very hard time trying to change them. One should, instead, blame the party, for it knows that the problem is coming and does absolutely fucking nothing different to tackle it.

There's only hundreds of politicians. Far easier to change the approach of hundreds than the approach of millions. Find a way to appeal to them. Find a way to get them to the poll. You want to be elected and know that apathy is the name of the game. It is up to you to tackle it.

Or just keep bitching and hope that they magically turn up. Do what you always do and fail like you always fail.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190367181&postcount=76

Cross posting but why not? the blame certainly lies on the politicians but the voters share the blame too. I vote in every election since I could vote. No excuses unless your being disenfranchised by Republican tactics.

 

[Makai]

If the Republican party is destroyed...what are the new coalitions that will emerge in its wake? They'll certainly pull groups from the Democrats but I have no idea which.

 

[Cerium]

If the Republican party is destroyed...what are the new coalitions that will emerge in its wake? They'll certainly pull groups from the Democrats but I have no idea which.

They can try to reclaim the mantle of secular pragmatism, which is what the younger generations are trending toward. As the Democrats drift left, make a play for the center. There are plenty of ideologically moderate minorities they could lure that way.

 

[Third Strike]

If the Republican party is destroyed...what are the new coalitions that will emerge in its wake? They'll certainly pull groups from the Democrats but I have no idea which.

I think the Libertarian party would try to takeover that niche. Fiscally conservative, but moderate/apathetic to most social issues. I have no idea where the religious right would go...

Honestly, at this point, I actually would love to see the system changed to allow more political parties, just so the religious right/tea party can go and form their own party. They seem to be toxic to whatever political party they belong to. The Dixiecrats need to finally fuck off.

 

[Cerium]

I have no idea where the religious right would go...

They can go fuck off into European style political irrelevance.

 

[Coriolanus]

Cross posting but why not? the blame certainly lies on the politicians but the voters share the blame too. I vote in every election since I could vote. No excuses unless your being disenfranchised by Republican tactics.

Blaming the voters solves and changes nothing.

The onus of pragmatism does not fall on the legion.

Again: democrats know that the problem will once again rear its hideous head in 2018. How is the party getting ready to tackle it? I feel quite comfortable stating that DWS is exactly the kind of person that you absolutely do not want heading the party during the midterms.

The alternative is to hope that voters suddenly come to their senses. You've tried that in 2010. You've tried that in 2014. You know how unlikely that is in 2018. The alternative is no alternative at all.

(plus, given how incensed the republican base will be with the 2016 defeat, you better have your shit seriously together to face them in the next midterms. 10 years of democratic control? Shit will be brutal.)

I think the Libertarian party would try to takeover that niche. Fiscally conservative, but moderate/apathetic to most social issues. I have no idea where the religious right would go...

The libertarian party proudly states on its site that it opposes all forms of government subsidies. They're DOA.

 

[Makai]

I think the Libertarian party would try to takeover that niche. Fiscally conservative, but moderate/apathetic to most social issues. I have no idea where the religious right would go...

Honestly, at this point, I actually would love to see the system changed to allow more political parties, just so the religious right/tea party can go and form their own party. They seem to be toxic to whatever political party they belong to. The Dixiecrats need to finally fuck off.

There aren't that many libertarians. It's unlikely we end up with more than two parties because of Duverger's law, at least for long.

 

[FiggyCal]

That last SNL sketch on the republican debates was really spot on. Especially the jab at Jeb Bush: "If we put all out numbers together, we almost beat him!"

 

[Makai]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/26/sunday-review/a-new-guide-to-the-republican-herd.html

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...to-the-democratic-herd.html?ref=sunday-review

Amazing how outdated this is after just 3 years.

 

[User1608]

Jeb makes me feel better about myself sometimes. Jeb!

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Programmer with about 1.5 years professional experience. I'm sure I can find a job within two months and my savings should last longer than that.

I've wanted to live in a big city for most of my life and I should probably break in while I'm young. It doesn't feel too risky because I live in an expensive area with few software jobs. I was just offered an apartment in Brooklyn for exactly what I pay now. It's also furnished and has no lease period, which makes things easier.

Try to mine any connections you have that might be even tangential to NYC.

And feel free to hit me up when/if you ever get up here. I'm in Brooklyn too.

 

[B-Dubs]

Try to mine any connections you have that might be even tangential to NYC.

And feel free to hit me up when/if you ever get up here. I'm in Brooklyn too.

We need to see a mets game or something at some point as there's a lot of poligaf in NYC these days.

 

[Roland_Gunner]

Blaming the voters solves and changes nothing.

The onus of pragmatism does not fall on the legion.

Again: democrats know that the problem will once again rear its hideous head in 2018. How is the party getting ready to tackle it? I feel quite comfortable stating that DWS is exactly the kind of person that you absolutely do not want heading the party during the midterms.

Well its the "legion" that are negatively impacted by Republican policies so they certainly bear some responsibility for who gets elected. The constant belief that DWS has any more than a fractional responsibility for 2014 is baffling to me. She's a sitting member of Congress who has to be a part of the legislature and fund-raise. If DWS spends more than 10 hours a week doing her duties as DNC chair it would be amazing. For all the complaining on here, and elsewhere, about Democratic performance in off-year elections no one seems to offer credible solutions.

 

[Coriolanus]

Well its the "legion" that are negatively impacted by Republican policies so they certainly bear some responsibility for who gets elected. The constant belief that DWS has any more than a fractional responsibility for 2014 is baffling to me. She's a sitting member of Congress who has to be a part of the legislature and fund-raise. If DWS spends more than 10 hours a week doing her duties as DNC chair it would be amazing. For all the complaining on here, and elsewhere, about Democratic performance in off-year elections no one seems to offer credible solutions.

The onus is not on the voters to suggest the solution. It is on the politicians that covet elected positions

As for your comment on DWS, if she cannot dedicate the time, why oh why exactly does she have the job?

You can shout at the voters all you want. You know what that will bring.


Again: you know what is coming in 2018. How is the party getting ready to tackle it?

 

[Jack Remington]

Happy holidays to everyone!

It's Christmas Eve, not Holiday Steve.

 

[User 463088]

Am I bad uncle if I threaten to slap my 18 year old nephew who wants to vote Trump on a laugh?

I've had like four cocktails, so I don't know anymore....

 

[Holmes]

It's a Christmas muracle! A GOP poll of Missouri. Trump ahead in every congressional district!

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article50890980.html

 

[FloydtheFathead]

Am I bad uncle if I threaten to slap my 18 year old nephew who wants to vote Trump on a laugh?

I've had like four cocktails, so I don't know anymore....

No. You aren't.

 

[Coriolanus]

Am I bad uncle if I threaten to slap my 18 year old nephew who wants to vote Trump on a laugh?

I've had like four cocktails, so I don't know anymore....

Yes.

A good uncle wouldn't just threaten.

 

[B-Dubs]

Yes.

A good uncle wouldn't just threaten.

Beat me to it!

 

[Makai]

Beat me to it!

I see what you did there

 

[NYCmetsfan]

We need to see a mets game or something at some point as there's a lot of poligaf in NYC these days.

I'm definitely down come april/may when the season starts. Or for any other kinda of meet up for that matter

 

[User 463088]

No. You aren't.

He got me a Browns sweatshirt unironically....

Yes.

A good uncle wouldn't just threaten.

Beat me to it!

Good point.

Although, I was happy to see my sister is completely feeling the Shillary. We actually had a nice and substantive discussion over dinner. I educated them all on the finer points of being a corporate oligarch.

 

[Roland_Gunner]

The onus is not on the voters to suggest the solution. It is on the politicians that covet elected positions

As for your comment on DWS, if she cannot dedicate the time, why oh why exactly does she have the job?

You can shout at the voters all you want. You know what that will bring.


Again: you know what is coming in 2018. How is the party getting ready to tackle it?

1. Ever since de Tocqueville it has been understood that for a healthy democracy to flourish the citizenry must be willing to involve themselves in politics. When people fail to do that we get outcomes like the 2014 mid-terms. Certainly the Democratic party has some responsibility for this but we must also understand that this is caused by broader social issues that can not be fixed through party politics. Its counter-productive to just wave your hands and say this will be fixed by having someone else in charge of the DNC.

2. There isn't a full-time DNC chair because its generally accepted that the President is the head of party so his / her people are going to be the main decision makers. Party chair is much more important to the part out of power.

3. You focus on 2016 and not 2018 because resources are finite and and preparing for a race three years from now is in-efficient. Democratic leaders have conceded that Republicans have a down party advantage because their pool of resources is much larger. We could change that by agreeing to roll back Dodd - Frank and getting more Wall Street money. How does that sound to you?

 

[dabig2]

The onus is not on the voters to suggest the solution. It is on the politicians that covet elected positions

As for your comment on DWS, if she cannot dedicate the time, why oh why exactly does she have the job?

You can shout at the voters all you want. You know what that will bring.


Again: you know what is coming in 2018. How is the party getting ready to tackle it?

Dems need to go back to Howard Dean's 50 state strategy. Bombard everywhere and don't let up. Attack conservatism at its core. Remind people that Dubya's conservatism only made the country and the people much, much, MUCH worse off and that the Republicans today just want to continue those failed and unfair policies. Engage in populism on a wide scale and don't bury your head in the sand and just go with the flow.

I feel like we've already forgotten as a country what Republican ideals have done to this country since Nixon. Dems need to stop being scared, bring up that sordid history, and work on convincing people of their ideals.

 

[Coriolanus]

1. Ever since de Tocqueville it has been understood that for a healthy democracy to flourish the citizenry must be willing to involve themselves in politics. When people fail to do that we get outcomes like the 2014 mid-terms. Certainly the Democratic party has some responsibility for this but we must also understand that this is caused by broader social issues that can not be fixed through party politics. Its counter-productive to just wave your hands and say this will be fixed by having someone else in charge of the DNC.

2. There isn't a full-time DNC chair because its generally accepted that the President is the head of party so his / her people are going to be the main decision makers. Party chair is much more important to the part out of power.

3. You focus on 2016 and not 2018 because resources are finite and and preparing for a race three years from now is in-efficient. Democratic leaders have conceded that Republicans have a down party advantage because their pool of resources is much larger. We could change that by agreeing to roll back Dodd - Frank and getting more Wall Street money. How does that sound to you?

1. It is counter-productive to try to assign blame to the electorate, for nothing will come of it. Such discussions are absolutely meaningless. It is also counter-productive to keep a person that failed to produce significant results in a position of power.

2. Hey, i'm all for blaming obama too if you feel like it, but i'd have a hard time believing that the order to run from him in the midterms came from the guy.

3. 2016 and 2018 are the same thing. Focussing on 2018 is focussing on 2016. Whatever momentum you build now should be kept alive. This is one of the points where PD actually made some sense, pointing out how Obama let the grassroots structure he had created collapse.

You seem to have me mistaken for an idealist, however. I'm a pragmatist. If you believe that repealing those things would increase attendance, by all means, go right ahead.

Given the way the left tends to react to those positions, however, wouldn't be surprised if it backfired grotesquely.

 

[ivysaur12]

I mean, what happens if Heitkamp loses in 2018? How do we even keep having this thread????

 

[watershed]

Does anyone actually benefit from engaging with Trump? It seems like any time anyone tries to hit back at him, they sink in the polls or look like flustered fools on stage (Jeb in particular). Hillary's campaign is going back and forth with Trump's right now but will her polling numbers or fundraising get a bump from engaging with him?

 

[Cerium]

Does anyone actually benefit from engaging with Trump? It seems like any time anyone tries to hit back at him, they sink in the polls or look like flustered fools on stage (Jeb in particular). Hillary's campaign is going back and forth with Trump's right now but will her polling numbers or fundraising get a bump from engaging with him?

Hillary wants to turn it into a two person race. It helps her and it helps Trump, which also helps her.

 

[watershed]

Hillary wants to turn it into a two person race. It helps her and it helps Trump, which also helps her.

No doubt I get why she is responding to him. I said the exact same thing a few weeks ago. It narrows the narrative for her and pushes out Bernie and generic-other-dude, but her campaign's response has looked foolish at times and I think Trump might drive her negatives even higher than they already are. I don't know, but every time I see someone respond to Trump, they tend to look bad doing it. The only person I've seen win in responding to Trump is Obama because he points off the stupidity of all things Trump and dismisses him through humor. At the same time Obama also has the ability to call out the inflammatory rhetoric without looking scared, flustered, or angry. I haven't seen Hillary pull that off yet.

 

[Jack Remington]

The people who agree with Trump's attacks on Hillary aren't the people who would ever have voted for Hillary.

 

[Retromelon]

merry christmas poligaf

 

[Tarkus]

PoliGAF:

 

[Y2Kev]

I hate that pose his wife is doing. My aunt does it in every photo. It's so weird.

 

[Makai]

?:^V

 

[Makai]

I hate that pose his wife is doing. My aunt does it in every photo. It's so weird.

That's the Skinny Arm. Very popular in greek life.

 

[kingkaiser]

The very definition of a first lady.

Would...vote

 

[Incognito]

That's the Skinny Arm. Very popular in greek life.

Yep. Sitting down version of hand on flared out hip.

In other news, fiancee got me an Xbox One. Life. Over. See you all after the Trump Era.

 

[Cheebo]

Merry Christmas my PoliGAF pals.

 

[gaugebozo]

Merry Christmas from Uncle Joe!

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Yep. Sitting down version of hand on flared out hip.

In other news, fiancee got me an Xbox One. Life. Over. See you all after the Trump Era.

Add me!

Any other poligaf on xbox?

 

[B-Dubs]

Merry Christmas from Uncle Joe!

Please tell me that's official, its the most Uncle Joe seasonal message ever.

 

[SL128]

A reminder of the reason for the season (and 2015 culturally summarized):

If you want to spread the creator's message, more are viewable here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ogerosity?ref=l2-shopheader-name