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PoliGAF 2017 |OT6| Made this thread during Harvey because the ratings would be higher

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Hillary was a politician. I will never deny that. But part of being a politician is knowing what's possible, not just in terms of finances, but in terms of political will. What congress will let you do. What states will let you do. I think it's fantastic that Bernie talked big, but at the same time, I think he led people astray with what was politically possible, especially in these hyper-partisan times. We see what the GOP did to Obama, and we call it out as racism. Pretend Bernie actually won instead of Trump, but all else remains the same - same minority with representatives and senators. Do you think the GOP wouldn't have obstructed Bernie, because he was "a commie"? Honestly?

It's fine to think Hillary wasn't genuine. Ironically, I think Bernie the least genuine person I've seen run for Presidency, simply because of this willingness to think and talk big, without showing how political politics really is. *shrugs* :)

Right... Now lets extend that process further.

GOP was primarily attacking Hilary correct? What do you think would have happened if she made it into office? Same exact thing that would happen to Bernie. I could be wrong but I would be completely shocked if I was. Maybe alternate universe me is eating a lot of crow right now.

So basically were back to the point that has been outlined above... The GOP and the current President are our biggest issue to overcome and always has been... Not Bernie vs Hilary. It's just people trying to grasp at something because blaming the GOP (which is the right thing to do) just feels like spinning their wheels in an ever deepening mud pool.
 
With everything happening, I really can't find it in myself to care about Hillary Clinton's book or whatever she has to say about Bernie Sanders. I wish it wasn't about to get a ton of attention.
 

sc0la

Unconfirmed Member
Trump so fucking excited to end Daca he couldn't even contain himself. Also I still don't understand that Rick wilson tweet. It seems like someone is climbing a wall and looking over their shoulder.
Trump is retroactively ending DACA AND birthright citizenship this week. We will all be sneaking over The Wall™ soon.

Only people who's great great grandparents were citizens get citizenship
if you are white and Ann Coulter doesn't think you are "shrill"
 

dramatis

Member
Yea it seems like you guys just weren't satisfied with Bernie losing.... and then Hilary losing.

I guess you still gotta keep going back to that well.

It's not like the worst case scenario is President or anything.
The same can always be said of 'you guys' who never admitted Sanders lost, no?

There's that strange conceit always to portray yourselves as better than the allies that you sneer at.
 

Pixieking

Banned
Right... Now lets extend that process further.

GOP was primarily attacking Hilary correct? What do you think would have happened if she made it into office? Same exact thing that would happen to Bernie. I could be wrong but I would be completely shocked if I was. Maybe alternate universe me is eating a lot of crow right now.

So basically were back to the point that has been outlined above... The GOP and the current President are our biggest issue to overcome and always has been... Not Bernie vs Hilary. It's just people trying to grasp at something because blaming the GOP (which is the right thing to do) just feels like spinning their wheels in an ever deepening mud pool.

Right, totally agree with you. And it's a vicious cycle of blame-relitigate primary-[insert candidate here] would've won-we need to move left more-no we don't, et-bleeding-cetera.

It's why, ever since election day, I've argued that nothing really needs to happen on the platform - no moving further left, no giving up abortion, whatever - we just need more people educated in the ways of the government and GOP obstruction. The current system of government is broken, and has been for the last 8 years, but people don't care.

But it's such a deep problem that most of us can't do anything about, that we throw our hands up and just go "Fuck it, let's talk about Hillary some more". And I'll acknowledge I do that just as much as anyone else, or just as much as anyone else talks about Bernie. :/
 
The same can always be said of 'you guys' who never admitted Sanders lost, no?

There's that strange conceit always to portray yourselves as better than the allies that you sneer at.

Actually I did and I thought Bernie could have done better on minority relations as well as messaging.

So you kind of lost that high ground you thought you had there.

I voted for Hilary in the election.

I find it funny that you think it's sneering to point out that when there's blood in the water of Hilary vs Bernie you come running to say see see see! I told y'all the sky was falling!

Right, totally agree with you. And it's a vicious cycle of blame-relitigate primary-[insert candidate here] would've won-we need to move left more-no we don't, et-bleeding-cetera.

It's why, ever since election day, I've argued that nothing really needs to happen on the platform - no moving further left, no giving up abortion, whatever - we just need more people educated in the ways of the government and GOP obstruction. The current system of government is broken, and has been for the last 8 years, but people don't care.

But it's such a deep problem that most of us can't do anything about, that we throw our hands up and just go "Fuck it, let's talk about Hillary some more". And I'll acknowledge I do that just as much as anyone else, or just as much as anyone else talks about Bernie. :/

I get it. Gossip and rumor milling and seeing things from different angles is a nice refresher from the hell of a year we have had so far. Just seems like the well needs to just be tapped at this point. I think there's still plenty of oil left in how much of an idiot Trump is as well as the GOP.
 

Pixieking

Banned
I get it. Gossip and rumor milling and seeing things from different angles is a nice refresher from the hell of a year we have had so far. Just seems like the well needs to just be tapped at this point. I think there's still plenty of oil left in how much of an idiot Trump is as well as the GOP.

To use your phrasing, the well is tapped on people who care about Trump being an idiot. :(

This is the point at which we lose - not because Trump is an idiot, but because there's too much apathy from those on the left and centre, and blindness due to partisanship on the right. And by apathy, I suppose I mean the people who are centre or left, but don't take note of politics. They watch football, they go to work, they have beers with their friends, make sure they're good dads/mums/husbands/wives, and they just live their lives free of politics.

The US has a president who is routinely mocked, within the US as well as in foreign countries, by comedians, talk show hosts, diplomats, politicians, and has no clue about politics.
He is corrupt.
He has bragged about sexual assault, he spousal raped his first wife.
He is obviously suffering from dementia/alzheimers/senility, and literally can't string a sentence together unless it's written in front of him.

I mean, there's tons more, but...

People. Don't. Care.

So how do we make them care?

(Reading this, it sounds very argumentative/rude. Not meant to be, just frustrated, so :) )
 
I think the biggest hump the left is going to need to get over is expecting lifelong, consistent perfection from politicians. Times change. The moods and needs of the country change. Politicians represent the people who elect them.

Clinton coming out in favor of a $15 minimum wage, and the DNC adopting that as their platform is nothing less than a victory, and one that we should celebrate. But for a certain faction on the left, unless you were 100% on board from the beginning, you're a capitalist traitor and scum. Ignoring that Sanders himself has evolved or flipped on several major issues over the course of his career, we've already decided we like him and will forgive him or ignore that it ever happened.

I think the reality of Clinton v. Sanders is that neither of them would have gotten a lot accomplished with what would have surely remained a GOP Congress, and just by virtue of having another Democrat in the White House (set aside your "But Bernie wasn't a Democrat!" objection - I guarantee you that is not how anyone in the mainstream would have perceived it) would be setting us up for a catastrophic loss in 2018 the way things are going. At best, either of them would have been competent enough to keep things humming along, and progressives would cozy up at home because their job is done while conservatives, pissed as ever would be the ones riled up and swing voters would simply want to punish whoever's in power for any perceived failings.

That Trump has activated such a fire in the left is only a silver lining of his election. We shouldn't have needed to learn this lesson. Again. But clearly enough of us had to. And I would trade this timeline for any timeline where Clinton or Sanders were president in a heartbeat. But I think it's time we stop blaming individual politicians for our nation's collective failure to act.
 

Emarv

Member
Those excerpts are fun, but as much as I hate the likelihood of re-litigating the primaries, I dread even more how this book will fuel Fox for the next few years.
 

Cipherr

Member
DI5aqwWXUAIELsZ.jpg


This is good

Wooooooo lordy.

DI6YgdqVwAA5Kuz


Excerpt from Hillary's book is sure to garner a measured response.


Yeah I need this book like yesterday. I really hated the way they very clearly shared almost 100% policy goals but there was this concerted and persistent attempt to paint her, or even him as being far from the other when they clearly weren't. And she is right on about his motivations. There was an air of "whatever" when it came to the effects he could be having on the election from his side. And I always felt it was because he really wanted to disrupt the Democratic party as a primary goal. A goal that at times I couldn't discern whether it ranked above or below keeping a lunatic like Trump out of office. And that's just, inexcusable.
 

Suikoguy

I whinny my fervor lowly, for his length is not as great as those of the Hylian war stallions
Those excerpts are fun, but as much as I hate the likelihood of re-litigating the primaries, I dread even more how this book will fuel Fox for the next few years.

Who cares what Fox "News" does?

Seriously

It looks increasingly stupid to continue to run against a candidate that's not running.
 

Suikoguy

I whinny my fervor lowly, for his length is not as great as those of the Hylian war stallions
Are we still pretending Hillary's policy proposal's weren't also unrealistic? Debt free college for everyone!

Hmm, it's almost as if that's not the only point she makes.
 

Pixieking

Banned
I think the biggest hump the left is going to need to get over is expecting lifelong, consistent perfection from politicians. Times change. The moods and needs of the country change. Politicians represent the people who elect them.

Clinton coming out in favor of a $15 minimum wage, and the DNC adopting that as their platform is nothing less than a victory, and one that we should celebrate. But for a certain faction on the left, unless you were 100% on board from the beginning, you're a capitalist traitor and scum. Ignoring that Sanders himself has evolved or flipped on several major issues over the course of his career, we've already decided we like him and will forgive him or ignore that it ever happened.

I think we should maybe start calling this out for what (I think) it is: political naivety.

The perception that Hillary flip-flopped, the perception that Sanders (in elected offices since 1981) is ideologically pure, both these things are just an inability to accept how politics works. Now, a separate argument can be made as to whether this is how the world ought to work, but that's not the point, and now is not the time for that argument.

Being a politician is dirty. It's navigating the line between "What would I like to do" and "What can I get away with doing", and it doesn't always work. Look at the ACA. Look at DACA. Look at Obama's Cuba policy, or the Iran deal. These are things that aren't perfect, but were the best that could be done, and didn't please everyone (the Cuba policy greatly angered Cubans in Florida, iirc).

If people aren't willing to accept that politicians think and act in a grey area, where they may not come across as genuine because they're doing something they don't fully believe in, then they need to educate themselves about the world.

Or, get into politics and see how easy it is to do things without compromise whilst remaining a politician beyond their first term.
 

AntoneM

Member
Yea it seems like you guys just weren't satisfied with Bernie losing.... and then Hilary losing.

I guess you still gotta keep going back to that well.

It's not like the worst case scenario is President or anything.

Actually I was ok with Bernie finally conceding and eventually campaigning against Trump. I thought Hillary could have done better on white working class relations as well as messaging.

So you kind of lost that high ground you thought you had there.

Just Sayin'.
 

Crocodile

Member
A) LOL those excerpts are so good <3

B) The more time Fox spends shitting on Clinton, the less time they spend on Harris, Gillibrand, Franken, Sanders rerun, etc.Seems fine to me since even if the Democrats do nothing wrong, Fox will find something to make up so they can bitch about it

C) I'm really hoping that when he runs for reelection next year Sanders switches from I to D. He said he was doing that right? I don't think he can/should run in 2020 if he doesn't do that.
 
I think the biggest hump the left is going to need to get over is expecting lifelong, consistent perfection from politicians. Times change. The moods and needs of the country change. Politicians represent the people who elect them.
I mean, this is another way of just saying that records don't matter.

I feel like "yeah she has a history of supporting disastrous policies because they're politically convenient" undermines the whole policy wonk argument for her. The whole pitch of technocracy is that you're right all the time!

Are we still pretending Hillary's policy proposal's weren't also unrealistic? Debt free college for everyone!
There's no magic money tree!
 

Pixieking

Banned
Why must you summon my nightmares?

On topic:

What major legislation has Bernie even succeed at? What major position besides US senator has he achieved? I just don't understand this devotion to this dude.

I've just scanned the wiki for him, and it appears he hasn't done much. I'm willing to be corrected, but it seems like he's just good at railing against authority, being an outsider, and getting people fired up.

(Note: no disrespect meant - I genuinely can't see anything he's done. Not even sponsored a bill, which even Hillary did during her tenure as Senator).

I mean, this is another way of just saying that records don't matter.

I feel like "yeah she has a history of supporting disastrous policies because they're politically convenient" undermines the whole policy wonk argument for her.

I would argue there's more nuance to it. Like, she (as far as I can tell) honestly thought going into Iraq was a good idea at the time (as did most politicians). Given the data that was presented, it was sound. The data was bad, which screwed over everyone who voted for it. But it's not that it was "politically convenient", it's that it was (in her opinion) the correct thing to do.

(Not to make excuses for her, but it seems like there's no way for any politician to escape some form of attack from people using hindsight. Politicians are elected to use their best judgement at the time, with all that that entails)
 
Those two pages are a 12000% accurate description and summation of my Sanders issues during the primaries, lol. Actually, I feel shitty knowing that she knew and still couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't even a matter of not reading the situation. She knew. You can't argue rationally against an internet mob fed by ignorance, and people shat on her for calling out a different mob in the fall.

Ponies could be minimum wage, health care or free college. It was all complete bullshit to propose without a plan. In no way do I doubt Sanders' sincerity on all that stuff, but realistic expectations are important. And, yeah, 99% of their policy positions were identical, which is why later controversy with Sanders supporters coming to Clinton was so fucking stupid and why there should not have been a single Sanders>Trump voter in the country. Other than wanting to withdraw from TPP I'm not sure there's a single shared policy position.

8-minute abs joke is a classic. My version of that is changing internet car insurance companies an infinite number of times so I can repeatedly save $600 and make a fortune, but it's nowhere near as good.
 
I mean, this is another way of just saying that records don't matter.

I feel like "yeah she has a history of supporting disastrous policies because they're politically convenient" undermines the whole policy wonk argument for her. The whole pitch of technocracy is that you're right all the time!
But the whole pitch of Sanders' campaign was that he was right all the time and he clearly wasn't! Only one camp was claiming a moral high ground their candidate didn't actually live up to. Like, I'm not going to sit here and cheer on McCain, Collins and Murkowski murdering McConnell's horrible healthcare bill and then rail on any Democrat who moves left on an issue just because they should have held that position to begin with.

You also ignored my point that circumstances change. If we're still talking minimum wage, a $15 minimum wage would have been radical five years ago. A $12 minimum wage would have been radical ten years ago. You're so fixated on the number that you're ignoring that Bernie and Hillary are both arguing in favor of significantly boosting the minimum wage, just one moreso. Trying to turn that into a "man of the people vs. corporate sellout" issue is utterly ridiculous.

And I have to clarify because apparently I still have to do this - I voted for Bernie in the primaries.
 
Trump so fucking excited to end Daca he couldn't even contain himself. Also I still don't understand that Rick wilson tweet. It seems like someone is climbing a wall and looking over their shoulder.

I mentioned this is another thread, but the fact that they leaked Trump's supposed intentions on DACA over the weekend, means it was a trial balloon to see how the public reacts.

You might be getting rick-rolled, don't necessarily assume Trump is going to end DACA. Trump is all theatrics and he also hates making tough decisions. He's probably going to make an announcement that sounds like he's ending it but not really. Put a stamp on it.
 

Crocodile

Member
With everything happening, I really can't find it in myself to care about Hillary Clinton's book or whatever she has to say about Bernie Sanders. I wish it wasn't about to get a ton of attention.

I wish people who get so bothered by Clinton found the ability to just ignore her. She's not an elected official - if you think she's a dumb-dumb you can just ignore whatever she says/does. I wish people could just do that >_<

I mentioned this is another thread, but the fact that they leaked Trump's supposed intentions on DACA over the weekend, means it was a trial balloon to see how the public reacts.

You might be getting rick-rolled, don't necessarily assume Trump is going to end DACA. Trump is all theatrics and he also hates making tough decisions. He's probably going to make an announcement that sounds like he's ending it but not really. Put a stamp on it.

An announcement that looks/sounds like he is ending it but not really seems like a good way to literally piss off EVERYBODY.
 

Suikoguy

I whinny my fervor lowly, for his length is not as great as those of the Hylian war stallions
Those excerpts are choir-preaching. Good for selling books, not particularly insightful.

Hey, a legit criticism.
Was not sure it was possible ;)

Based on those two pages, i'd agree that it leans on the side of the [choir-preaching]<--->[argumentative-convincing] spectrum. But, that would be expected given the audience of the book.

I don't see it preaching to the same degree you are seeing it as, but i've only seen the two pages.
 
I didn't receive my Correct The Record packet with her information. Who is Angie Craig and why should we be excited/unexcited for her to run for congress?
Dem candidate for MN-2 last year, former St. Jude's Medical executive.

She lost by 2 points in an open seat that'd been held by the GOP for decades. It was a bit of an upset when she lost, as she also lost to a crazy right-wing radio crank who'd been more or less abandoned by the national party, but considering how the top of the ticket went that isn't terribly surprising.

Either way she's a pretty good candidate... if you can get past her soulless eyes.

I wish people who get so bothered by Clinton found the ability to just ignore her. She's not an elected official - if you think she's a dumb-dumb you can just ignore whatever she says/does. I wish people could just do that >_<
How can we ignore her when she's SECRETLY RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2020???
 
Those two pages are a 12000% accurate description and summation of my Sanders issues during the primaries, lol. Actually, I feel shitty knowing that she knew and still couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't even a matter of not reading the situation. She knew. You can't argue rationally against an internet mob fed by ignorance, and people shat on her for calling out a different mob in the fall.

Ponies could be minimum wage, health care or free college. It was all complete bullshit to propose without a plan. In no way do I doubt Sanders' sincerity on all that stuff, but realistic expectations are important. And, yeah, 99% of their policy positions were identical, which is why later controversy with Sanders supporters coming to Clinton was so fucking stupid and why there should not have been a single Sanders>Trump voter in the country. Other than wanting to withdraw from TPP I'm not sure there's a single shared policy position.

8-minute abs joke is a classic. My version of that is changing internet car insurance companies an infinite number of times so I can repeatedly save $600 and make a fortune, but it's nowhere near as good.

I think Hillary is lathargic. That is why she lost to Trump. Do you read this in her book? Trump outworked her but she'll never admit it, will her fans?

As much as Bernie supporters are annoying to Hillary fans...the same can be said the other way. Hillary fans are still distorting the truth that there was no plan, your post is evidence, when there was a budget, tax brackets, ways of paying for new government programs. Just because you didnt read them doesnt mean they dont exist.

Trump, like Bernie, hit the points that the Government isnt on your side. They were outsider candidates with different policies as you say but they were bold enough to challenge the status quo, represented by Hillary.

Bernie was progresiion
Hillary was status quo
Trump is and was regression

If you're fine with the way things are, you'd vote Hillary.

Some people want more, Bernie. Some people want less, Trump.

The immaturity of Hillary supporters is still ridiculous. You guys are fawning over ponies from a lady who put forth no effort and isnt admitting, from what I've seen, her own shortfalls that led to President Trump all so she can take some pony digs at Bernie. Hillary really needs to grow up.

Hillary is out of touch with many on the left and never put forth a bridge to get people on her side. Of course that would require her to show up and hear criticism perhaps that she doesnt want to hear. She knows all and can do no wrong, right?
Hillary was her own worst enemy. It appears she hasnt learned a thing. Gotta talk ponies.
 

Holmes

Member
Ok so the regular offenders on both sides are out in full force now so I guess it's bedtime and hopefully tomorrow this discussion will be burried under something actually important
 
Either way she's a pretty good candidate... if you can get past her soulless eyes.

It takes a moron to lose to Jason Lewis.

I have no idea why I was bombarded with Craig emails and everytime I tried to unsubscribe, it never worked...more emails. Incompetence.

If you can't work a goddamn email server...I don't know how you'd do anything of value.

The fact you mention St. Jude is like all anyone knows about her. She did a horrible job campaigning. Why should I put you in congress? You worked for St. Juse, great, why should I put you in congress? Oh, you want money and won't let me unsubscribe from something I never subscribed to, okay, I'll pony up when you tell me why I should put you in congress.

I really hope Craig is not the nominee. If you can't beat Lewis you're not very good at campaigning. Let someone else try.
 

Foffy

Banned
Ok so the regular offenders on both sides are out in full force now so I guess it's bedtime and hopefully tomorrow this discussion will be burried under something actually important

To believe that Donald fuckin' Trump is a unifier to this bickering is just astounding to me.
 
D

Deleted member 231381

Unconfirmed Member
I'm not commenting on that book. I don't think anyone with more interest in beating Trump than self-gratifying should, either. There are better things to do.
 

wutwutwut

Member
Clinton coming out in favor of a $15 minimum wage, and the DNC adopting that as their platform is nothing less than a victory, and one that we should celebrate.
What? $15 minimum wage is a horrible idea, it was clearly adopted by the DNC to pander to the rose emojis.

In any case it's a point to start negotiating from. I hope they end up doing $12 min wage + national COL based adjustment + EITC expansion.
 

Pixieking

Banned
Today in "What's Arnie Upto Nowadays?"

Schwarzenegger’s bipartisan next political act: Terminating gerrymandering

Instead of dropping in on late-night talk shows to promote his new project, Schwarzenegger is drawing a mass audience to the issue by starring in a series of short, funny videos, heavily salted with quotations from his movies, that have gone viral. Each explains the issue in simple, easy-to-understand terms.

“Gerrymandering has created an absurd reality,” Schwarzenegger says looking straight into the camera in one video, “where politicians now pick their voters instead of the voters picking their politicians.”

Through San Francisco’s CrowdPac, an online fundraising platform, he’s raising money online ($98,217 as of Friday) to help fund a legal challenge to Wisconsin gerrymandering that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 3. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called the case “perhaps the most important” that the court will hear all year. Schwarzenegger will match what is raised online and likely kick in more support, as legal bills could approach $1 million.

He has spent much of the last week on the phone trying to arm-twist Republican members of Congress into signing onto an amicus brief in the Wisconsin case. It’s been a tough recruiting effort. While politicians tell him privately that they support him, they’re hesitant to publicly sign something that party leaders think could be their political death warrant.
 

Foffy

Banned
What? $15 minimum wage is a horrible idea, it was clearly adopted by the DNC to pander to the rose emojis.

In any case it's a point to start negotiating from. I hope they end up doing $12 min wage + national COL based adjustment + EITC expansion.

$15 is only horrible if you consider it actually should be more than that.

If one thinks it should be less, the horribleness just transfers to the people thinkin' that. :p

1. Are you factoring in EITC?
2. Why should we believe the minimum wage then was better for our overall prosperity than it is now?

- Minimum wage has not matched costs of living and the rate that's going.
- The lack of minimum wage growth is one of the core factors in the Great Decoupling that's been blooming for decades in America. Per capita via productivity are far and away removed from per capita incomes.
 
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