U.S. Electile Dysfunction 2016

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

You'll get no argument from me that the GOP is ludicrously anti-science, especially its tea party wing.

My favorite test is this: "Prove that your God, or any god, exists.

If they say "I can't." or "I can't, but I believe.", they get a passing grade.

If they say anything else, they get a fail....

[Dubslow]

Originally Posted by Dubslow

I will probably be voting for Johnson. I'd like my vote to count, which eliminates Paul. (I and my parents would have voted for Huntsman as well.)

http://www.isidewith.com/

[chappy]

Looks like I need to get two more jobs. Or marry two wives with high paying jobs. Which Mormons allow that sort of thing these days?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...b49883826cfe9d

[AES]

Originally Posted by chappy

Looks like I need to get two more jobs. Or marry two wives with high paying jobs. Which Mormons allow that sort of thing these days?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...b49883826cfe9d

Yes, we need overlords to equalize this situation on our behalf.

[Dubslow]

Speaking of Johnson...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-j...b_1885594.html

[cheesehead]

For reference, the 2012 platforms of the Libertarian, Republican and Democratic parties:

http://www.lp.org/platform

http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_home/ or http://www.gop.com/wp-content/upload...OPPlatform.pdf

http://www.democrats.org/democratic-national-platform or http://assets.dstatic.org/dnc-platfo...l-Platform.pdf

The only mention of "vaccine" in any of them is in the Democratic platform, and it's not in an anti-vax sense:

Originally Posted by Democratic platform

Over the past four years, the administration has leveraged billions of dollars in commitments from donors to meet the demand for new vaccines, making it possible to immunize millions of children and prevent premature deaths.

There seems to be no mention of "evolution" or "creationism" in any of these platforms. (I congratulate the Republican platform committee for not allowing the creationism advocacy of the Texas state GOP platform to rise into the national platform this year.)

[chappy]

something between this thread and another :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvLeQ...layer_embedded

[only_human]

Originally Posted by chappy

something between this thread and another :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvLeQ...layer_embedded

Nice. Randy Newman, 'I'm Dreaming': Composer & Songwriter Pens Blistering Political Satire Track

The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee said some friends told him to save the track – which he wrote a couple weeks ago – for an upcoming album, but he says releasing it now is perfect timing.

"I think it's for the moment," he said. "It's not going to live forever."

I had to reread this quote. It was nice to see the satire capped with a touch of optimism.

[ewmayer]

BTW, after the latest mega-gaffe (in which he basically lumped everyone who pays no taxes - including retirees - into a common "entitlement-addicted tax deadbeat" bin, despite his own strenuous efforts to make himself as near to a non-taxpayer as possible), I don't think anyone need worry about Romney winning the election - he's cooked his own goose. But that won't change the fact that Wall Street owns both parties. (I also posted that Matt Taibbi link in my latest MET2012 post.)

[Zeta-Flux]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

BTW, after the latest mega-gaffe (in which he basically lumped everyone who pays no taxes - including retirees - into a common "entitlement-addicted tax deadbeat" bin, despite his own strenuous efforts to make himself as near to a non-taxpayer as possible), I don't think anyone need worry about Romney winning the election - he's cooked his own goose. But that won't change the fact that Wall Street owns both parties. (I also posted that Matt Taibbi link in my latest MET2012 post.)

Mega-gaffe? Cooked his goose?

Nah. Both politicians have done and said worse multiple times over. This too will pass. The biggest influences will be the debates and the negative ads right before the election.

[Brian-E]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

BTW, after the latest mega-gaffe (in which he basically lumped everyone who pays no taxes - including retirees - into a common "entitlement-addicted tax deadbeat" bin, despite his own strenuous efforts to make himself as near to a non-taxpayer as possible), I don't think anyone need worry about Romney winning the election - he's cooked his own goose. But that won't change the fact that Wall Street owns both parties. (I also posted that Matt Taibbi link in my latest MET2012 post.)

Originally Posted by Zeta-Flux

Mega-gaffe? Cooked his goose?

Nah. Both politicians have done and said worse multiple times over. This too will pass. The biggest influences will be the debates and the negative ads right before the election.

While desperately wanting to believe Ernst's judgment on this one, I fear Zeta-Flux may have the more realistic assessment here. I lost faith in the USA electorate (speaking very very sweepingly, obviously) when it re-elected George W. Bush as president in 2004. If very obviously being someone who doesn't know what he is talking about is no bar to being president of the USA (Bush), then why should Romney's banana skins be any problem now?