2016 US Presidential Election Discussion Thread

[Gamma Male]

I thought I'd go ahead and make this thread before someone else got the idea. :)

Post all discussion and speculation on the US presidential elections here! Who do you support? Who would you like to see run, or not run? Why or why not? Do you support the D's or R's, or maybe even a third party? Will you actually be voting, or are you too young?

Sorry if I didn't put your favorite candidate in the poll, I just tried to list the 5 most popular democrats and republicans.

Personally I don't really like any of them very much. They all kinda suck. :/

But I guess anyone besides Cruz, Christie, or Biden would be okay. Those 3 would just be God fucking awful. I guess if I could vote I would go with Hilary(I know, I know! I don't like it either!). If anyone here supports Ted Cruz, I would really enjoy hearing why. Seriously.

[Harry Smith]

It's going to be a pretty good election, I mean the US fought a war to get rid of a monarch and they're going to have one if it ends up being Clinton vs Bush, I mean it's the brother/son of a former president versus the wife of a former president. I'm not a big fan of either of them-Hilary is too fickle-she doesn't actually stand for anything. She just seems to turn up to the club on a major issue about 3 months after everyone else had. She's pretty right wing. I mean yeah it's great that she's a woman, and it's great that she's against abortion but that's really all she has going for her. She's got a terrible record on LGBT rights, she's pro death Penalty, she's anti human rights and pro Israel. There's a reason Obama beat her in 2008-she's a knocked out fool who should of given up after 2008. Saying that she's got the 2016 primaries won for her already unless both Biden and Cuomo run in order to get her vote, along with Schweitzer to get votes from the left.

The only democrats I really like are Biden and Sanders. It Sanders was to run he would really actually get the left in America motivated towards social equality, and also be prepared to take on Big business. I like Biden because he's brave and gutsy, something that's actually lost in US politics. He's been active on the environment, gun control and LGBT rights throughout the last 6 years.

Then there's the Guns and Oil Party, since Christie rolled out of the scene after bridgegate there in very big trouble. I mean they can try and push Jeb Bush, who's the establishment choice but he's a 60 year old governor, who was last in office 7 years and also happens to have the name of the worst US president ever. There's Rand Paul-who I actually agree on certain issues but he's got major issues with his personality. He's stupidly right wing on certain issues- I mean yesterday he said that ALL PILOTS SHOULD BE ARMED! I mean any idiot knows what happens when a bullet goes off in a plane. Then there's Tom Cruz-I just yeah. He shut down the government because people were paying less for healthcare. He's a very smart man. There's also the lovely religious right in the GOP-they've got very good views on social issues like gay rights and women. Just remember that according to Huckabee we have school massacres because God isn't in school anymore

[Dalcourt]

Uh, welll if they don't come up with a more reasonable candidate I don't support anyone. Like honestly, I don't really like any of those you mentioned, but at the moment I can't really think of anyone I'd support...Usually I tend to be more on the democratic side but as it looks now I really can't come up with someone I feel would really represent what I want from politicians at the moment.

[Gamma Male]

Then there's the Guns and Oil Party, since Christie rolled out of the scene after bridgegate there in very big trouble. I mean they can try and push Jeb Bush, who's the establishment choice but he's a 60 year old governor, who was last in office 7 years and also happens to have the name of the worst US president ever. There's Rand Paul-who I actually agree on certain issues but he's got major issues with his personality. He's stupidly right wing on certain issues- I mean yesterday he said that ALL PILOTS SHOULD BE ARMED! I mean any idiot knows what happens when a bullet goes off in a plane. Then there's Tom Cruz-I just yeah. He shut down the government because people were paying less for healthcare. He's a very smart man. There's also the lovely religious right in the GOP-they've got very good views on social issues like gay rights and women. Just remember that according to Huckabee we have school massacres because God isn't in school anymore

Yeah, none of them are really very desirable. If I absolutely had to to go with the GOP I'd probably go with Rand Paul since he seems to be slightly more libertarian leaning on social issues. But still.....

Maybe I'd trust Biden more, except I'm not a particularly big fan of the Obama Administration. Guantanamo's still open, NSA's up and spying, not very much progress on economic inequality, and Obamacares great but they probably could've done a better job with the rollout..

[Harry Smith]

Yeah, none of them are really very desirable. If I absolutely had to to go with the GOP I'd probably go with Rand Paul since he seems to be slightly more libertarian leaning on social issues. But still.....

Maybe I'd trust Biden more, except I'm not a particularly big fan of the Obama Administration. Guantanamo's still open, NSA's up and spying, not very much progress on economic inequality, and Obamacares great but they probably could've done a better job with the rollout..

Rand Paul is still anti-abortion and anti-gay.He uses the whole NSA thing to spin himself as being some-sort of libertarian but he's really anything but.

In all fairness the first thing Obama did was try and close Guantanamo bay-I actually met someone who worked on his campaign and said that the first thing they did after the inauguration was try and close it but it was blocked by Congress. I mean you can vote for a President every 4 years but what difference does it make.

Power resides where people think it resides

[Miserabilia]

I'm not interested enough in american elections... I think the whole system of having a president to vote on in a system primairly devided over two polar opposites is pretty awful...

[phuckphace]

voting is pointless because no matter who the president is or what ideology they claim to support, they all have the same bosses and have to tow the line (neoliberalism) if they want to be considered electable. there is really no difference whatsoever between Republicans and Democrats. don't get suckered in by those staged and scripted "debates" or ghostwritten speeches promising "change" or "progress"...the only winners in this clusterfuck of a game are the Wall Street finance barons and the military-industrial complex.

[Vlerchan]

This pole needs an Other(s) option. I'm doing the sensible thing and supporting Jill Stein.

Rand Paul is also a paleolibertarian. That's political-speak for a fucking idiot.

[Southside]

I want to see a independent candidate in the presidential election with a decent campaign one of these days..

[Lonely teen]

It's going to be an interesting one for sure.

[Star Wolf]

Which one is the most pro-human rights? And pro-environment?

I agree though, voting is kinda bleak. there is a 1 in a 1000 chance your vote will make a difference, and I'm not sure, but I think it all boils down to electoral votes.

[Lonely teen]

Which one is the most pro-human rights? And pro-environment?

I believe that's Biden

[Gamma Male]

Personally, I'd love for the NSA to be a campaign issue. I'm curious to see which party would end up denouncing the secret unconstitutional spying faster.

[Vlerchan]

In we consider it within the grand scheme of things the NSA-issue is pretty inconsequential.

I seriously hope that nobody would allow it to be a focus point when it comes to supprting one or another candidate.

I want to see a independent candidate in the presidential election with a decent campaign one of these days..
I can't imagine an individual possessing enough funding to compete against the major parties being capable of running a 'decent' campaign.

EDIT: This is if we define independent in the European sense as one unaffiliated with any party.

Which one is the most pro-human rights? And pro-environment?
Stein.

[Harry Smith]

In we consider it within the grand scheme of things the NSA-issue is pretty inconsequential.

I seriously hope that nobody would allow it to be a focus point when it comes to supprting one or another candidate.


I can't imagine an individual possessing enough funding to compete against the major parties being capable of running a 'decent' campaign.

EDIT: This is if we define independent in the European sense as one unaffiliated with any party.


Stein.

This guy had the potential to run one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bloomberg

I'm still convinced he looks like Tony Blair, just 15 years older. He's pretty liberal on social issues hence why we was able to win in New York, he's got the funding behind him. He's a bit right wing in Foreign policy but what can you do when your in New York. I mean Rudy Giuliani nearly won in 2008 because the city he ran got attacked-hardly a good claim to fame.

But yeah Bloomberg is the only person capable of running, maybe with Jon Huntsman as his VP. I'd like that ticket

[Vlerchan]

I'd like that ticket
I thought you were a self-described socialist. From Wikipedia:

Bloomberg characterizes himself as a fiscal conservative [...] is in favor of providing tax breaks to big corporations for the [supposed - lol] good of the whole community [...] has had a less cordial relationship with unions [...] is a staunch advocate of [fucking] free trade and is strongly opposed to protectionism [...]

There's positives in his economic policy - "This society cannot go forward, the way we have been going forward, where the gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing" - but they don't outweigh the negatives. I would not be happy supporting Bloomberg. There's plenty of other social-conservatives who don't come with the same baggage.

[Harry Smith]

I thought you were a self-described socialist. From Wikipedia:

Bloomberg characterizes himself as a fiscal conservative [...] is in favor of providing tax breaks to big corporations for the [supposed - lol] good of the whole community [...] has had a less cordial relationship with unions [...] is a staunch advocate of [fucking] free trade and is strongly opposed to protectionism [...]

There's positives in his economic policy - "This society cannot go forward, the way we have been going forward, where the gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing" - but they don't outweigh the negatives. I would not be happy supporting Bloomberg. There's plenty of other social-conservatives who don't come with the same baggage.

You missed out the part where he states that he's in favour of taxes, and that there necessary. I never said his economic policy was great-I was just giving an example of someone who would be able to run a third party campaign. Bloombergs also not a social conservative-he's pro abortion in the US

[Vlerchan]

You missed out the part where he states that he's in favour of taxes, and that there necessary[1]. I never said his economic policy was great-I was just giving an example of someone who would be able to run a third party campaign[2]. Bloombergs also not a social conservative-he's pro abortion in the US[3]
[1]: That's really not all that great a selling-point. I'm sure you realise that.

[2]: In fairness you didn't. I don't get why you came out with this, though: "I'd like that ticket."

[3]: I was supposed to say social-liberal. Mistyped:/

[Harry Smith]

[1]: That's really not all that great a selling-point. I'm sure you realise that.

[2]: In fairness you didn't. I don't get why you came out with this, though: "I'd like that ticket."

[3]: I was supposed to say social-liberal. Mistyped:/

It would be a good ticket for the US. It's a different ball game of politics over there, as I'm sure you know. It's socially liberal, lead by someone with experience, has the funding and the means to split the republican vote in the north

[phuckphace]

I want to see a independent candidate in the presidential election with a decent campaign one of these days..

as do I, but it's not going to happen. the powers that be have consolidated their power enough to make this impossible without a full-blown revolution. but they've seen to that as well, any possibility of a revolution is removed when two thirds of the populace are too busy watching Kim Kardashian talking in an interview about her ass-lift

[ImAurora]

I hate pretty much all of them, so I don't care really.

[Gamma Male]

I almost wanna see Ted Cruz win just to be around to watch the giant shitstorm that's bound to follow.

[Harry Smith]

I almost wanna see Ted Cruz win just to be around to watch the giant shitstorm that's bound to follow.

I'm still waiting for Ted Cruz to realize that he's an immigrant himself

[Vlerchan]

I'm still waiting on an 'other(s)' option - or '(real) Left Alternative', maybe.

[Harry Smith]

I'm still waiting on an 'other(s)' option - or '(real) Left Alternative', maybe.

I think even this is more likely

http://asouthernspace.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/vlcsnap-2012-08-27-22h13m53s142.png

[phuckphace]

who the fuck is Mack O'Malley?

(too low on mana to perform Google-fu today)

[Harry Smith]

who the fuck is Mack O'Malley?

(too low on mana to perform Google-fu today)

Some generic liberal governor from Maryland. He's boring as fuck and doesn't really stand for anything that important. He's just young and hasn't done anything terrible yet

[AgentHomo]

The only democrats I really like are Biden and Sanders. It Sanders was to run he would really actually get the left in America motivated towards social equality, and also be prepared to take on Big business. I like Biden because he's brave and gutsy, something that's actually lost in US politics. He's been active on the environment, gun control and LGBT rights throughout the last 6 years.

This. I love Biden. Sanders I haven't actually heard of but if it comes down to it, I would vote Biden because he isn't a coward, he's brave enough to stand up against the ignorant right and actually make a stand for equality. His debate against Romney proved that and since the. I will support Biden in his bid for presidency.

[ArcticEagle]

Considering i'm Conservative
I'd like to see either Paul, Cruz, or Christie take the presidency.

[Harry Smith]

Considering i'm Conservative
I'd like to see either Paul, Cruz, or Christie take the presidency.

Chris Christie? You really mean chris christie? The man who closed down a bridge because a mayor didn't endorse him? The man who used hurricane sandy relief money to fill his own pockets? He's one of the most corrupt governors out there-look what the Romney team said about him in 2012-they didn't pick him as VP because he's simply too corrupt.

Cruz? Eh he's just a typical consrvative who's opposed to a womens right (despite roe vs wade), he's anti-equality, and oh yeah he closed down the government because Obama was god forbid trying to make healthcare cheaper-how dare he!

I'll leave Rand Paul to you, because well he's just stupid

[ArcticEagle]

Chris Christie? You really mean chris christie? The man who closed down a bridge because a mayor didn't endorse him? The man who used hurricane sandy relief money to fill his own pockets? He's one of the most corrupt governors out there-look what the Romney team said about him in 2012-they didn't pick him as VP because he's simply too corrupt.

Cruz? Eh he's just a typical consrvative who's opposed to a womens right (despite roe vs wade), he's anti-equality, and oh yeah he closed down the government because Obama was god forbid trying to make healthcare cheaper-how dare he!

I'll leave Rand Paul to you, because well he's just stupid
With no means to disrespect personally, I see you're a liberal.
Chris Christie has done a lot for me in the past for my state, There really is no evidence that Christie closed bridegate, It really all just attacks by liberal media because hes a threat in 2016. Not sure where you got the idea that he used the Sandy Relief money to fill his own pockets but if its about the commercial, I mean really, he advertised that the shore is open and back for business after it was destroyed by sandy. That has to be one of the lowest attacks by liberals against christie. Christie revived NJ from the ruins of a natrual disaster and made it the state that I love dearly that i call home. The only think i do dislike about Christie was the Dream Act and that i dont see a end to high property taxes.

As for Cruz, He is a conservative, as for womens rights, he is against abortions and I do agree that is stance on contraception is something i'm against. I'm Pro-Life and believe that Abortions should only be a option if the life of the mother is at risk or there is proof that the baby will have some form of disability. As for the government shutdown, I sided with the republicans on this one. Obamacare is a disaster, My parents premiums wen't sky high (Please note that they are liberals), my uncle lost is insurance all together, and my friends mom lost her doctor and had to switch insurance because she cant be on her husbands insurance plan (who's premium also wen't up).

Rand Paul in my opinion is the most qualified candidate for 2016,
I support his positions on Immigration, healthcare, foreign policy, State rights, He also supports term limits, a balanced budget amendment, Gun Rights, and the Read the Bills Act.

[Harry Smith]

With no means to disrespect personally, I see you're a liberal.
Chris Christie has done a lot for me in the past for my state, There really is no evidence that Christie closed bridegate, It really all just attacks by liberal media because hes a threat in 2016. Not sure where you got the idea that he used the Sandy Relief money to fill his own pockets but if its about the commercial, I mean really, he advertised that the shore is open and back for business after it was destroyed by sandy. That has to be one of the lowest attacks by liberals against christie. Christie revived NJ from the ruins of a natrual disaster and made it the state that I love dearly that i call home. The only think i do dislike about Christie was the Dream Act and that i dont see a end to high property taxes.

As for Cruz, He is a conservative, as for womens rights, he is against abortions and I do agree that is stance on contraception is something i'm against. I'm Pro-Life and believe that Abortions should only be a option if the life of the mother is at risk or there is proof that the baby will have some form of disability. As for the government shutdown, I sided with the republicans on this one. Obamacare is a disaster, My parents premiums wen't sky high (Please note that they are liberals), my uncle lost is insurance all together, and my friends mom lost her doctor and had to switch insurance because she cant be on her husbands insurance plan (who's premium also wen't up).

Rand Paul in my opinion is the most qualified candidate for 2016,
I support his positions on Immigration, healthcare, foreign policy, State rights, He also supports term limits, a balanced budget amendment, Gun Rights, and the Read the Bills Act.

Oh please-it's nothing to do with the damn liberal media. There's countless emails from his own staff that heavily imply that he closed that bridge, even if he didn't order it do you really want to have a president who can't control his own chief of Staff? I'll ask again-why did the Romeny team not pick him? Because he was corrupt-that's the exact words they said. You can't blame the liberal media for that can you? Even the GOP knows that Christie is corrupt.

The point about the Ads isn't an attack point by liberals ( I know the GOP love to blame the liberals for their own problems) but that problem is that Christie potentially broke the law

On Sunday, Pallone told CNN that the inspector general conducted a preliminary review and concluded there was enough evidence to launch a full-scale investigation into the state's use of federal funds.

[Croconaw]

I think anyone but Hilary Clinton should win. Her husband was already a president, so it'd be like running for a second term.

[phuckphace]

I think anyone but Hilary Clinton should win. Her husband was already a president, so it'd be like running for a second term.

dynasty candidates are generally a bad idea (see: Bush Sr. and Jr.) of course, that's relatively speaking since the system is rigged as fuck anyway

[Vlerchan]

I think anyone but Hilary Clinton should win. Her husband was already a president, so it'd be like running for a second term.

I don't understand why this would be a problem in general. Though, it's obviously a problem if the ticket includes Clinton.

I'm against the whole idea of restricting presidents to two terms.

... he's brave enough to stand up against the ignorant right and actually make a stand for equality.

Ironically, Biden is right-wing.

EDIT:

I support his positions on Immigration[1], healthcare[2], foreign policy[3], State rights[4], He also supports term limits[5], a balanced budget amendment[6], Gun Rights[7], and the Read the Bills Act[8].

[1]: He's diagnosing the problem wrongly in his proposals: illegal immigrants don't come to the US for benefits and this is a well documented fact.

[2]: Oh god ..

[3]: Which is what exactly? (http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidadesnik/2014/03/11/rand-pauls-wild-flip-flopping-on-russia-and-ukraine/)

[4]: I haven't looked into Rand Pauls positions on state's rights but I'm assuming that this is somewhere we'll agree.

[5]: Why? There's nothing undemocratic about democratically electing someone who's proven themselves to be a capable administrator in the past.

[6]: This will never be implemented because whilst Rand Paul might be economically-illiterate I can assure you that his economic advisors won't be.

[7]: I'm not actually against gun-rights in the US so me and Randy might be more in agreement here than other regular posters might think.

[8]: This is a pointless piece of legislation.

[phuckphace]

^libertarians like Paul sometimes make half-hearted "proposals" regarding immigration to garner more votes, but it's just a ruse on their part. their favorite economic arrangement will invariably lead to unrestricted immigration because [insert some autistic mumbo-jumbo about the free market] and reasoning like "who are we to say who gets what job and for how much." one of the central motives behind restricting immigration is to limit the supply of labor thus keeping wages high, but libertarians are people who are fine with the idea of a "market-set wage" (read: $0.01 per hour) and no union representation for workers. no, immigration restrictions are things you propose if you have even marginal concern for the working class - libertarians are hastily planning Serfdom 2.0 against a backdrop of company towns and Pinkertons.

Paul is a loon who says something loony every time he opens his mouth, but his alleged stance on immigration is just plainly and glibly false.

[chrisf55]

I support Vermin Supreme for president in 2016, if you have not heard of this glorious candidate, I urge you to look him up

[phuckphace]

just saw this post.

Rand Paul is also a paleolibertarian. That's political-speak for a fucking idiot.

the term "paleolibertarian" is an oxymoron. the paleo prefix indicates a return to some "classical" era, but with FREE MARKETS and NOTAXES. a lot of lolbertarians mistakenly believe that the Founders were all clones of Rand Paul in powdered wigs, which is silly historical revisionism. a "return" to Galt's Gulch is impossible since it never existed to begin with.