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The American Political Thread

947K views 22K replies 68 participants last post by  Vader101 
#1 ·
Something I've noted several times is that, while most of us agree it's important to be informed about Canadian politics and to be an engaged citizen, the fact is that Canadian politics are generally pretty boring (this can be a good thing, IMO). The Americans, on the other hand, have turned the dysfunction of their political system into an entertainment industry (although it appears Harper, et al., are determined to reduce the Canadian system to the same level).

So I thought I'd start a thread for discussion of the Reality TV show they call American Politics.

I'll start with this posting I saw on another forum, with respect to the Republican's policies on women's health care, especially with regard to contraception and abortion:
After years and years and years of specifically targeting homophobes, racists, bigots, religious zealots, anti-intellectuals and sociopaths why should we be at all shocked that the GOP picked up a ****load of misogynists along the way?
 
#182 ·
#183 ·
Throughout U.S. history, Ivy League colleges have had an outsized proportion of alumni who became president. Harvard alone has eight. If, as is widely expected, it's Barack Obama versus Mitt Romney in November, the Ivy League is the guaranteed winner again, because it will be Harvard against Harvard (Romney got his MBA at Harvard).

In fact, it has been 28 years since a non-Harvard-or-Yale graduate has been elected president. George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama all went to one (or both) of those universities. In four of those elections, the winning Ivy Leaguer ran against another Ivy Leaguer (Michael Dukakis, incumbent President George H.W. Bush, Al Gore, John Kerry).

And many of presidents, to their credit, have come from small, non-glitzy colleges. Lyndon Johnson hailed from Southwest Texas State Teachers College. Richard Nixon went to Whittier College. Ronald Reagan went to Eureka College. Nine presidents either never went to college at all, or never received a degree. They were no slouches; they include Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman.
 
#185 ·
Place your bets, ladies and gents, on Mitt Romney's choice for VP. Right now, the name on the lips of most GOP strategists is Ohio senator and former George W. Bush administration official Rob Portman. My guess is that Romney needs an anti-Palin (e.g., someone who will not overshadow him and someone who will not blow up in his face). Portman might just be this person. What do you think???
 
#187 ·
Portman would be a bad choice. While Americans overall have softened on GBII, Romney needs to clearly move away from Bush's dismal statist record of expanding government.
A valid point, Macfury. So, whom shall we place your bet upon?
 
#188 ·
Marco Rubio. I think he can help to bring in many of the voters who were devoted to Santorum, and Tea Party voters. Even if the Tea Party contingent is lukewarm on Romney, they will see in Rubio a willingness on Romey's part to consider them and also a chance to develop him into a future presidential candidate.
 
#189 ·
Marco Rubio. I think he can help to bring in many of the voters who were devoted to Santorum, and Tea Party voters. Even if the Tea Party contingent is lukewarm on Romney, they will see in Rubio a willingness on Romey's part to consider them and also a chance to develop him into a future presidential candidate.
OK, that is where I am going to place your two-cents bet ........... even though Rubio has said that "I'm not going to be the vice president," in an interview with CNN. We shall see.
 
#192 ·
With his need to compete for the Republican right now ebbing, will Romney migrate back to the center, hoping that a good shake of the Etch A Sketch will create a clean slate to start courting moderates and independents????
 
#193 ·
With his need to compete for the Republican right now ebbing, will Romney migrate back to the center, hoping that a good shake of the Etch A Sketch will create a clean slate to start courting moderates and independents????
No. It's my belief that the independents and moderates are largely fiscal conservatives. I believe he's sorry the campaign toady said such a thing and I predict a fiscally conservative message, with some trappings of social conservatism tossed in as bones to the hard core social conservatives. Obama is certainly in no position to win those votes.
 
#194 ·
No. It's my belief that the independents and moderates are largely fiscal conservatives. I believe he's sorry the campaign toady said such a thing and I predict a fiscally conservative message, with some trappings of social conservatism tossed in as bones to the hard core social conservatives. Obama is certainly in no position to win those votes.
True. The social conservatives will go for Romney unless he goes to the left of Pres. Obama (very unlikely) ............ or there is a third party candidate. I am still waiting to see if they allow Ron Paul to speak at the convention in a meaningful way. If they try to "dis" him, I can see him taking his message to the people as the Libertarian Party candidate. We shall see.
 
#195 ·
An interesting item on CNN.com


Washington (CNN) - Who should Mitt Romney choose as his running mate?

According to a new national poll, there's no consensus among Republicans. But a CNN/ORC International survey released Wednesday does indicate there's an ideological split that could put pressure on Romney, the all but certain GOP presidential nominee, as he tries to make his decision.

The poll asked Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP to choose from eight names who could be among the two dozen or so potential running mates that the Romney campaign may be considering as the vice presidential nominee.

According to the survey, Condoleezza Rice is on top of the list. Twenty-six percent questioned said they would like to see Rice, who served as national security adviser and later as secretary of state under President George W. Bush, as the Republican vice presidential nominee. In second place in the survey, at 21%, was Rick Santorum, who was Romney's chief rival for the nomination until early last week, when the former senator from Pennsylvania suspended his campaign for the White House.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were each at 14%, with House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin at 8%, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal at 5%, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell at 1% and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio at less than one half of one percent."
 
#196 ·
Re the Republican VP pick ..................... yet another Bush???

(CNN) - Jeb Bush, whose endorsement of Mitt Romney helped secure the candidate as the all-but-certain GOP nominee, said an interview Romney should avoid the urge to wage a negative campaign. The popular former Florida governor also offered up his pick for Romney's running mate, and said he'd consider a spot on the GOP ticket if asked.
 
#200 ·
I wasn't blaming you, Dr. G.

Jeb Bush is a dud.
I agree. If we keep agreeing, I might just get you to believe in Pres. Obama's vision for America ................. or not. At least we agree that Ron Paul is an honorable politician. Paix, mon ami.
 
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