US Politics Thread

[FogBlueInSanFran]

His opposition are falling into the same trap - playing the man rather than the ball. Presumably his policy (if he has any) would unravel pretty quickly under scrutiny and going for that would also make the democrats the adult in the room so as to speak. Instead the focus is again very much on trumps personal misdemeanors - very much like the whole 'pussy grabbing' thing which everyone seemed sure would make him unelectable last time.

You know why the oppostion has to play the man rather than the ball? Because that's what his supporters do. It's a cult of personality. They're voting for him no matter what he does. Read that again. No. Matter. What. He. Does. You aren't going to convince any of them. He's clearly "electable" because he's running and even more so because he's gonna get the nomination. So the GOP has already narrowed down his competition to zero. So Democrats have to jack turnout, because there are more of them. That's what they'll focus on. Nothing to do with trumpeting policy, "adult in the room" or whatever. Biden will run on his record (which is a pretty good one) and try to stay above the fray, while the grass roots part of the organization will do nothing but key on "get out the vote", especially in swing states.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

You have more faith in humanity than I do.

No I don't.

 

[halfcenturyup]

No I don't.

Fake news!

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

You know why the oppostion has to play the man rather than the ball? Because that's what his supporters do. It's a cult of personality. They're voting for him no matter what he does. Read that again. No. Matter. What. He. Does. You aren't going to convince any of them. He's clearly "electable" because he's running and even more so because he's gonna get the nomination. So the GOP has already narrowed down his competition to zero. So Democrats have to jack turnout, because there are more of them. That's what they'll focus on. Nothing to do with trumpeting policy, "adult in the room" or whatever. Biden will run on his record (which is a pretty good one) and try to stay above the fray, while the grass roots part of the organization will do nothing but key on "get out the vote", especially in swing states.

Agree, the MAGA base is a cult and their political views are mixed in with, racism, bigotry, religious fervor and weird conspiracy BS sprinkled on top. It's a heady cocktail and wile they may not all believe in all of it they will happily look past the blatant hypocrisy and clear evidence that Trump is unfit for office.

You can't fight that with normal political campaigning. Ron DeSantis has shown what happens when you try and influence them and change the thinking.

Biden has to get the turnout up. But you would expect motivation to vote against Trump/GOP is as high as ever. If not all time peak level of motivation.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Agree, the MAGA base is a cult and their political views are mixed in with, racism, bigotry, religious fervor and weird conspiracy BS sprinkled on top. It's a heady cocktail and wile they may not all believe in all of it they will happily look past the blatant hypocrisy and clear evidence that Trump is unfit for office.

You can't fight that with normal political campaigning. Ron DeSantis has shown what happens when you try and influence them and change the thinking.

Biden has to get the turnout up. But you would expect motivation to vote against Trump/GOP is as high as ever. If not all time peak level of motivation.

You think DeSantis has run a 'normal' campaign?

I mean, it's tame by Trump standards, but it's by no means normal in the grand scheme of things. Having said that, we probably need to change our thinking as to what we consider normal these days.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

You know why the oppostion has to play the man rather than the ball? Because that's what his supporters do. It's a cult of personality. They're voting for him no matter what he does. Read that again. No. Matter. What. He. Does. You aren't going to convince any of them. He's clearly "electable" because he's running and even more so because he's gonna get the nomination. So the GOP has already narrowed down his competition to zero. So Democrats have to jack turnout, because there are more of them. That's what they'll focus on. Nothing to do with trumpeting policy, "adult in the room" or whatever. Biden will run on his record (which is a pretty good one) and try to stay above the fray, while the grass roots part of the organization will do nothing but key on "get out the vote", especially in swing states.

As you say his supporters will vote for him whatever. It's not the maga hat redneck loons that can be persuaded, but rather the quiet slightly right leaning probably older/middle class folk that won't go to a trump rally or probably even openly support him but quietly vote that way.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

As you say his supporters will vote for him whatever. It's not the maga hat redneck loons that can be persuaded, but rather the quiet slightly right leaning probably older/middle class folk that won't go to a trump rally or probably even openly support him but quietly vote that way.

These are the ones who didn't turn up in 2020. Will Trump's behaviour post that election convince them they should come out again?

You also have to factor in the SCOTUS Roe decision. Another driver for Biden turnout.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

As you say his supporters will vote for him whatever. It's not the maga hat redneck loons that can be persuaded, but rather the quiet slightly right leaning probably older/middle class folk that won't go to a trump rally or probably even openly support him but quietly vote that way.

And that's what I'm worried about. Good example: this weekend I was with a very old friend, very white Ivy league guy who grew up lower middle class, went to community college for two years, then got into Penn and got a degree in finance. He lives in Arizona now. Now slightly upper-middle-class. 60 years old; divorced; no kids. Always been very conservative but pragmatic/mathematical about it; social issues aren't important to him. We were eating breakfast in a hotel and the TV showed Trump yammering on about something. He said "I can't believe this next election is going to be Trump vs. Biden. I hate them both." I said nothing and changed the topic.

What are his options? He's NEVER voting for Biden, or any Democrat ever, yet he's intelligent enough to know Trump is an insane idiot criminal. So he's either going to hold his nose and vote for Trump, vote 3rd party or not vote. Last election he voted Libertarian. Democrats need guys like this to not vote, or to vote 3rd Party in a way that doesn't remove a vote from Biden but from Trump, as I believe most Libertarian candidates do.

That's of course why this fuckwit Kennedy is being pushed as a "3rd Party Democratic Alternative" but of course is just a GOP/MAGA ruse to steer those who hate both Trump and Biden into stealing votes away from Biden, not Trump.

 

[laserblue]

Navarro was convicted for his part last week (disobeying a congressional subpoena), and he still walks free, same as Bannon.

I'm not going to believe that Trump will be behind bars even if he is found guilty before the election until he's actually locked in a cell.

I believe Bannon's and Navarro's cases were misdemeanours which allow for an appeal while staying out of jail while Trump's indictments are for felonies which don't.

Bannon's appeal is next month and I can't see any way he can win it after his straightforward slam dunk conviction.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Doesn't it require a unanimous verdict to convict though?

It only takes a single Trumper on the jury.