The Biden Administration and All Things Politics

[Avery]

I'm willing to bet that every single person on this forum doesn't want high inflation. Challenge me if you do want it, I'll wait.

Some people will definitely cheer for things to go as horrible as they can during this admin to enact the change they want, but I'd also challenge that there were also some egomaniacs who hoped Covid would spiral out of control in 2020 to hurt Trump. In no way is that saying people on this forum, but in general, you get crazies out there that are that small-minded.

It's a shame that third parties simply aren't viable unless they are uber-rich - we're doomed to repeat the good cop/bad cop routine between R's and D's eternally.

 

[Al-O-Meter]

It's a shame that third parties simply aren't viable unless they are uber-rich - we're doomed to repeat the good cop/bad cop routine between R's and D's eternally.

Even as a prominent third party supporter, the R vs D thing doesn’t worry me nearly as much as the liberal versus progressive thing does. There was an interview between Bill Maher and the great Ira Glasser who headed the ACLU from 1978 through 2001. It was two old school big ‘L’ Liberals talking civil liberties. That is what the American political left used to be. It is that battle between liberals and progressives that liberals are clearly losing I find concerns me so much more.

 

[Avery]

I am not looking forward to 2024 one bit - 2022 is going to be an appetizer and we'll see some sprinkles of 'damn the results, here's what we should do', but 2024 is going to be absolutely unbearable.

I have a hard time seeing it as anything but Biden vs. Trump which is disconcerting - I really think DeSantis wants to give it a go, but it's a very delicate balance of trying to claw power and not upset the establishment.

As a nation, we'd be doing ourselves a disservice between picking between someone who would be 82 years old and someone who will be 78. Ideally, I'd like to see Biden cede the nomination to someone else as an olive branch to the next generation and Trump to simply throw his weight behind other candidates just the same, but it's a fools hope.

 

[Deleted member 365]

I'm willing to bet that every single person on this forum doesn't want high inflation. Challenge me if you do want it, I'll wait.

Some people will definitely cheer for things to go as horrible as they can during this admin to enact the change they want, but I'd also challenge that there were also some egomaniacs who hoped Covid would spiral out of control in 2020 to hurt Trump. In no way is that saying people on this forum, but in general, you get crazies out there that are that small-minded.

It's a shame that third parties simply aren't viable unless they are uber-rich - we're doomed to repeat the good cop/bad cop routine between R's and D's eternally.

The structure of the House, Senate, and EC also prevents 3rd parties from being competitive. In a winner take all system that we have, it discourages a plurality of votes. Unlike the parliamentary system that does encourage multiple political parties but also comes with its own cons. If we want to encourage more parties, then it needs to begin at the structural level:

1. Get rid of the EC
2. Use Proportional Representation voting

3. Strengthen political parties with campaign finance reform (as you have suggested)

One of The problems right now is that the two political parties are weak. They aren’t acting as gatekeepers. Super pacs and social media loons wield much more influence than political parties. Example, who has more control over the GOP? Ronna Romney McDaniel or Tucker Carlson?

 

[Deleted member 365]

I am not looking forward to 2024 one bit - 2022 is going to be an appetizer and we'll see some sprinkles of 'damn the results, here's what we should do', but 2024 is going to be absolutely unbearable.

I have a hard time seeing it as anything but Biden vs. Trump which is disconcerting - I really think DeSantis wants to give it a go, but it's a very delicate balance of trying to claw power and not upset the establishment.

As a nation, we'd be doing ourselves a disservice between picking between someone who would be 82 years old and someone who will be 78. Ideally, I'd like to see Biden cede the nomination to someone else as an olive branch to the next generation and Trump to simply throw his weight behind other candidates just the same, but it's a fools hope.

Will it really matter?

Even if Repubs lose, they’ll trash the country so bad that elections will be overturned. We saw what they did on Jan 6. That was just an appetizer for what Bannon, Fox News, and Trump are priming 40 percent of this country for.

The main issue is one political party and its members follow a movement that has become illiberal. It lives in an alt reality that quite frankly rejects the ideas of the enlightenment and wants to restore a hierarchical society where white Christian men rule, even if the majority reject them.

Pat Buchanan really invited this movement in during his 92 convention speech. Gingrich put it into practice. Fox News has kept this culture war and white grievance going. And Obama’s election triggered enough of the population to join this illiberal movement.

Pat Buchanan 1992 Republican Convention Address

Republican Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan belittled the foreign policy experience of Democratic presidential nominee Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR) during his address to the Republican National Convention. Mr. Buchanan assailed the policies set forth by Governor Clinton and his running mate...

www.c-span.org

Watch that. It applies more today than 1992! Listen to his gripes.

 

[Al-O-Meter]

I have a hard time seeing it as anything but Biden vs. Trump which is disconcerting - I really think DeSantis wants to give it a go, but it's a very delicate balance of trying to claw power and not upset the establishment.

We'll see but I'm thinking there is a possibility that neither Donald Trump or Biden win their party's nomination. Biden is just too old and his mental faculties are clearly degrading. I fear the next three years are not going to be kind to him.

As for Trump, I'm not sure he's going to escape a 14th Amendment disqualification. It will be interesting to see what happens with Madison Cawthorn in North Carolina as if successful that same strategy will certainly be used against Trump.

Board of Elections says lawsuit against Rep. Madison Cawthorn should proceed

The North Carolina State Board of Elections on Tuesday said the challenges from voters to Congressman Madison Cawthorn's candidacy for re-election should proceed despite his own counter-lawsuit.

abc11.com

 

[Deleted member 365]

We'll see but I'm thinking there is a possibility that neither Donald Trump or Biden win their party's nomination. Biden is just too old and his mental faculties are clearly degrading. I fear the next three years are not going to be kind to him.

As for Trump, I'm not sure he's going to escape a 14th Amendment disqualification. It will be interesting to see what happens with Madison Cawthorn in North Carolina as if successful that same strategy will certainly be used against Trump.

Board of Elections says lawsuit against Rep. Madison Cawthorn should proceed

The North Carolina State Board of Elections on Tuesday said the challenges from voters to Congressman Madison Cawthorn's candidacy for re-election should proceed despite his own counter-lawsuit.

abc11.com

Trump tried multiple times through multiple means to overthrow the 2020 election. That alone should be disqualifying for voters. You cannot entrust our democracy to someone who despises democracy and embraces authoritarianism.

 

[One Brow]

The "incredibly low unemployment levels" are a deceptive statistic meant to hide the damage the Democrats have done to the economy as can been seen in the more holistic labor force participation rate. Sixteen-million jobs that existed before the pandemic are gone. At least it proves false all those who said Biden is a houseplant because a houseplant would have done a better job.

I was joking. Biden's been in office barely a year. This is still Trump's economy, to the degree that Presidents affect the economy at all.

However, if you absolutely insist on crediting/blaming Biden for the labor force participation rate, you should probably stop, because it's rising again after a steep drop in early 2020, and you wouldn't want to credit Biden with anything.

Civilian labor force participation rate

www.bls.gov

Jan 2021: 61.4%
Jan 2022: 62.2%

 

[One Brow]

There was an interview between Bill Maher and the great Ira Glasser who headed the ACLU from 1978 through 2001. It was two old school big ‘L’ Liberals talking civil liberties.

Ira Glasser and which other liberal? I only see Bill Maher there.

 

[Avery]

Perhaps the 2024 election should really just be decided on a Wipeout-style obstacle course that Biden/Trump have to maneuver through. Rules are simple:

- Each candidate gets four hours to practice the course the day prior to the race
- On Election Day, they each get five attempts through the course. It's televised on every major network for all to see with commentators as picked by the networks
- Fastest time wins the presidency
- In the event nobody finishes the course, whomever got the furthest in the fastest time is declared the winner

All part of my vision to restore lean costs into the election process while also making it fair and transparent.

 

[Deleted member 365]

Perhaps the 2024 election should really just be decided on a Wipeout-style obstacle course that Biden/Trump have to maneuver through. Rules are simple:

- Each candidate gets four hours to practice the course the day prior to the race
- On Election Day, they each get five attempts through the course. It's televised on every major network for all to see with commentators as picked by the networks
- Fastest time wins the presidency
- In the event nobody finishes the course, whomever got the furthest in the fastest time is declared the winner

All part of my vision to restore lean costs into the election process while also making it fair and transparent.

Is the problem the candidates? Or is the problem the electorate?

There were 15+ other candidates in 2016 that the electorate could’ve chosen over Trump. Even right now there are some quite capable Republican Governors like Hogan. Yet, they aren’t even talked about because they wouldn’t be able to beat the crazies like Noem and DeSantis. Why does the electorate hate normal candidates so much?

 

[Al-O-Meter]

if you absolutely insist on crediting/blaming Biden for the labor force participation rate, you should probably stop, because it's rising again after a steep drop in early 2020, and you wouldn't want to credit Biden with anything.

I don't have any problem crediting Biden for good things that he does. The labor force participation rate is rising and it is because Joe Biden isn't doing anything. Like I said earlier, a houseplant would have done a better job. After Build Back Better went DOA, Biden started to act like a houseplant and things are on the up.

One of the deepest economic recession/depressions in our history was the 1920 depression. The downturn was steeper and deeper than the Great Depression. The Federal Reserve was brand new and had no clue what to do so they did nothing. President Woodrow Wilson had been incapacitated by a stroke and his wife ran the country but she had no idea how to handle the emergency so she too did nothing. The American economy healed itself so quickly and completely that most have never heard of the 1920 depression. Most only think of the economic boom of the Roaring 20's or maybe the 1929 stock market crash when that decade is brought up. When it comes to the economy, being a houseplant is not necessarily a bad thing. What Biden and the democrat majorities in both houses of Congress have done since taking power has been worse than if they did nothing. They can thank Joe Manchin for any positive they can show economically.

As for the inflation caused by the Democrats, that is going to hurt. Contrary to some of the more idiotic outlets, it isn't as easy as fixing the supply chain. Biden and the Democrats are backed into a corner. If they do what it takes to solve the inflation issue it will put the economy into a deep recession unlike anything we've seen since 1981 and the Democrats will be blamed for it. If they don't take the necessary action in hopes of escaping electoral retribution then inflation will rage to the point that the US can't afford the interest payments on the national debt and the Democrats will be blamed for it. The Democrats could not have picked a worse time to take control of everything with a leader about which Obama reportedly said "Don't underestimate Joe's ability to [eff] things up".