US News & Politics

[Anyponedrawn]

As well, thought it is not a harsh attack, John Kasich has finally named Donald Trump by name in his latest piece.  He is saying Donald Trump has created a "toxic environment."

Kasich has run a clean campaign this entire time, so this is an interesting video as he spells out just what he thinks of this campaign.  FOX News reports that Kasich is leading ohio 34% to Trump's 29%.  Of course this is not enough to win the election for Kasich, but it could be enough to prohibit Trump from getting enough delegates to be nominated by the Republican Party.

Meanwhile our Comedian in Chief mocks Donald Trump.  8 years of this man, and our country has become more divided then ever. 

[RainySunshine]

I did a quick tally.  Each time a persons name was mentioned, I marked it down.  If a person was clearly the subject of a post, but not named, I counted it as a tally.  I did not count quotes with people's names as a tally.  I was surprised by the results and how little a lot of candidates are actually being talked about by us.  Also higher polled Republican's like Cruz and Rubio were talked less by us then Kasich.  Sanders and Clinton barely topped our mentions of Trump alone.  We apparently don't talk about Obama much.

We have a very diverse group of people here, and reading your viewpoints and how some have grown, dwindled, and changed in this short span shows how exciting this race is.  For example, at least two Hispanics on this site have differing opinions of one person.  One doesn't follow a stereotype here, another may.  Someone mentions the elections of the early 90s and how similar they are.  This is a fun topic to follow.  We talk about a lot.  Plus, NO fights yet.   Richard Nixon was mentioned a lot, though I didn't tally him.

So below are the results.  How many mentions for each person in this topic alone.

Republicans

Donald Trump - 57
John Kasich - 16
Ted Cruz - 14
Marco Rubio - 14
Ben Carson - 8
Chris Christie - 5
Jeb Bush - 4
Mitt Romney - 3

Democrats

Bernie Sanders - 32
Hillary Clinton - 28
Barack Obama - 4

[Death Blossom]

I'm watching the video you posted APD, at what point does somebody try to attack Trump? I just see the SS jump in after a few people start yelling. But it's pretty cool how fast they can swoop in and surround Trump. They're good at what they do.

Anyway, my criticism of Bernie is his whole thing on economics. The way he comes off makes it seem he doesn't understand how economics works. I've only heard people deny he's a socialist when in arguments. Like I've mentioned before, all the Trump supporters I know are very cool headed, good people who don't care who you support. All the Bernie supporters I know are... Buttholes.

[Wolfwood]

I'm watching the video you posted APD, at what point does somebody try to attack Trump? I just see the SS jump in after a few people start yelling. But it's pretty cool how fast they can swoop in and surround Trump. They're good at what they do.

You can't see the person attacking in the video, but it is the very beginning.  The camera isn't on it.

This article is a propaganda piece from the Global Times in China.  It seems like they hate Trump. 

[yasl]

We apparently don't talk about Obama much.

Presumably because he's not an election candidate?  And I guess his term was unspectacular, but also not entirely awful?

Who here remembers his preemptive Nobel Peace Prize?  Haw haw haw!  What a joke!

Anyway, my criticism of Bernie is his whole thing on economics. The way he comes off makes it seem he doesn't understand how economics works. I've only heard people deny he's a socialist when in arguments. Like I've mentioned before, all the Trump supporters I know are very cool headed, good people who don't care who you support. All the Bernie supporters I know are... Buttholes.

In so far as socialism means not-capitalism, I don't think he's a socialist.  In so far as it means a welfare state and state-owned utilities, probably yes?  But the welfare state is ultimately a capitalist structure, and only "socialist" in a very colloquial sense.  Perhaps "democratic socialism" is a correct term for this, though it's a confusing term because it is, once again, /not actually socialism/, but rather a form of capitalism.

Political terminology is hopelessly broken.

I'm confident that the bureaucracy would never let his most implausible measures come to pass (like 100% free University) but he may be able to strike useful compromises (like income-contingent student loan repayments).  He also seems to be the least socially authoritarian candidate, and since civil liberties are the issue nearest & dearest to me, that earns him a lot of points in my book.  I agree that single-payer healthcare is not likely to be cost-effective in America; the fundamental issue is that American healthcare is wildly expensive compared with the rest of the OECD, and I do not think the environment is such that a single-payer body could muster sufficient leverage to bring the pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries (and doctors!) to heel.  I'm also not confident that a massive increase in the minimum wage would work well in America; my reading has lead me to be tentatively supportive of Basic Income (a flat, universal, unconditional baseline income) but it's not been sufficiently studied at this point.

That said, if the Illuminati dropped by today and told me that I'd been randomly picked to be the citizen who must immediately choose the next President out of all current candidates, I'd probably pick Sanders.  fwiw, I'm not in the least offended by anyone who supports anyone else.

Trump would probably be my Republican pick, assuming he knocks off the minority bashing and immigration scaremongering once his nomination is secure.  I do not truly know how large an "if" that is, but I hope and suspect it's a small one.

Buuuut my overriding feeling still stands: that we'd be best off if all current candidates quit the field and took up extreme mini-golf.

:(

[Darrin]

We apparently don't talk about Obama much.

Who here remembers his preemptive Nobel Peace Prize?  Haw haw haw!  What a joke!

That was a joke.  Obama should never have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize.  But he was the European world's golden boy at that time... you know, before they started laughing and making fun of him.

[Smiles2us]

Today is a super Tuesday of sorts, so lets see who stays in and who goes out. 

[Silverwing]

SUPER TUESDAY II

Today is a new Super Tuesday II, and it has major implications for people on both parties!  Lets check it out below and see my predictions.  Five states are in the running this time, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois.  In take all states, certain winners can stop Trump from winning his delegates come the Republican convention.

MARCO RUBIO



This is huge.  Even though Rubio's camp has not said they would pull out of the race if they lose Florida, it would be a major blow no matter what if he loses his home state.  He has said that he will wait till Utah which is coming later.  At this point, I don't see Rubio winning any of the states tonight, not his home state.  I don't see how he can legitimize staying in the race.  His biggest momentum decrease came when he started bashing Trump, equally as hard.  While some would argue he was winning that bashing game, it really hurt his image and his voters moved away, and as polls are showing, many went to Kasich.  There was hope that Kasich supporters would help support Rubio so he could legitimize his win in Florida, but the Kasich camp said no.  Similarly, the Kasich camp says they don't want Rubio to tell his voters to vote for Kasich in Ohio.  Said they wanted to win fair and square.

JOHN KASICH



A major night for John Kasich.  He needs to win Ohio, his home state.  While this won't propel him to the top, it is a large amount of delegates, and if Rubio happens to step out of the race, he would need to acquire the Rubio delegates.  His win could also put a hold on Trump winning enough delegates by the convention.  This week, Kasich has finally spoken out against the "toxic environment" that has occurred around Trump rallies.  He says he has run a clean campaign and will continue forward, hoping that people still respect honesty, morales, and values.  Trump has already blasted Kasich, for the first time, on his "toxic environment" comment.  Earlier in the election, Trump showed much respect and admiration for Gov. Kasich.  I expect Kasich to win Ohio, and only Ohio.  Oddly, if you look at counties bordering Ohio in other states, they have mostly all been Trump wins, and could be a bad sign coming into this Tuesday night.  He needs this win to stay in the race.

TED CRUZ



I expect Cruz to win Missouri.  He is popular with the evangelical voters and that is what Missouri is.  He may also have a strong showing in North Carolina, but overall, tonight is not huge for Cruz as he is still riding the wave of support from previous state wins.  Though he needs to look ahead at upcoming states and see if he can pick up wins outside the Bible-belt. 

DONALD TRUMP



Overall he will probably win Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina.  He has a good chance to win Ohio and Missouri.  He could win every single state possibly.  The Trump brand has done nothing but expand, even as the media and social media outlets get more negative on him.  Recently crowds of younger college-aged people have been trying to disrupt and stop, Trump rallies.  A major event planned in Chicago was cancelled by Trump due to over a 1,000 protesters.  Whether Trump wins two or more states, he will continue to do well in polls unless he does something horrible to his own image.  Only Trump can take down Trump at this point.

BERNIE SANDERS



Sanders has shown he can keep going and will keep going.  His camp says he has enough money to go on for some time.  Today, Sanders noted that he would have ran as an Independent, but said he would have gotten no media attention, so he ran as a Democrat.  It is likely Sanders will pull off a surprise win, but if he doesn't, he has a good chance at winning California, Oregon, and Washington, as those three states get nearer.  Bernie did release his tax plan, which would see the a tax increase average of $9,000 per household, but wealthy earners would see the largest jump in their tax bill. Wealthier people outside the middle class bracket would see a 45% increase in their taxes.

HILLARY CLINTON



After a recent gaffe by Clinton saying the U.S. lost no lives in Libya, she has her husband, Bill Clinton, moving forward with more rallies for her.  Right now Hillary has far more votes if you include her super delegates, but without her super delegates, she only leads Sanders by 200 some delegates.  The super delegates may changes, and are support to vote based on what the people want, not what the super delegate themselves wants, though that does not seem to be the case.  Hillary has to still worry about the surprise wins Sanders may be able to get.  He did it last week with Michigan, and could easily pull off a win again tonight.

[RainySunshine]

Hillary is currently leading every state, but Bernie is holding on with Missouri too early to call.

Trump has won everything except Ohio.  Cruz and Trump are too close to call Missouri.

John Kasich handily defeats Trump in Ohio.

Trump stomps on Marco Rubio in Florida.  Marco Rubio has pulled out of the Presidential bid. 

[RainySunshine]

Marco Rubio steps out of the run for presidency in a rather embarrassing defeat to Donald Trump in his home state of Florida.  No doubt, the senator will be part of the Republican party's future, but this is not his year.  During his run, Rubio won three nominating contests, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.   

Source

[Anyponedrawn]

This will be interesting.  At this point, with Kasich still in the game, he will be a thorn in Cruz's side.  He will continue to take delegates from Cruz and continue to allow Trump to win.

Hillary has taken out the Bern.  Hillary will be the Democrat candidate unless something insane happens or the FBI steps in. 

[Anyponedrawn]

Big news today.

President Obama nominates moderately liberal, Merrick Garland for the supreme court justice position. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke with Garland by phone but did not change his position that "the American people will have a voice."  He would be the replacement for Justice Scalia. 

Republican establishment lashes out at Kasich.  So we got someone from the Cruz mapping calling Kasich, delusional for staying in the race thinking he can win.  We got Tea Party pundit, Glenn Beck, calling Kasich a son of a b*tch for staying in the race.  He claims Kasich staying in the race is going to allow for Trump to win, and that the country is at stake.  I know he is passionate for his cause, but slamming another person within your own realm of thinking isn't bring the Republican Party together.  Things are a pretty big mess right now.

[MasterXtreme]

Protesters in Arizona block highway to Trump rally.

Trump effigies be-headed in Salt Lake City.

Donald Trump Protest in Manhattan, from Central Park to Trump Tower.

[mysteryserpent]

Politics....it's worse than war sometimes. I live in Utah and even though I'm in my "safety bubble" of college campus, politics bring out anger in so many people.

[Anyponedrawn]

It seems Chelsea Clinton has admitted that Hillary Clinton wants American tax payers to pay for Illegal Immigrant healthcare. It would be an extension of the national healthcare plan (Obamacare).  Source