2012 US General Election Discussions: Start to Finish

[dreadgeek]

So Palin has canceled the rest of her "I love the America that loves me tour" and gone back to Alaska half-way through. At this point, I think that pretty much wraps it up for any speculation about her running for President. Not even the Democrats could avoid making her tendency to quit things half-done an albatross. Hell, that ad writes itself. "Sarah Palin quit being governor after 20 months. She quit her 'bus tour of America' halfway through. Would she quit being President after that proved not to be fun either?"

That said, I didn't think she was going to run. She makes a hell of a lot more money and can be much more irresponsible and uninformed if she's a pundit. Since she'll never be making policy, she doesn't have to actually know anything, she can just throw firebombs at the Democrats or at liberals, claiming that anyone who would even think of voting Democrat is not just in sympathy with Al Qaeda or North Korea but is ACTUALLY Kim Jong-Il. If she's a serious contender for President, she can't do that.

My read on Palin is that she is a grifter and she has hit on a fantastic scam. Go out amongst the people, stoke up their resentments, pretend to be 'just like them' and, don't ya know, there's this book you can buy or this DVD you can buy or this tee-shirt or watch the reality TV show. She'd be a fool to give up that scam for a responsible job like POTUS. She may be woefully under-informed about any particular subject you care to mention (Paul Revere etc.) but she's not a fool.

Cheers
Aj

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by dreadgeek

So Palin has canceled the rest of her "I love the America that loves me tour" and gone back to Alaska half-way through. At this point, I think that pretty much wraps it up for any speculation about her running for President. Not even the Democrats could avoid making her tendency to quit things half-done an albatross. Hell, that ad writes itself. "Sarah Palin quit being governor after 20 months. She quit her 'bus tour of America' halfway through. Would she quit being President after that proved not to be fun either?"

That said, I didn't think she was going to run. She makes a hell of a lot more money and can be much more irresponsible and uninformed if she's a pundit. Since she'll never be making policy, she doesn't have to actually know anything, she can just throw firebombs at the Democrats or at liberals, claiming that anyone who would even think of voting Democrat is not just in sympathy with Al Qaeda or North Korea but is ACTUALLY Kim Jong-Il. If she's a serious contender for President, she can't do that.

My read on Palin is that she is a grifter and she has hit on a fantastic scam. Go out amongst the people, stoke up their resentments, pretend to be 'just like them' and, don't ya know, there's this book you can buy or this DVD you can buy or this tee-shirt or watch the reality TV show. She'd be a fool to give up that scam for a responsible job like POTUS. She may be woefully under-informed about any particular subject you care to mention (Paul Revere etc.) but she's not a fool.

Cheers
Aj

Your take on her strikes me as right on! She has found a better gig than Ginrich did. Both of these people view politics as their gravy train. Huckabee may also be in this camp.

No, she is not a fool at all. She's laughing all the way to the bank as "they" say.

I thought she might continue the bus tour in terms of wanting to build up a nominee contender like Santorum who seems like her "brand of tea."

Besides all that, Bachman has taken over the spotlight for a woman nominee and I think the Christian-right sees her as a more viable "candidate" to push their agenda in the GOP and the platform that surfaces for the 2012 race.

Huntsman jumped in and I actually have to give some kudos for this statement- "I respect the president," Huntsman said. "He and I have a difference of opinion on how to help the country we both love. But the question each of us wants the voters to answer is who will be the better president, not who is the better American."

He breaks away from all the Obama as "not an American" BS and away from all the nutso-crazy spins from so many of the Tea Party crowd. He could be viewed as a serious contender against Obama. I would love to be behind the scenes at Obama re-election headquarters as they discuss the possible GOP field in terms of who would be the GOP candidate that could beat Obama. And he is vulnerable, I think. Although, his team in 2008 kept their eyes on real prize- electoral votes. But, 2012 could be a very different situation.

The Democrats have got to stay focused on job creation and getting the jobless rate down. Yes, I say this because I want Obama re-elected, but also because damn it, people in the US are having a hell of a bad time in this economy and what is the future going to be like for young people entering the job market?

I think Obama strategists need to knock off trying to talk about the economy in terms of what Obama walked into (inheriting Bush's mess) and build the case for his methods and policies being a more solid way to re-build the US economy. They have to find a way to make the general population understand that we do need to invest in infra-structure for the kinds of jobs that are a reality in our future. A very tough sell.
One that has to be done.

For me, thinking of Obama as a one-term president is fraught with fear of the Health-Care Reform Acts being repealed because these are visionary and do need the test of time for people to see that economically they make sense and that they will bring a healthier and stronger workforce along that represents all of the people. The GOP has thwarted health care based upon a free society since FDR. It is a fucking big deal!

[Dallas2010]

Does anyone know anything about New Mexico gov. Gary Johnson? From what I've read about him so far, it sounds like he may the the right man for the job.

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by Dallas2010

Does anyone know anything about New Mexico gov. Gary Johnson? From what I've read about him so far, it sounds like he may the the right man for the job.

He is a fucking idiot who tried to destroy the public education system in NM. He made his millions on constuction jobs paid for by the state. Just because he thinks pot should be legal does not mean he is any kind of man for the job.

edited to add He vetoed 200 of 424 bills in his first six months in office – a national record of 48% of all legislation – and used the line-item veto on most remaining bills. He is a libertarian and is anti-tax and anti-government in general.

[Toughy]

I just hope NO ONE makes the mistake of under-estimating Michele Bachman. She is not stupid and is a very astute politician. She can and will give Obama a run for his money. If Nader jumps in as a Green Party candidate, she could end up President......be very very very afraid of that and make plans to move to a free country cuz this one will no longer be free.

[AtLast]

Oh, yes, do pay attention to Nader entering the race. Obama is vulnerable and so many people, including left-wingers are so tired of Washington antics and stagnation.

The more I think about things, I can't help the thought of all the talk of Bohner not being in control as the Speaker over the Tea party reps as bogus- I think it is intentional in terms of taking Obama down.

The House since the mid-terms has done nothing for job creation (as was the Tea Party cry) and promoted nothing but anti-abortion and women's health bills. Along with this, the GOP/Tea Party govenors elected have been focused on the same things along with taking unions down. No real job creation work going on with them, either. Consequently, the jobless rate has stayed the same with one small movement downward, then back up.

The GOP knows that the rate of unemployment IS how they can win the White House- probably the only way. So, they have stayed away from actually doing anything to help create jobs so that it is the number one issue on the minds of the electorate in 2012.

Because the US is practically split down the middle politically, and Independents are the ones that really call elections, the GOP knows that halting job creation no matter how they do it will actually work in their favor. All they have to do is keep up the distractions with legislation to set the stage and continue to have the circus continue to focus on Obama not producing jobs and they are in.

I think the GOP political machine including Boehner is very much in control and knows exactly what it is doing even if some of their candidates draw laughter.

I also think Bachman is dangerous and that the GOP will rally behind someone like her- even the traditional GOP base- to gain the presidency and continue to dismantle the middle class in the US. They really do not care about middle and working class people at all. The rise of a millionaire elite is what they want.

During times of economic stress, I think someone like Bachman being elected could happen. It's all in the "calculations."

[Ebon]

Anyone voting for her?



You know it's bad when Fox is calling out Tea Party members.