First of all I am speaking about now, not Bob Dole. Who btw may look like a nice guy in hindsight, but at the time was considered a rather snarky, even mean person. And I said "too many", not all GOP voters. Policy differences aside and maybe trying to be generous here too much, I would not call the following candidates too abrasive - Kasich, Bush, Huckabee, Carson, even Santorum. Somewhere in the middle I suppose is Rubio, who I have different problems with and find his pandering so great as to be abrasive in his own way. The worst here are Fiorina, Christie, and of course Trump and worst of all Cruz. I agree that disaffected white middle class voters are in turmoil this year. That's part of the Sanders campaign's success on the left as well as what is going on in the GOP. But... while I agree Cruz is anti-establishment, I don't think he's talking to the same people as Trump. Trump to be kind seems to appeal to voters who are essentially lost in terms of understanding the world around them. They are angry at this (as Cruz voters are angry, but for different reasons), and blame the elites including leaders of both parties. They think Trump is a bully who will be on their side and somehow straighten things out to their benefit. He appeals to their sense that things are so not working for them that they think just shaking things up will make it somehow better. At worst this is an appeal that can go in a rather fascistic direction, but that is a discussion in itself. Cruz as best I can tell instead appeals to a group of voters who essentially want to double down on otherwise conventional far right approaches. This includes a far more conservative set of ideas on cultural and social issues than Trump, including his overt and frankly embarrassing claims of religious inspiration. Cruz has no new policy ideas, just that those who have gone before him have not been extreme enough, not enough of an asshole, to bring back that lost America that never really existed. Contrary to Trump, who basically welcomes a more diverse if still nearly entirely white following, Cruz is hardline religious right wing extremist in what he appeals to. I tend to agree, however, that it is difficult seeing Cruz command a majority of the delegates when the convention rolls around. At this point that is probably also true of Trump. the problem is I don't know who the establishment can coalesce around in convincing fashion.
Rubio is the guy most likely to be positioned to take a brokered convention without inspiring rioting in the GOP base. It would be ugly as hell though, even with the manufactured balloon drop with everybody singing God Bless America. He'd lose most if not all of the Trump voters who are only here because Trump is, a sizeable number although it is unclear exactly where it stands. Bush would be the ideal choice for the establishment, speaks spanish fluently, married to a hispanic, clear GOP bloodline, could sell himself as an effective conservative (not compassionate but speaking to the same ideal). The Trump and Cruz voters would collectively riot if this happened. After that, you're right there just isn't a good candidate for the establishment to rally around. If Christie was able to establish a bond with evangelicals somehow he could take the Trump vote however he's the last kind of politician that a southern evangelical wants to see in the White House. They'd rather yell at Hillary for 4 years than see a "crooked" northeast politician with anger management issues in the White House. And Christie will look very crooked by the time the Democrats are done with him. At least as crooked as Hillary.
eh. we shouldn't elect them based on how they would be at parties anyway. Its a presidential election not a fucking contest for prom king. Idk if "too many GOP voters actually like people with shitty personalities" or not but who cares and I would actually respect the voting public more if they left personality out of it for once in history. I agree though, not enough discussion on the issues and his proposals. I thought in the last debate when he and Rubio went back and forth on immigration was the best dialogue either party has had in debates thus far. Finally an in-depth comparison of proposals
Jeb's failure makes me laugh because he's like the cookie cutter perfect candidate. Its like if you were going to create a modern presidential candidate in the laboratory you would make a guy exactly like Jeb Bush: -bloodline and connections -rich - very smart. 4.0 GPA in latin american studies - absolutely pristine record (no skeletons in that closet) - nice guy, very articulate -Mexican wife. Meets her as a foreign exchange teacher teaching English in Mexico. and they have good looking multi racial children (how typically progressive American is that?) And yet its his draft dodging, poor student, quirky, alcoholic black sheep older brother who meets his wife drunk at a BBQ that becomes a 2-term President hahaha and nobody votes for Jeb. as an older brother myself who struggled with some demons I find that to be pretty damn hilarious but maybe its just personal here haha
Jeb is in the wrong electoral cycle. Everybody in his party is screaming about Mexicans and he has a Mexican-American wife. He's a nice guy with impeccable governmental connections but everybody in his party is screaming about the government and really hates a nice guy who is currently President. He's very wealthy from old money and the people crashing the GOP party this year are lower middle class white voters who feel like they're becoming the new underclass and nobody is going to do anything about it. In fact the elites are sending their jobs overseas and cutting the benefits they used to get and arguing about whether they should be able to afford medical care or not. The old system in place since Eisenhower was President is a fading memory and neither political party has anything like a coherent plan to replace it. The GOP wants the empire to stay strong overseas and the Democrats want the social safety net to stay strong at home and the combination is bankrupting America because nobody wants to raise taxes to actually pay for it.
byz called that one a couple years ago I think. I believe the progression is Hillary, then George P., then maybe by then Malia Obama will be old enough to be President (that one is mine not Byz)
I am not talking about whether so and so would be a good person to have a beer with. I am talking about how they deal with other people, how effective they are at being a leader and having people feel good about following them. I don't think a fair reading of my posts would lead many to think I was talking a fucking contest for prom king.
I personally don't think HRC is "crooked". To my knowledge this bogus email investigation is the only time she has even been investigated by anything other than a politically driven GOP hatchet job. Whitewater was more an investigation of Bill, and ended up turning up nothing. I know many Republicans have convinced themselves she is corrupt, and Fox News engages in near endless innuendo against her. This has even been picked up by Sanders supporters. So far they have nothing. It may be, as it may be for anyone, that something turns up to change that. But for now, I don't know what you are talking about. It's one of those things that everyone who hates her thinks is a given. But there is no substance to it. Perhaps the widespread hatred for her here is based on something other than sexism. Perhaps. But we can't rule it out, either. Can we?
it's too bad she isn't black, you could have gone right for the race card. must be sexism though. gotta love these default accusations from lefties. totally unpredictable.
^ "Totally predictable!" So is your response. What it is not is on the merits, making a case. Because you have none.
From your article: In a statement released Monday, Clinton’s transition office said every item they accepted was identified by the White House gift office as a present to them. They said none of the gifts taken was on a curator’s list of official White House property. Btw the Clinton referred to was Bill Clinton. We are talking about HRC, I thought.
http://www.mrctv.org/blog/10-scandals-involving-hillary-clinton-you-may-have-forgotten#.afhker9:6iKY I know I know... She was never convicted of any of it. And OJ didn't kill his wife
I mean if you just don't care or if you say so what because all politicians are dirty I'm okay with that. But don't delude yourself into thinking she isn't shady as fuck. We have enough of a body of work and there is just too much smelly bullshit out there
