Political Randomness

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:00 pm

Pew Research

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:03 pm

Seems like they should split up Bush and Obama.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:21 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:

Pew Research

So, if the Greatest generation == "Go Dems!" and Millenials == "Go Dems!" then by the transitive property, the Millenials are the Greatest generation. QED.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Oct 28, 2015 11:06 pm

I turned 18 during the Ford administration but Nixon formed my earliest political views. The red/blue split there is interesting.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:22 pm

El Guapo wrote:Paul Ryan Says He Will Serve As House Speaker, Maybe.

Done.

Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin was elected the 54th speaker of the House on Thursday, taking the gavel that he never sought to wield from John A. Boehner, who relinquished it under fire.

But the personal jubilance and high expectations felt by Mr. Boehner, who was elected in a sweeping Republican takeover of the House in 2011, have been replaced with a grim recognition that Mr. Ryan’s ascent stems not from electoral victory but rather the chaos in the ranks of his party’s sizable majority.

Mr. Ryan received 236 votes, a comfortable margin that included several of the hardline conservatives who had worked to oust Mr. Boehner. In his address to Congress after the vote, he implored members who have been fighting so bitterly to find a way to work together. “Let’s be frank, the House is broken,” Mr. Ryan said. “We are not settling scores,” he added, “we are wiping the slate clean.”

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:31 pm

Was he able to secure the concessions he originally demanded? In particular, the ones that make it really hard to oust him in the same manner as his predecessor?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:55 pm

hepcat wrote:Was he able to secure the concessions he originally demanded? In particular, the ones that make it really hard to oust him in the same manner as his predecessor?

Paul Ryan Now Compromising on House Crazies Threatening to Depose Him.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 1:02 pm

The main concession is his presidential ambitions. He carries the stink of the speakership now.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 1:08 pm

It's amazing to me that the so called "Freedom Caucus" has as much power in Washington as they do. They're so utterly toxic that I would've hoped the GOP would flush them from their system by now...or at least have marginalized their voice.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:27 pm

Democrats not paying their taxes.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:33 pm

Pennsylvania election today, state and local. I voted for two Republicans (sheriff and one city commissioner) and the rest Dems or Independents.

This Supreme Court election is a real rarity. State SC justices run in retention elections (nearly impossible to lose) every ten years, so there are partisan elections only when there is no incumbent. Right now the four sitting incumbents are tied Dem/Rep, and there are *three* open seats--something that hasn't happened since the 1700's.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:13 pm

I skipped our local election today because 3/4 of the candidates were running unopposed, and the only contested offices were things I don't know or care about, like school board. It's the first election I can remember missing. Turnout was expected to be under 15%.

OK, actually I forgot all about it, but I'd decided to skip it anyway.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:18 pm

Kraken wrote:the only contested offices were things I don't know or care about, like school board.

So when they start teaching Creationism in science class we can blame you?

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:22 pm

Moliere wrote:
Kraken wrote:the only contested offices were things I don't know or care about, like school board.
So when they start teaching Creationism in science class we can blame you?

The code word is "blessed."

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:27 pm

Moliere wrote:
Kraken wrote:the only contested offices were things I don't know or care about, like school board.
So when they start teaching Creationism in science class we can blame you?

Heh. If that ever becomes remotely possible in MA, we are all screwed. IDK what the local education issues are, but I do know that evangelicals aren't calling them.

Although I am starting to see Trump signs sprouting on local lawns, so who knows where THAT could lead?

Enough · Post by **Enough** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:27 pm

Moliere wrote:
Kraken wrote:the only contested offices were things I don't know or care about, like school board.
So when they start teaching Creationism in science class we can blame you?

Multiple school districts in CO have been taken over by "reformers" funded by the Koch brothers. Jeffco is having a recall election today focused on those folks, it's been incredibly ugly watching it all go down.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 7:30 pm

Kraken wrote:I skipped our local election today because 3/4 of the candidates were running unopposed, and the only contested offices were things I don't know or care about, like school board. It's the first election I can remember missing. Turnout was expected to be under 15%.

OK, actually I forgot all about it, but I'd decided to skip it anyway.

I fetishize elections and very rarely skip one.

But I forgot to mention that this time I had the pleasure of voting for my good friend Helen to be on the Philadelphia city council. That's pretty cool.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 11:42 pm

My local results:

It looks like the PA Supreme Court race could be a clean sweep for Democrats, resulting in a 5-2 advantage for many years to come. Big implications for the state, obviously, but also for correcting our gerrymandered contribution to the U.S. House of Representatives.

And my pal won her first city council race as the top single vote-getter among the many candidates for 7 seats.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 11:58 pm

Conga rats to your friend.

Candidates at the local level do not run with an (R) or a (D) after their names here. Unless you pay attention to the candidates and the issues, it's not possible to vote a partisan ticket. I skipped the election because (a) most of the officials were unopposed and (b) I didn't pay attention because (c) my town is remarkably well run -- the budget is healthy, schools and services are good, the streets are safe. The worst thing I can say about it is that it's too family-oriented and boring. The guy selling wine at the farmers market can't give out tastes because OMG think of the children!

AFAIK nobody was running on a free wine sample platform. That would've gotten me to the polls.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 2:43 am

all the levies and funding measures passed in the city... so the state votes to cut the sales tax.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 9:36 am

I'm kind of sad about the Kentucky gubernatorial result - the tea party candidate (Matt Bevin) becoming the new governor there. Honestly I don't know a ton of specifics about Bevin, but what I do know...sounds kind of like Sam Brownback redux. He will probably do a lot to gut health care reform in Kentucky, which will do real harm to a lot of poor Kentuckians.

Oh well...at least I don't live there.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 5:40 pm

El Guapo wrote:I'm kind of sad about the Kentucky gubernatorial result - the tea party candidate (Matt Bevin) becoming the new governor there. Honestly I don't know a ton of specifics about Bevin, but what I do know...sounds kind of like Sam Brownback redux. He will probably do a lot to gut health care reform in Kentucky, which will do real harm to a lot of poor Kentuckians.

Oh well...at least I don't live there.

I don't see how that's a winning strategy.

Bevin: "Ima take healthcare away from teh poor! LOL."
Voters: "LOL"

I guess you have to really hate the poor or Obama or government or something to go along with that.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 6:37 pm

Kraken wrote:
El Guapo wrote:I'm kind of sad about the Kentucky gubernatorial result - the tea party candidate (Matt Bevin) becoming the new governor there. Honestly I don't know a ton of specifics about Bevin, but what I do know...sounds kind of like Sam Brownback redux. He will probably do a lot to gut health care reform in Kentucky, which will do real harm to a lot of poor Kentuckians.

Oh well...at least I don't live there.
I don't see how that's a winning strategy.

Bevin: "Ima take healthcare away from teh poor! LOL."
Voters: "LOL"

I guess you have to really hate the poor or Obama or government or something to go along with that.

What is so pathetic about it is the average taxpayer will probably save something like $3.30.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 12:14 am

Ben Carson learned Egyptian History from Sid Meier's Civ

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 12:22 am

Defiant wrote:Ben Carson learned Egyptian History from Sid Meier's Civ

Obviously not, or he would know that they built them in order to unlock advanced government forms.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 12:37 am

Defiant wrote:Ben Carson learned Egyptian History from Sid Meier's Civ

Someone should explain to him that "scientist" and "scientologist" are not the same word. I'm pretty sure that there aren't a lot of "scientists" that try to explain the pyramids in terms of alien visitations (not this side of Stargate, anyway).

P.S. I'm really hoping the Daniel Jackson face palm is because of the alien thing.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 12:55 am

Max Peck wrote: P.S. I'm really hoping the Daniel Jackson face palm is because of the alien thing.

No it's because of the pyramids thing. THEY'RE LANDING PADS!

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 12:55 am

El Guapo wrote:
Defiant wrote:Ben Carson learned Egyptian History from Sid Meier's Civ

Obviously not, or he would know that they built them in order to unlock advanced government forms.

I thought they were equivalent to a granary in each of your cities? In one of them, at least.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 1:10 am

Defiant wrote:
Max Peck wrote: P.S. I'm really hoping the Daniel Jackson face palm is because of the alien thing.
No it's because of the pyramids thing. THEY'RE LANDING PADS!

For aliens?

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 1:30 am

Carson makes the rest of the Republican field look almost sane. Well, okay, maybe not Huckabee...

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 1:41 am

Max Peck wrote:
Defiant wrote:
Max Peck wrote: P.S. I'm really hoping the Daniel Jackson face palm is because of the alien thing.
No it's because of the pyramids thing. THEY'RE LANDING PADS!
For aliens?

For space ships, duh. Aliens would be way too small to land on them.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:10 am

Defiant wrote:
El Guapo wrote:
Defiant wrote:Ben Carson learned Egyptian History from Sid Meier's Civ

Obviously not, or he would know that they built them in order to unlock advanced government forms.
I thought they were equivalent to a granary in each of your cities? In one of them, at least.

Not if you're old school. You damn kids.

I will say, checking the Civ Wiki, that I was surprised that the function of the Great Pyramids changed as early as Civ II - I thought it wasn't until Civ 3 or 4. Though it went back to its Civ 1 function in Revolution (which I played a lot of).

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:24 am

So he said that in 1998. Sometimes people learn, especially gifted brain surgeons.

And sometimes they don't.

When asked if he stands by his 1998 comments by CBS News on Wednesday night, Carson said, "It's still my belief, yes."

The retired neurosurgeon said that "the pyramids were made in a way that they had hermetically sealed compartments."

"You would need that if you were trying to preserve grain for a long period of time," he said.

This tells me everything I need to know about Carson: when informed by science and expert knowledge that he is wrong, he sticks to his opinion because it reminds him of a Bible story.

I'm guessing his Middle East policy will be hard on the Amalekites.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:17 am

Holman wrote:I'm guessing his Middle East policy will be hard on the Amalekites.

I wonder what his plague of frogs disaster plan is.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:57 am

Defiant wrote:
Max Peck wrote:
Defiant wrote:
Max Peck wrote: P.S. I'm really hoping the Daniel Jackson face palm is because of the alien thing.
No it's because of the pyramids thing. THEY'RE LANDING PADS!
For aliens?
For space ships, duh. Aliens would be way too small to land on them.

Doh!!!

I'm keeping that graphic. Much better than the Picard Facepalm.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 3:53 pm

Chariots of the Gods, man. ..

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:54 pm

El Guapo wrote:
Defiant wrote:
El Guapo wrote:
Defiant wrote:Ben Carson learned Egyptian History from Sid Meier's Civ

Obviously not, or he would know that they built them in order to unlock advanced government forms.
I thought they were equivalent to a granary in each of your cities? In one of them, at least.
Not if you're old school. You damn kids.

I will say, checking the Civ Wiki, that I was surprised that the function of the Great Pyramids changed as early as Civ II - I thought it wasn't until Civ 3 or 4. Though it went back to its Civ 1 function in Revolution (which I played a lot of).

In any case, if this guy gets elected I think we'd all be much better off if Montezuma decides to invade.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:28 pm

And yet, Gandhi is still an asshole.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:44 pm

tgb wrote:And yet, Gandhi is still an asshole.

Only because he has NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 1:48 pm

And Keystone XL is laid to rest. I'm sure that a revenant Keystonesque XXL looms somewhere over the horizon, biding its time.

It took more than seven years, but Barack Obama has finally got to "no".

Maybe it was the election of a Liberal government in Canada that is more suspicious of big energy projects. Maybe it was the sharp decline in oil prices over the past year. Or maybe it was Friday's announcement that the US unemployment rate has dropped to 5%, the lowest of Mr Obama's presidency.

Whatever the explanation, the president decided now was the time to finally strike the death blow to the controversial pipeline. It's a move that will be heralded by environmentalists, condemned by Republicans on the presidential campaign trail and - almost certainly - largely overlooked by an American public that was never really engaged on the issue.

The president's decision puts Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton in a comfortable spot. She had recently come out against the pipeline, and Mr Obama's move takes the issue off the table - at least for now.