U.S. politics isolation tank

[DeepGreenEyes]

Mitt's already presenting that vaguely compassionate conservative practical get-stuff-done guy thing. And he can't do folksy. He's tried.

He is what he is and everybody already knows what he is, that's my point. Mitt v. Obama comes down to what the economy & Obama do between now and November.

The president's rising polls in the face of some decent economic trends support your point. I just think Mitt could be doing things to improve his odds a bit, and he's not. How can he not have a whole plan, and a 20 second talking point ready on our taxes, after campaigning for five years?!

So, JMo, you were right about the Mittster's tithing. He gave about $7 mil to the LDS church over the last couple of years and paid out about $4 mil in income taxes.

Mitt is the personal embodiment of the argument that the taxation system in this country is hugely skewed for the benefit of the very wealthy. I don't think O has the cajones to do it, but if he were to campaign on a platform that included a drastic simplification of the tax code such that Mitt and you and I were all paying roughly the same percentage of our income (from all sources) then I think he'd cut the Repubs off a the knees.

He sounded pretty damn good today in Las Vegas. Not a simplification of the code, but pressed on the very popular idea of fairness, and paying back into America for those who have benefitted. Kept using himself as an example of someone who doesn't need a tax break. It resonates.

Liberals are AFRAID of Ging...wait. Glee?

Glee. Giddiness. Newt!!!!

yes-- Mitt aside, Obama is running against himself. He has to sell himself to the democrats and the 99%ers. And he could lose.

Turnout and enthusiasm will be huge. But will the GOP have it with "moderate" Mitt? And will they have it among anyone but crazies if it's Newt?

 

[rosco rathbone]

Glee. Giddiness. Newt!!!!

By the time Newt is done with Obama on the debate stage, the potus himself will be begging Newt for mercy! He might even step down and appoint Newt as President then and there! You liberals can't HANDLE the truth!

 

[JMohegan]

By the time Newt is done with Obama on the debate stage, the potus himself will be begging Newt for mercy! He might even step down and appoint Newt as President then and there! You liberals can't HANDLE the truth!

Amen, man. Spread the word!

 

[rosco rathbone]

Amen, man. Spread the word!

I forwarded the chain email to everyone at bingo.

 

[JMohegan]

I forwarded the chain email to everyone at bingo.

Ahaha, good job!

 

[LilyBart]

Holy shit! Thought I'd drop by after a spell only to find a bunch of Newsters. *sigh* This is a man who pretty much reinvents himself to suit his aspirations. Not that I am opposed to reinventing oneself, but probably not a practical move for a presidential candidate.

Anyway, hello!

~LB

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

By the time Newt is done with Obama on the debate stage, the potus himself will be begging Newt for mercy! He might even step down and appoint Newt as President then and there! You liberals can't HANDLE the truth!

Jack Nicholson woulda been a great Newt.

Holy shit! Thought I'd drop by after a spell only to find a bunch of Newsters. *sigh* This is a man who pretty much reinvents himself to suit his aspirations. Not that I am opposed to reinventing oneself, but probably not a practical move for a presidential candidate.

How dare you! Newt changes because human form is too brittle and confined for his magnanimatude. Like the semi-aquatic amphibian of the family Salamandridae, Newt lives terrestrially but returns to the water each year to breed in the pond of ideas, feasting on hubris.

 

[JMohegan]

Holy shit! Thought I'd drop by after a spell only to find a bunch of Newsters. *sigh* This is a man who pretty much reinvents himself to suit his aspirations. Not that I am opposed to reinventing oneself, but probably not a practical move for a presidential candidate.

Anyway, hello!

~LB

Hello, LB! How've you been?

No worries, we were just goofin' around.

My serious comment -
Reinventing oneself = Romney. Gingrich is toxic for discourse and governance, and always has been.

 

[Keroin]

Your new candidate for 2012!

 

[midwestyankee]

Your new candidate for 2012!

If it weren't for the fact that we already have a President who's more polite than Canada, I'd say go for it.

And if, by some slim chance the Newster ever gets elected, I'm looking into the family connections on PEI.

 

[Keroin]

If it weren't for the fact that we already have a President who's more polite than Canada, I'd say go for it.

And if, by some slim chance the Newster ever gets elected, I'm looking into the family connections on PEI.

If Newt wins, I predict mass exodus.

(Invest in parka and toque stocks, just in case).

 

[LilyBart]

How dare you! Newt changes because human form is too brittle and confined for his magnanimatude. Like the semi-aquatic amphibian of the family Salamandridae, Newt lives terrestrially but returns to the water each year to breed in the pond of ideas, feasting on hubris.

 

[mmarfox]

I'm sure as hell going to be looking for an escape route if Newt wins. RON PAUL!!!

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

If it weren't for the fact that we already have a President who's more polite than Canada, I'd say go for it.

Well done, sir! Well, done!

I'm sure as hell going to be looking for an escape route if Newt wins. RON PAUL!!!

I fervently hope Ron Paul runs as an independent, or on the Libertarian ticket. If Mitt is the GOP nominee, he could draw 6-8 percent, I think.

And why shouldn't he run? He'll never get the GOP nomination. Never. Ever. So he might as well run and advance the cause and all that.

 

[mmarfox]

Ron Paul would likely draw more votes away from the Republican side than the Democrat side. So, if he runs as an Independent, he's pretty much losing the election for the Republicans. It's a tricky prospect, which I doubt he'll take.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Ron Paul would likely draw more votes away from the Republican side than the Democrat side. So, if he runs as an Independent, he's pretty much losing the election for the Republicans. It's a tricky prospect, which I doubt he'll take.

You mean he would be less ego driven than Ralph Nader, who helped the Democrats lose to Bush? Naw... Libertarians are ego driven by definition.

He'll run.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

Ron Paul would likely draw more votes away from the Republican side than the Democrat side. So, if he runs as an Independent, he's pretty much losing the election for the Republicans. It's a tricky prospect, which I doubt he'll take.

He's getting up there in age. Now or never!

You mean he would be less ego driven than Ralph Nader, who helped the Democrats lose to Bush? Naw... Libertarians are ego driven by definition.

He'll run.

Oh, this is getting more delicious every day.

 

[mmarfox]

The thing is, I don't think he truly wants to be president. He wants to get his message out there. That's really what I think he's doing, and it's working. He's gotten through the the young adults of our nation, the same ones who will be growing up into more prominent roles of leadership in the near future. We are taking his ideals and incorporating them into our beliefs. In that sense, he has done what he needs to do.

I don't expect him to get the nomination. I don't expect him to run as an Independent. I definitely don't think he's as ego driven as Stella suggests. I do believe that he has helped steer the nation in the right direction with his campaign.

 

[Stella_Omega]

We are taking his ideals and incorporating them into our beliefs

What ideals are you thinking of?

I'm not being sarcastic. I don't like his statements about women's rights, they worry me.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Where's WD? His homeboy has the libs on the run.

 

[midwestyankee]

Where's WD? His homeboy has the libs on the run.

I think you may be confusing "convulsing with laughter" with actual exercise.

 

[mmarfox]

small government, fiscal responsibility, sound economic policies and regulations, consolidation of assets and military forces, foreign policies that avoid unnecessary conflict and spending, letting the markets work independently of governmental manipulation, and simply minimizing the government's role to allow people and social institutions to find their natural equilibrium.

In other words, letting the natural balance of things run their own course without government intervention.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm not going to get into the financial arguments, but I'm curious about this one;

What kinds of social institutions do you think will attain a natural equilibrium without government interference, and what would that equilibrium look like?

 

[rosco rathbone]

We were taking this test on the GB.

http://www.gotoquiz.com/politics/political-spectrum-quiz.html

I'm a "far left" (8.49) "social authoritarian" (1.something).

In other words, an anti-libertarian.

 

[BiBunny]

We were taking this test on the GB.

http://www.gotoquiz.com/politics/political-spectrum-quiz.html

I'm a "far left" (8.49) "social authoritarian" (1.something).

In other words, an anti-libertarian.

I found this interesting. I don't know shit about politics, but I read this thread to try not to be quite as stupid about it as I am. Anyway, I took the quiz. This is what I got:

Bunny is a left social libertarian. She is also a non-interventionist and culturally liberal. Bunny's scores (from 0 to 10):

Economic issues: +4.33 left
Social issues: +4.47 libertarian
Foreign policy: +4.03 non-interventionist
Cultural identification: +4.03 liberal

Fascinating.