2014 Elections

[O Really]

Great. Somebody else adding to the risk of getting another GOP in the Senate. I'm sure he's a decent guy, I'd probably like to see him in office. But he has no chance, and I'd go with a flawed incumbent with a big campaign chest over an amateur ten times out of ten.

[bannination]

I'm just curious on what polarizing issue the GOP is going to pull for the election this time. Here lately they've been hitting hard on abortion again, but I don't think that's enough to get them elected. I keep hearing vague things about "cleaning up Obama's mess" however, that's all they are, vague things and they certainly don't describe how they will accomplish this.

It's going to be interesting.

[bannination]

Consultant: Clay Aiken considering NC Congress run

That said, I oppose political rookies running for Congress. They should learn the ropes and pay their dues in our local governments and legislatures before setting their sights so high.

I don't know.... maybe it could be a good thing... them owing less favors and such.

[bannination]

http://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/ ... r-pay.html

Riddle: Pay raises, and cut taxes.



Step 3: Profiiiii bankrupcy?

He did not spell out where he would get the money for teacher pay raises.

Ah yes, he hasn't thought his cunning plan all the way through.

[neoplacebo]

I'm just curious on what polarizing issue the GOP is going to pull for the election this time. Here lately they've been hitting hard on abortion again, but I don't think that's enough to get them elected. I keep hearing vague things about "cleaning up Obama's mess" however, that's all they are, vague things and they certainly don't describe how they will accomplish this.

It's going to be interesting.

Benghazi, Benghazi, guns, vague allusions to bad and worse things to come, and some random stupid statements that only serve to further isolate them from reality. But I could be wrong.....

[Bungalow Bill]

NC is at best a purple state, so Stewart would have very little chance of
winning, unless the Republicans choose one of the nutjobs in the race.
If Tillis is chosen, Stewart would have much less of a chance than Hagan,
so just looking at it in a practical light, Hagan is likely the best bet.

[neoplacebo]

Worse than feckless; leaning toward metamucil.

[rstrong]

If I understand US primaries correctly, it's not all bad.

Remember back in 2000 - not 2008, but 2000 - when McCain was still his own man? I know **Democrats** who said they were considering voting for McCain in 2000.

But being his own man made him a threat to the Republican leadership. Anyone running for office as a Republican was given what was essentially a loyalty oath, stipulating that they would support George W. Bush in the forthcoming primaries exclusively, and not McCain, and if they didn't agree, the Party would withhold its financing from their election bid. They were given a stack of notebooks dictating what their positions were to be on any and every issue, and they were not to deviate from them.

And so the polls liked McCain, but he never had a chance in the primaries. Sort of like how in 2008 Ron Paul set records for fundraising and did pretty good in the polls, but got just 1.6% of the votes in the primaries.

But speaking of 2008, McCain learned his lesson, and had towed the party line for several years. Anything that came out of Bush, Cheney and Rove's mouths, no matter how god-damned stupid, he publicly agreed with. And he became the Republican candidate.

In a way SuperPACs have been a good thing - for extremely small values of good. Candidates like a future Ron Paul or McCain have more access to funds - via whatever billionaire or corporate lobbyist - to spread around to delegates - diminishing the power of the party leaders to rig the vote. They can diverge from dictated party policy. You're back to "accepting bribes from ALL sides and then settling the issue on its merits."

[billy.pilgrim]

mccain his own man? since when?
he is now as he has always been - a gutless pandering coward, saying whatever needs to be said to whoever he is speaking to
his own man - he idiot who picked palin and simple as a running mate and disaster in chief phil gramm as his financial advisor
the party boy who graduated 3rd from the bottom of his class and would have flunked out if it wasn't for daddy
crashed 5 planes, killed someone while driving drunk
and divorced his wife because she got sick
the list is long - just another punk born rich and powerful with no regard for country or people

and the lowest thing he ever did (other than his song bird activities for special treatment as a POW) was after being shot down while running a mission that had been called off and bombing women and children, he returned to vietnam 30 years after the survivors of his raid saved his sorry ass from drowning, he boasted to the people who had fought for their freedom for 40 years that the wrong side won
and throughout his life he continues to let the faux and others attribute the injuries he sustained in the crash to torture - all for the sympathy and hero vote

[rstrong]

mccain his own man? since when?

As I indicated, it was a matter of before when, not since.

November 2000 or so, apparently.

[billy.pilgrim]

as I said, he has always been a pandering fool trying to prove something to daddy, but daddy always had to pull his sorry ass out of the fire

[Boatrocker]

This May Be The Most Atrocious Political Ad Of 2014 (so far)

Nimrata Randhawa Haley's campaign thinks it's somehow improper and not representative of American ideals to provide defense to folks accused of crimes. Of course the same reactionary RW ignoranti are forever blathering about police states and gestapo tactics and jackbooted cops, but they seem to think that once arrested and accused, you are, nonetheless, already guilty and undeserving of any defense. And anyone who provides such a defense cares only about criminals.

[rstrong]

Attorney General Edwin Meese III explained why the Supreme Court's Miranda decision (holding that subjects have a right to remain silent and have a lawyer present during questioning) is unnecessary: "You don't have many suspects who are innocent of a crime. That's contradictory. If a person is innocent of a crime, then he is not a suspect."
- U.S. News and World Report, 10/14/85

[Boatrocker]

That's pretty much the essense of copthink. I have two sons-in-law who are cops and I hear some things from these basically decent young men that make me cringe. When the whole fuggin system is prone to be slanted in favor of presumed guilt, it is no surprise that it is so "easy" to "prove" guilt, with the willing assistance of an idiot jury. Sheheen- a former prosecutor- surely knows this.

But RWNJ rhetoric has never been grounded in reality.

[Boatrocker]

This May Be The Most Atrocious Political Ad Of 2014 (so far)

Nimrata Randhawa Haley's campaign thinks it's somehow improper and not representative of American ideals to provide defense to folks accused of crimes. Of course the same reactionary RW ignoranti are forever blathering about police states and gestapo tactics and jackbooted cops, but they seem to think that once arrested and accused, you are, nonetheless, already guilty and undeserving of any defense. And anyone who provides such a defense cares only about criminals.

South Carolina Bar fights back against Republican Governors Association ad attacking Vincent Sheheen
Getting better. Wonder if the RGA really wants to hassle with the SC Bar.

[Bungalow Bill]

I go with the politically practical side. Yes, it would be nice if every Democrat was
a full-fledged progressive, but things don't work that way and never will, so it's
better to go with an imperfect Dem candidate than a right wing Republican, especially
in a state like purple N.C.

Doesn't the GOP have to pick up six seats and also hold all their own? I think most
of the Republican seats are pretty safe, but there are one or two that just might flip.
I read the other day there is some hope for Alaska since a number of ballot measures
that favor Dem turnout will be on the ballot in November instead of primary day.

My first reaction to the ad for Haley is that this is stupid, every one has a right to
have a defense. My second reaction was damn this is going to be effective.

[Bungalow Bill]

I guess there would be some limit. Someone who is just too corrupt or who is
even more right wing than the GOP candidate, but those are pretty much long
shots. I'd be pretty close to a yellow dog Democrat if I voted.

Kay will have to make it without me. I've read she already has about $8 million
in the bank and likely more coming in, so I don't feel too bad.

[rstrong]

It's not as though scientists disagree with them.

(Assuming of course, that they ban scientists from disagreeing with them on climate change like they did for sea level rise.)

It's a wonder they don't solve the problem of coal ash pollution in rivers by simply denying that it exists.

Wait.... Have they?

[Wneglia]

Maybe Hagan's last minute ads trying to paint Tillis as a closet Democrat helped him win the primary.

[Boatrocker]

GOP Senate Candidate [Thom Tillis]: Republicans Must Turn Poor against Each Other

With Youtube vid link.