2012 Presidential Campaign

[flounder]

It's nice to see that after a brief period of keeping it under wraps, Michele Bachmann's bringing the crazy again.

At the same time, her decision to link the vaccine to cognitive disorders has turned off some conservatives, suggesting her tendency to overreach has damaged a strong line of attack.

Post-debate, the Minnesota congresswoman sent out a fundraising appeal on the issue with the title “I’m Offended.” In interviews after the debate, she suggested that the vaccine could do permanent damage.

“There’s a woman who came up crying to me tonight after the debate. She said her daughter was given that vaccine,” Bachmann said on Fox News. “She told me her daughter suffered mental retardation as a result. There are very dangerous consequences.”

[RainMaker]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Churches should be responsible for our health care.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by SteveMax58

How are you finding Melbourne so far? I'm curious if you've had some culture shock as its probably more conservative than many areas.

I'm settled in here and enjoying myself.

Some of the culture is definitely different to back home; the way I tend to describe it to people is that in England our society is based around soccer, weather and pubs - these provide the basis for easy conversation (ie. soccer results, what team do you support, horrible weather isn't it) and social gatherings.

Here in Florida the church replaces these (ie. conversation = what church do you go to, social gatherings = church functions, attendance etc.).

Neither is 'better' - just different ... although having grown up in England I'm more at ease in a pub or watching soccer than in a church.

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Here in Florida the church replaces these (ie. conversation = what church do you go to, social gatherings = church functions, attendance etc.).

This is why you need to develop your American football passion! Lots of good places in the area to go for a beer & watch football, complain about the heat, etc. And the best part is that its a (semi)acceptable form of religion in FL to follow since it does occupy a lot of time on Sundays!

[RainMaker]

[GrantDawg]

I hate early polls that say things like 59% of people don't think Obama should be re-elected," or "Obama's only gets 40% of the vote versus unknown candidate." They are just about completely useless. Once a nominee is actually through with the primaries and gets into an actual head to head, those numbers are meaningless. An "unknown candidate" always seems more attractive than an actual person.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I hate early polls that say things like 59% of people don't think Obama should be re-elected," or "Obama's only gets 40% of the vote versus unknown candidate." They are just about completely useless. Once a nominee is actually through with the primaries and gets into an actual head to head, those numbers are meaningless. An "unknown candidate" always seems more attractive than an actual person.

They still seem worthwhile to compare to what kind of score other presidents had at the same time in their terms.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by flounder

It's nice to see that after a brief period of keeping it under wraps, Michele Bachmann's bringing the crazy again.

A couple doctors are offering $10,000 if someone can come forward with medical records to prove her story.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by bronconick

A couple doctors are offering $10,000 if someone can come forward with medical records to prove her story.

Actual evidence and facts are never a road block for the insane like Bachmann. This is an emotional investment, not a logical one. So, there is nothing anyone can do to get her to change her mind.

[miked]

She also thinks Obamacare will make the government pay for everyone's "abortion pill." Or at least that insurance companies are forced to cover it.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by miked

She also thinks Obamacare will make the government pay for everyone's "abortion pill." Or at least that insurance companies are forced to cover it.

I try to stay out of the D/R nonsense wedge issues but I believe this is accurate isn't it?

[JediKooter]

I think from what I've read, insurers are not required to cover abortions of any kind and any coverage provided, would be up to that individual company. I'm not 100% sure about this though.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by panerd

I try to stay out of the D/R nonsense wedge issues but I believe this is accurate isn't it?

Not really. Obamacare covers the morning after pill which prevents fertilization, but not the RU 486 pill which induces abortion.

[miked]

Originally Posted by panerd

I try to stay out of the D/R nonsense wedge issues but I believe this is accurate isn't it?

No, it covers the emergency contraception pill which is not an abortion pill. It's the little thing they keep shouting to get their base riled up, but making these available not only does not abort a baby, but may help reduce the potential for that situation to arise (or more welfare babies, which they clearly hate).

Larry beat me to it, I was dazed...

[RainMaker]

There are Pro-Life people who call Plan B the abortion pill.

[JPhillips]

There are pro-life people that call birth control the abortion pill.

[RainMaker]

That's because a lot of Pro-Life people don't care about abortions and just want to shame women.

[albionmoonlight]

Tom Ridge to endorse Huntsman at St. Anselm | New Hampshire NEWS0605

Everyone seems to think that the primary will come down to Establishment v. Tea Party. And all of the action has been about who will be the Tea Party candidate to go against Romney.

But it looks like Huntsman isn't going quietly and just conceding the Establishment position to Romney.

Now, I don't think that Huntsman will be in it near the end. But I do wonder how much Romney's moderate/establishment support comes from the fact that he's simply the most recognizable warm body that isn't a Tea Party/insurgent candidate. Maybe even among establishment types, Romney is nothing more than the least-bad option.

[JPhillips]

It's hard to win the nomination with one percent support.

[gstelmack]

I'd like to see the Tea Party run a candidate itself as a third party in the election rather than just trying to take over the Republican party.

[JediKooter]

One of the better quotes describing Bachmann that is not an Onion article: "Michele Bachmann continues her brave, lifelong battle with reality...".

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

I'd like to see the Tea Party run a candidate itself as a third party in the election rather than just trying to take over the Republican party.

I'd like to see that too.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It's hard to win the nomination with one percent support.

LOL, sorry I missed this post when it was new

[JediKooter]

This person wants to be president.

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann on Friday decried the “Arab Spring” that has toppled three dictators and given rise to pro-democracy protests across the Middle East for promoting the “rise of radical elements” across the region.

In a speech to about 400 Republicans gathered for the state party’s fall convention here, the three-term Minnesota congresswoman blamed President Obama for “the hostilities of the Arab spring” and expressed regret that “we saw (Egyptian) President (Hosni) Mubarak fall while President Obama sat on his hands.”

Michelle, when you don't get your party's nomination, look in the mirror. Because that's who you have to blame for not winning.

Bachmann Calls Arab Spring ‘Radical’ - Sarah Huisenga - NationalJournal.com

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

This person wants to be president.

And probably should be.

She's definitely one of the few rational voices I've heard on this particular subject.

[gstelmack]

You do realise that in Egypt they are assaulting / intimidating the press in what looks like a clear move to get the military in charge, right? Not a democracy? And it remains to be seen who moves into power in these other spots.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And probably should be.

She's definitely one of the few rational voices I've heard on this particular subject.

Interesting. So you weren't ok with the Egyptian people handling their own business? I'm actually not bashing you on this. It sounds like to me, that you think that keeping Mubarak in power in Egypt was better for stability in that region and America should have stepped in and helped keep him in power?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Interesting. So you weren't ok with the Egyptian people handling their own business? I'm actually not bashing you on this. It sounds like to me, that you think that keeping Mubarak in power in Egypt was better for stability in that region and America should have stepped in and helped keep him in power?

There's never a right answer for these kinds of things. Getting involved is bad. Allowing the wrong people to get into power is bad. It's impossible to see exactly how these things will play out. You make your best guess based on what you know and hope for the best. Hindsight is a bitch.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

There's never a right answer for these kinds of things. Getting involved is bad. Allowing the wrong people to get into power is bad. It's impossible to see exactly how these things will play out. You make your best guess based on what you know and hope for the best. Hindsight is a bitch.

I agree that hindsight is definitely a bitch. I think it's too early to tell exactly how things will pan out with all these uprisings, but, Bachmann sounds clueless by her statements on the Arab Spring. In addition to that, to bitch about how the government is spending too much money and then bitch about not stepping in to help Mubarak...does she think involving this country in another conflict would carry a zero price tag?

[JPhillips]

At this point it appears that Egypt is likely to be ruled by the military with some powerless faceman. It's a bad outcome for democracy protestors, but it's basically the Mubarak government with a new face. Why would Bachmann be upset about that?

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

At this point it appears that Egypt is likely to be ruled by the military with some powerless faceman. It's a bad outcome for democracy protestors, but it's basically the Mubarak government with a new face. Why would Bachmann be upset about that?

The Egypt quote is just a small portion of what she said. She equated what is going on with the other countries (the Arab Spring) as the same thing that is happening in Egypt. It's as if (well not really, I'm sure she doesn't know) she doesn't know that with all these uprisings in the middle east are not exactly alike. To paraphrase: She thinks they are all bad.

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

At this point it appears that Egypt is likely to be ruled by the military with some powerless faceman. It's a bad outcome for democracy protestors, but it's basically the Mubarak government with a new face. Why would Bachmann be upset about that?

Yeah, I think a militarized leadership in Egypt with potential for misdirected populism is a really scary thought. You just have to wonder where they will come down on things such as the Israeli/Palestinian problems and what impact they might have on the rest of the middle east if it isn't pro-democracy (even if there is some false illusion of it).

[miked]

This chick is walking proof of why our kids are falling behind in education. Every time she opens her mouth, a puppy eats a kitten.

[flounder]

I like Gary Johnson a lot. He's Ron Paul without the crazy parts. Of course that's why he's only polling around 1%.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

The number of opportunities FOX allowed each candidate to speak:

Romney– 16
Perry– 11
Bachmann– 9
Huntsman– 9
Santorum– 9
Gingritch– 7
Cain– 7
Paul– 6
Johnson– 5

Despite trying to rig the debate in favor of their two chosen neocons who want to continue murdering hundreds of thousands of brown people, Ron Paul is destroying the others in the Fox poll concerning who won the debate.

Decades from now, when the history books are written, they'll say Ron Paul was the undisputed president of internet polls.

[SirFozzie]

and once again, Ron Paul has no shot out side the Ronbots on the internet. His support pool is wide but oh so shallow

[JPhillips]

Booing the gay soldier was lovely.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Booing the gay soldier was lovely.

Perry/Romney: Continued war, continued trashing of gay rights
Obama: Strong on gay rights, continued war despite the Nobel Peace Prize
Paul: Actual commitment to withdrawal of troops, strong on gay rights (i.e. Congressional voting record actually shows this)

I do understand how fun it is to poke fun at a guy that actually supports many of your positions though! Maybe Romney will win the presidency and your lib cohorts can start complaining again about the stuff that they have been amazingly silent on the past 3 years.

[larrymcg421]

Ron Paul supports DOMA, so to say he is "strong" on gay rights is laughable at best, especially since that is the next battle being fought on that issue.

[JediKooter]

Then there's that whole scientificy evolution thing that Paul has a problem with.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by panerd

Perry/Romney: Continued war, continued trashing of gay rights
Obama: Strong on gay rights, continued war despite the Nobel Peace Prize
Paul: Actual commitment to withdrawal of troops, strong on gay rights (i.e. Congressional voting record actually shows this)

I do understand how fun it is to poke fun at a guy that actually supports many of your positions though! Maybe Romney will win the presidency and your lib cohorts can start complaining again about the stuff that they have been amazingly silent on the past 3 years.

And of course, even if we gave you this "supports many of your positions" nonsense, you conveniently leave out the many positions on which he is actually way worse than Romney, Perry, or any other Republican (see: almost any federal social program).

[JPhillips]

The goldbug stuff is enough for me to write off Paul.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

Really? He's polling 2nd in New Hampshire right now. He's raised more money than any of the other candidates. He's been the military favorite, probably has something to do with not sending them to murder brown people for no reason, for the last two Presidential election cycles.

Look at this article title from Yahoo news and tell me they aren't intentionally trying to ignore the one guy who will legitimately try to change things:

Poll: Romney leads New Hampshire, Huntsman in third, Perry in fourth - Yahoo! News

There is no possibility of Paul winning the nomination. That's not the media's fault, either. GOP voters don't like Paul. NH is his best state right now and he's being outpolled nearly three to one by Romney. He'll be lucky to break double digits in multiple primaries.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

You mean those programs that the federal government has no Constitutional right to be involved in? Those programs either need to be part of a comprehensive Constitutional amendment or they need to be left to state/local government.

See, some people don't believe it's cut and dried like that.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

You mean those programs that the federal government has no Constitutional right to be involved in? Those programs either need to be part of a comprehensive Constitutional amendment or they need to be left to state/local government.

Not sure you're following the conversation. We can argue about the constitutionality of these programs until we're blue in the face. The point is that panerd was pointing out how we're supposed to love Paul for all that he agrees with us on, and I'm simply saying that Ron Paul's constitutional analysis of federal social programs is a polar opposite to what liberals believe and more extreme than any Republican candidate.