Leo

Well-known member
Let the games begin, I guess.

I've always envied other countries where campaigns are, like, two months long instead of here, where they seem to start immediately after the previous one ends and run in varying forms for four years. Perpetual campaigning, way too much money: the prefect storm for politics as entertainment, following the ups and downs like you would sports teams throughout the season.
 

Leo

Well-known member
On the GOP primary:


At one time, the Florida governor looked to be the candidate best positioned to knock off Trump, en route to finishing off President Joe Biden. DeSantis was Trump without the baggage — and 32 years younger.

But DeSantis’ Disney jihad and his Ukraine-is-a-territorial-dispute stumble have undermined his aura of competence among donors and the business community. Trump’s relentless attacks — none of them answered — and his drum beat of abuse have left the two-term governor bruised. Far from projecting strength, DeSantis suddenly appears to be a candidate who’s thrived in a protective cocoon, isolated from media scrutiny, and surrounded by a compliant legislature afraid to test him.

On the eve of his launch, DeSantis now confronts the perception that he is a porcelain candidate, glazed and decorative, durable enough, but not really built to withstand the blunt impact of Trump’s hammer or the full fury of a united Democratic Party.
 

william kent

Well-known member
I've always envied other countries where campaigns are, like, two months long instead of here, where they seem to start immediately after the previous one ends and run in varying forms for four years. Perpetual campaigning, way too much money: the prefect storm for politics as entertainment, following the ups and downs like you would sports teams throughout the season.

It's beginning to feel a bit like that over here too, at least since the Brexit vote. The Tories don't seem to do much beyond say whatever they think will allow them to cling to power. They're in government yet they behave as though they're the opposition. There's no vision or strategy for actual governance, just an endless stream of PR moves aimed at keeping the plates spinning long enough to win the next election.
 

DannyL

Wild Horses
It's beginning to feel a bit like that over here too, at least since the Brexit vote. The Tories don't seem to do much beyond say whatever they think will allow them to cling to power. They're in government yet they behave as though they're the opposition. There's no vision or strategy for actual governance, just an endless stream of statements and PR moves aimed at keeping the plates spinning long enough to win the next election.
And non stop scandals, so many its hard to keep track. Brexit has just opened up government to the worst people possible.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Let the games begin, I guess.

I've always envied other countries where campaigns are, like, two months long instead of here, where they seem to start immediately after the previous one ends and run in varying forms for four years. Perpetual campaigning, way too much money: the prefect storm for politics as entertainment, following the ups and downs like you would sports teams throughout the season.
This time is probably the first where the new (2024) election thread has been created while the most recent (2020) election thread is still kicking, and occasionally active.

And I love it cos it's US politics which, although it does affect me in a sense, provides enough distance for me to enjoy it. It's like in the world cup where the games involving teams that I don't care about I truly enjoy, and then the England game starts and I'm biting at my nails and screaming at the screen, agonising about the dangerous throw-in near the half-way line that we've conceded.
It's beginning to feel a bit like that over here too, at least since the Brexit vote. The Tories don't seem to do much beyond say whatever they think will allow them to cling to power. They're in government yet they behave as though they're the opposition. There's no vision or strategy for actual governance, just an endless stream of statements and PR moves aimed at keeping the plates spinning long enough to win the next election.

This is exactly it. Relating to the first part, of course we know political parties always want to cling to power but I've never seen a party that is so nakedly desperate to stay in power as this lot.

They really have nothing to say or offer and, you're absolutely right, they behave like opposition, they keep blaming all the things which have gone wrong in the UK - which is quite a lot of things at this point - on the previous government, Remoaners, the blob... I mean the fucking blob, really? I feel embarrassed for them every time they come out with this shit, but all they ever do is moan about things which are clearly their responsibility and completely fail to offer solutions. It's crazy that they can get away with it, I remember about five years ago thinking "Well at least they won't be able to keep blaming Labour much longer" - little did I know.

Even today I was reading something that was titled "Brexit hasn't failed, it's been sabotaged by a largely remainer establishment" which is a completely insane piece considering the conservative majority which nodded through the oven ready deal that was created by one of the leaders of the Leave Campaign. So the piece had a crazy premise, and also it was notable that again it offered no remedy or steps to put things right - cos of course there are none - so ultimately it was an impotent and insane moan offering nothing constructive, a perfect example of what you might expect from opposition. I don't know why Eden keeps on with this stuff to be honest...

anyway, sorry to derail, let's get back to the glitzy-and-deadly-serious-for-you-but-lots-of-fun-for-me US campaign.

At the moment, I see nothing in the usual way of things that can stop Trump from getting the nomination, and Trump has no chance of beating Biden, so it looks like a big problem for the GOP. Their best hope of success is if Trump either dies or goes to jail or something happens that prevents him getting the candidacy. I dunno if there is a better candidate but otherwise they are just doomed to repeat the way they lost last time. Probably right down to the accusations of cheating again... I mean Kari Lake is still trying to change her defeat isn't she?

But yeah, that's my view, am I wrong, why?
 
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Clinamenic

Binary & Tweed
We're aiming to have our platform, DeVox, ready for the 2024 election, essentially like Change.org + Kickstarter but where donors get governance control over their donations.


Still early in development though, working with Raid Guild to build it out.
 

Clinamenic

Binary & Tweed
Just spoke with someone at a social welfare legal firm in East Palestine (Ohio) to discuss applications of DeVox in their scenario, was a serious reality check in terms of how abstractly we've been understanding the user experience.
 

Clinamenic

Binary & Tweed
@sus did we ever talk about DeVox? You might find it interesting. We have this unformed field of "Decentralized Civics" before us.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
@Leo Do you know what happens if Trump is selected as the GOP candidate but then has to pull out due to legal or health problems? Would the runner-up then get the nomination by default?

And is there any credible alternative to Biden on the other side?
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Has there ever been an election where the sitting president has tried to stand again but lost in the primary and failed to become the candidate?
 

Murphy

cat malogen
It’s going to get ugly, that much is predictable

Easy to look on as foreigners not having to live with consequences of direct outcomes. You wonder about Biden’s age, the ethnicity and sex of KH and voting patterns, plenty of “f*ck Joe Biden” sentiment out n about and whether a new regime will support Ukrainian ambitions another turning point in waiting

Can’t say I envy you @Leo , unfortunately noisy rabble reap the headlines and this contingent seem ever greater in reach, ambition, ignorance and agency
 

droid

Well-known member
Yeah, a bunch of the Americans I know all joke about her being 'barred out' on Xanax and sinking bottles of wine.
We knew she wasn't great politically due to her record in California, but I expected her to be competent, or at the very least, lucid.
 

william kent

Well-known member
I think her laughing about having smoked weed herself despite a bunch of people being jailed on weed charges under her watch really stuck in the public consciousness.
 
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