Countdown to Extinction: The 2016 Presidential Election

[drogulus]

Isn´t he the same Frank-Walter Steinmeier who criticized NATO for "sabre-rattling" and "shrilling war cries"? Yes, that´s him all right.  Doesn´t seem to me the most qualified person to take a stance against an ever more asserting Russia.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia-germany-idUSKCN0Z40LE

     I would take the other side of that assessment. Over the last few months Trump and Russian meddling in elections (and a possible coup plot in Montenegro) have changed minds on the source of greatest danger. If Steinmeier is "scared straight", that's significant.

     I'm watching Duterte in the Phillippines. He asserts the U.S. is losing as he moves towards China, saying he wants to talk to Putin. Once again the '30s template is confirmed as both China and Russia nibble at the edges looking for weak spots.

     Trump will not have an exit strategy for any version of what is coming, no more than what's already here. He's a piss poor peacemonger and just as bad a warmonger. Nothing he says gives any indication of thought, no credible Plan A and not even a hint of a Plan B. HRC will follow the basic outline of alliance maintenance for deterrence and response that has evolved since the fall of the Soviet Union. She knows the drill, and will keep the pledges our allies wish to be kept.

[Turner]

In Europe, attitudes towards Russia have changed in the last months, being fed up, and a hardline-strategy. This comprises all aspects, including stronger military attentiveness (today´s newspapers: a 300,000 troops force is being established, also available at shorter notice than the 180 days for the smaller one hitherto), the improving of intelligence cooperation in new units, etc. It´s pretty obvious also from Sweden´s reaction pattern, for example. There are many sources as regards this.

[The new erato]

It's worth noting that the Russian economy in terms of GNP is about the same size as Spain's.

[drogulus]

     Trump has nothing to contribute to NATO rethought. NATO will evolve as it has with the interests of its members.

     The most powerful member of the alliance, both economically and militarily, carries a larger share of the burden. I don't have any problem understanding why. American economic support is as much a part of U.S. forward defense as it is defense of Europe.

     Too much emphasis is put on the ideological niceties of Soviet versus Russian imperialism, the "different personalities".

[drogulus]

     It's time to call the election. HRC will win the popular vote by 4% and the EC with 300 or a little more.

     Trump claims the vote will be rigged. Unless you count vote suppression rigging is just about impossible, with watchers watching the poll watchers watching the polls. The myth of illegals bused in to vote is tissue thin. Who are the illegals, voting as who, at what addresses, appearing on what voter rolls? If they are not ex nihilo Dems, how do they impersonate Repubs, and where did the real voters they impersonate go? Are they all on a jumbo jet on a runway in the Seychelles? Who takes care of their children? Will Hildabeast raise money for them from Saudis, through the Foundation?

     I think Trump owes an explanation of these difficulties before this crisis erupts, to head it off. Think of the children!

     

[Karl Henning]

Hers is not an opinion sananton' respects, but Jennifer Rubin's piece today discusses the canard of "dismissing" all mainstream media as "unreliable."

When politicians, candidates and pundits berate media coverage of the 2016 campaign, we must ask, "Which media?" Blanket accusations from right-leaning media critics against the entire mainstream media presume that there is a singular standard for coverage. Our collective viewing and reading experiences over the past 18 months tell a different story.

The sheer volume and diversity of outlets should caution against generalization. One doesn't condemn all movies because of, say, "Batman v. Superman." There is good and bad, serious and farcical coverage even within the same outlet.

And:

For all the bellyaching from the Trump camp, the negative Clinton stories that it complained were not covered came to its attention via, you guessed it, the mainstream media.

[Karl Henning]

Of course, it is much simpler to wag your finger and assert that all mainstream media is "wrong," "biased," or choose your preferred dismissive adjective.

[drogulus]

     Former NATO Chief: Expect Russia's aggressive behavior to continue for decades

     Yes, I do expect that. Why would Putin stop if he is not stopped?

[Karl Henning]

     Former NATO Chief: Expect Russia's aggressive behavior to continue for decades

     Yes, I do expect that. Why would Putin stop if he is not stopped?

And why would Putin stop, if his stooge is in the White House?

[Herman]

Trump the pragmatic negotiator would unify Congress

Trump is a smart, tough negotiator, a unique skill he will bring to the Oval Office.

still on the kool aid?

there is little or no indication that Trump as a businessman is a brilliant negotiator. He just had a lot of money to start with, is all. If he hadn't done business by himself and just put his inheritance in stocks, he would have been a lot better off.

Besides, the whole notion that business skills equals political skills has been thoroughly debunked. You wanna hang on to this idea, fine, But it doesn't fly.

Center piece of his foreign policy: unpredictability, would have dire effects.

Center piece of his domestic policy is tax cuts for the rich, and build a wall plus deport 11 million immigrants. You do the math.

[SimonNZ]

If Clinton wins will you accept the outcome?

[ritter]

Donald Trump is unique in American history, but there is a president he resembles: Dwight Eisenhower. Trump's caution about foreign military adventures and his revival of economic nationalism echo the five-star general who successfully guided America through equally perilous times. 

Everyone knows that Ike warned Americans about a military-industrial complex that had dangerous influence. Less known is that Eisenhower refused to engage the United States in what he regarded as a military sideshow: the communist insurgency in Vietnam against a vestige of French imperialism. As France lurched toward a final defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, President Eisenhower remarked of Southeast Asia: "I say that I cannot conceive of a greater tragedy for America than to get heavily involved now in an all-out war in any of those regions..."

Read more here.

Donald Trump, I'm afraid, is no Dwight Eisenhower...

[Karl Henning]

"El Tupé's caution" may be the most wrily amusing phrase I have read all day.

[Brian]

Friends and I are organizing a watch party tomorrow night with take-out pizza and ample alcohol.

[Karl Henning]

Friends and I are organizing a watch party tomorrow night with take-out pizza and ample alcohol.

Wish I might!  I'll be in the office early next day.

[Brian]

Wish I might!  I'll be in the office early next day.

It's easier when you're over in this time zone and the FL & NC polls close at 6pm your time 

I'm most interested in Alaska and Utah, but FL, NC, and NH should be the election-deciders; it's more or less impossible to imagine Trump winning without Florida, and the Democrats did an excellent job getting out the Dem/Latino vote there.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

It's easier when you're over in this time zone and the FL & NC polls close at 6pm your time 

Polls in IL are open 6AM-7PM. Why not just a couple hours longer? I get the impression they are prejudiced against working people. We should hold elections on weekends.

[Turner]

We should hold elections on weekends.

I personally think it´s a great idea, but such a secular, practical approach would no doubt meet a bit of opposition. Saturday might be less controversial.

[Brian]

Polls in IL are open 6AM-7PM. Why not just a couple hours longer? I get the impression they are prejudiced against working people. We should hold elections on weekends.

Election Day should be a national holiday. I think either Sunday or Monday, but definitely a national holiday.

[North Star]

Election Day should be a national holiday. I think either Sunday or Monday, but definitely a national holiday.

Yes.