And They're Off! The Democratic Candidates for 2020

[Herman]

Let it go.

[Karl Henning]

Let it go.

I know sound advice when I read it.

[Todd]

Biden sexual assault claim divides Democrats as Republicans pounce

Republicans have been eager to confront as many rank-and-file Democratic politicians as possible with the allegations. The National Republican Congressional Committee has been blasting out emails targeting specific Democratic House candidates over Reade's claims.

Biden's touchy-feely past is indeed useful.  Republicans are happily using his caught on camera creepiness against him and in targeted campaigns, like the very vigorous effort in California's 25th District. 

[JBS]

Biden sexual assault claim divides Democrats as Republicans pounce



Biden's touchy-feely past is indeed useful.  Republicans are happily using his caught on camera creepiness against him and in targeted campaigns, like the very vigorous effort in California's 25th District.

The Access Hollywood tape ("grab them by....") will be used to counter that. Yes, it is whataboutery.

[Todd]

The Access Hollywood tape ("grab them by....") will be used to counter that. Yes, it is whataboutery.

That was used last time.  It did not work.

Dems have positioned themselves as moral foils to the president since 2015.  Yet they nominated a creep.  The creep will be the next president, to be sure, but Biden is useful in other ways, primarily for electoral loss mitigation and post-election divide and conquer tactics.

[Herman]

The Dems ran on moral outrage last time, which worked for HRC being a woman, if not a murderer.

just listen to yourself, with your "if not a murderer".

So if you wanna play that card you need a squeaky clean candidate, like Obama, who appears asexual.

so where did those two daughters come from.

the reason why he always took pains to be dispassionate is because one spark of passion or anger would have brought out all the GOP racists.

They came out just the same, of course.

[SimonNZ]

Laura McGann in Vox:

I started reporting on Tara Reade's story a year ago. Here's what I found, and where I'm stuck.

its longish, but well written

[71 dB]

So virtuous of someone who habitually calls those who reasonably disagree with him "brainwashed and ignorant."

Defending your right to express yourself is about defending the principle of free speech, not about respecting everything you say. Also, if I think your political opinions are ignorant doesn't mean I think all your opinions are ignorant. You have your areas of expertise. I'd never call you ignorant about composing for example. 

[Karl Henning]

the reason why he always took pains to be dispassionate is because one spark of passion or anger would have brought out all the GOP racists.

They came out just the same, of course.

Indeed, they were all coiled, in wait.

[71 dB]

Poju, your obsession with American politics shows traits of bad OCD. I myself have OCD as well, it was very bad a couple of years ago but eventually I conquered it. It is often found with Aspergers (such as myself). You can conquer this obsession, it may take time and patience. Luckily, there are countless ways to get rid of it or diminish its features so that they won't affect your life. You just have to find the best way.

Yes, I have been working it lately. What makes things difficult is US politics is constant drama. Every day something crazy happens. This is the elections year! This is the year of Covid-19! So much going on! How can anyone just ignore all of that?

[ritter]

It's not as if what Americans post on the topic in a classical music forum is a game changer either.... 

[71 dB]

I have my opinions about American politics whether it matters or not. Very rarely do I feel my opinions matter so this is nothing new to me. That's why I am so bitter and frustrated. How am I supposed to have a fulfilling life if nothing I do or say matters? What kind of life is that?

[SimonNZ]

Absolutely correct.  But the difference is Americans get to vote in US elections, including in local elections, which can have a minor impact.  That is orders of magnitude more significant than what ignorant non-Americans can do.  Plus American posters can give money to various political causes and candidates, and they can, if they choose, run for office.  Ignorant non-Americans cannot do that.  They can do nothing.

The fact is that the pile of dogshit I saw on my walk through the park this morning is more important to the future of the United States than all of the posts and ideas of all non-American posters on this forum - combined.  You see, that pile of dogshit can spawn a phone call to animal control, to the police, to parks and recreation.  It can cause someone to have to go clean it up, putting them in a bad mood (or maybe a good mood), which in turn means that it could influence their interactions with other people, which in turn could influence the mood of those people when they vote.  Right now it happens to be primary time in Oregon.  That pile of dogshit could conceivably change a vote.  Nothing that non-Americans do on GMG can do even that. 

I, for one, have never thought I was changing votes. I doubt anyone else does either - with one exception. That's not the only reason to examine and discuss global politics.

I occasionally wonder if the members of your own family think you're an insufferable dick who answers their every comment with smug smirking sarcasm. I'm wondering it again now.

[SimonNZ]

Todd's a goddamn teddy bear.

The one from Toy Story 3?

[71 dB]

I, for one, have never thought I was changing votes. I doubt anyone else does either - with one exception.

I do hope to have an impact because human beings need to feel having an impact on things. I was hoping maybe someone American would discover lefty Youtubers such as Kyle Kulinski and start listening to them and eventually realize how much corporate media sucks.

[ritter]

Absolutely correct.  But the difference is Americans get to vote in US elections, including in local elections, which can have a minor impact.  That is orders of magnitude more significant than what ignorant non-Americans can do.  Plus American posters can give money to various political causes and candidates, and they can, if they choose, run for office.  Ignorant non-Americans cannot do that.  They can do nothing.

The fact is that the pile of dogshit I saw on my walk through the park this morning is more important to the future of the United States than all of the posts and ideas of all non-American posters on this forum - combined.  You see, that pile of dogshit can spawn a phone call to animal control, to the police, to parks and recreation.  It can cause someone to have to go clean it up, putting them in a bad mood (or maybe a good mood), which in turn means that it could influence their interactions with other people, which in turn could influence the mood of those people when they vote.  Right now it happens to be primary time in Oregon.  That pile of dogshit could conceivably change a vote.  Nothing that non-Americans do on GMG can do even that.

Quite so. So you can vote in your elections, and run for office if you're so inclined. But here, on a classical music forum, Americans are just expressing their views (some of them informed, some possibly less so), just as non-Americans (ignorant or not) do. So that's settled, then.

Perhaps, though, you could keep that in mind when posting, from the Pacific Northwest, about the European Union.

Best regards,

[Herman]

you know what would be geopolitically advantageous to the US?

A sane and responsible person in the White House, rather than the bumbling head of a flimflam semicriminal organisation.

[JBS]

Absolutely correct.  But the difference is Americans get to vote in US elections, including in local elections, which can have a minor impact.  That is orders of magnitude more significant than what ignorant non-Americans can do.  Plus American posters can give money to various political causes and candidates, and they can, if they choose, run for office.  Ignorant non-Americans cannot do that.  They can do nothing.

The fact is that the pile of dogshit I saw on my walk through the park this morning is more important to the future of the United States than all of the posts and ideas of all non-American posters on this forum - combined.  You see, that pile of dogshit can spawn a phone call to animal control, to the police, to parks and recreation.  It can cause someone to have to go clean it up, putting them in a bad mood (or maybe a good mood), which in turn means that it could influence their interactions with other people, which in turn could influence the mood of those people when they vote.  Right now it happens to be primary time in Oregon.  That pile of dogshit could conceivably change a vote.  Nothing that non-Americans do on GMG can do even that.

You underestimate your persuasive abilities, sir.

I was going to virtue signal in November and vote for the Libertarian candidate.  But every post you and Dowder make on politics helps convince me I should vote for Biden.

[Todd]

You underestimate your persuasive abilities, sir.

I was going to virtue signal in November and vote for the Libertarian candidate.  But every post you and Dowder make on politics helps convince me I should vote for Biden.

Cool.  You get to vote for a winner this time.

[JBS]

This from a conservative libertarian. Ok, BS.

We have the choice of a corrupt xenophobic incompetent authoritarian statist with a demonstrated disdain for the Constitution, rule of law, and morality and whose narcissism approaches sociopathic levels on the one hand, or an authoritarian statist who is not nearly as corrupt, not nearly as incompetent, not nearly as narcissistic,  and at least pays lip service to morality, the Constitution, and the rule of law, and doesn't hate his fellow humans.

As I said before, if you were an actual conservative, you would be opposed to Trump. As it is, you are just a standard right winger spouting the standard right wing memes.