US Elections 2020 (geopolitics, informed debate, no ad hominems)

Biden

14 (66.7%)

Trump

7 (33.3%)

Total Members Voted: 21

Voting closed: November 02, 2020, 06:25:59 pm

[chez]

You didn't read the article did you?   

I think he did. Being a women in a superior position doesn't warrant having death threats.

[Peter McLennan]

...I really want to see some real campaign finance reform ...

Agreed, Matt.  IMHO, this is the key that will unlock the door to better days. 

In the past, it was illegal to make direct financial contributions to politicians. The current situation has gone from "One man, one vote" to "One dollar, one vote". 


Interesting BG here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States

[Alan Klein]

He cheats and lies universally and transparently.

I don't like a lot of world leaders whose personal habits are a lot worse than Trump's.   But I don't get carried away with them.  Even the nicest politicians lie all the time or spin the truth and make you dizzy. But why Trump?  An American?

[Alan Klein]

I hate the money in politics and how money = votes. I'm officially an independent but definitely voting Democrat this time around.
I really want to see some real campaign finance reform once we have Democrats in power and I'll be adding to any pressures I can to help push it along.

It almost feels dirty to have to participate just in hopes that my preferred candidates will do something about it.
But this is currently the game to be played to get elected, as distasteful as it is.

Why would Democrats push campaign finance reform when they're doing better at it now than the Republicans?  You see, the problem is you believed them when they were opposed to it when it only was about their jealousy when the Republicans did better at it. 

[MattBurt]

I don't like a lot of world leaders whose personal habits are a lot worse than Trump's.   But I don't get carried away with them.  Even the nicest politicians lie all the time or spin the truth and make you dizzy. But why Trump?  An American?

Nobody likes a bad neighbor.

[Alan Klein]

Nobody likes a bad neighbor.

Well, your guy wore black face three times which is pretty dumb, childish, and racist.  But he's your problem and I can't do anything about it anyway since I don't vote in Canada. In  any case, why get feverish about it and take it so personally obsessed with Trump? 

[Peter McLennan]

I don't like a lot of world leaders whose personal habits are a lot worse than Trump's.

So?  That doesn't exonerate Trump. Surely you hold your own leader to a higher standard than, I dunno, the leaders of NK, Russia, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines?

Even the nicest politicians lie all the time or spin the truth and make you dizzy.

That's an unsupportable rash generalization. Politicians certainly spin the truth to their own advantage, but they don't "all the time" lie so transparently or so repeatedly as Trump.  Transparent lies damage everything, especially credibility.  What we need most of all from our leaders is credibility. Trump's is near-zero.

He even undercut his own health experts on COVID.  He lied to you, (and all of us) directly, intentionally, and continually.  Thousands died as a result. Don't you find that disturbing?

But why Trump?  An American?

He's the so-called "Leader of the Free World".  What he does and says affects everyone and everything on the planet.

[jeremyrh]

The Saudis are very close to an public agreement with Israel.  They're already doing security stuff, but quietly.  After Egypt which made peace with Israel years ago, they're the biggest.  If that happens, Trump will be up for his third Nobel. 

Wake me up when he brokers peace between people who are actually at war.

[faberryman]

It looks like peace with Israel continues to break out in the Middle East.  Pretty soon the whole Middle East will be breaking matzah together. Trump will be up for another Nobel as the NY Times and Washington Post proclaim his fame in page 1 headlines.  ::

I thought this Bahrain deal happened shortly after the UAE deal. Was this just the official handshake?

[LesPalenik]

Why do you hate Trump so much as a Western Canadian?

Actually, Eastern Canadians have the same opinion about Trump as the Western Canadians.

[Alan Klein]

So?  That doesn't exonerate Trump. Surely you hold your own leader to a higher standard than, I dunno, the leaders of NK, Russia, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines?

That's an unsupportable rash generalization. Politicians certainly spin the truth to their own advantage, but they don't "all the time" lie so transparently or so repeatedly as Trump.  Transparent lies damage everything, especially credibility.  What we need most of all from our leaders is credibility. Trump's is near-zero.

He even undercut his own health experts on COVID.  He lied to you, (and all of us) directly, intentionally, and continually.  Thousands died as a result. Don't you find that disturbing?
He's the so-called "Leader of the Free World".  What he does and says affects everyone and everything on the planet.

Many of our previous "leaders of the free world" were feckless and let the world take advantage of them like fools.  Trump fights back which is why foreigners don't like him.  But we don't care because you don't vote here. The president of the US represents Americans not the world.  Obama wanted to be loved by the world and gave away the store.  Trump will cut your hand off before he lets you do it. 

[jeremyrh]

I thought this Bahrain deal happened shortly after the UAE deal. Was this just the official handshake?

Jeez, Frank, are you trying to say you don't remember the day the guns fell silent in Bahrain?

[Alan Klein]

Wake me up when he brokers peace between people who are actually at war.

Would it ruin your day to say something nice that Trump did? 

[jeremyrh]

Would it ruin your day to say something nice that Trump did? 

No, if only I could think of something.

[Alan Klein]

I thought this Bahrain deal happened shortly after the UAE deal. Was this just the official handshake?

You didn't read the article, did you?

[Alan Klein]

Actually, Eastern Canadians have the same opinion about Trump as the Western Canadians.

Yeah, but you can make a joke about it.  It seems Western Canadians are obsessive about it.  It keeps them up nights.  Eh?

[chez]

Many of our previous "leaders of the free world" were feckless and let the world take advantage of them like fools.  Trump fights back which is why foreigners don't like him.  But we don't care because you don't vote here. The president of the US represents Americans not the world.  Obama wanted to be loved by the world and gave away the store.  Trump will cut your hand off before he lets you do it.

Really...what exactly did Trump do with his bully tactics that actually helped the US? Last I seen, the trade deficit with China has grown during the Trump years...not shrunk. Looks like North Korea is flaunting their latest greatest missiles. Looks like Putin has Trump on a set of puppet strings.

OH...I know...he built the wall and saved America from an invasion of poor immigrants. Wait...no he did not build the wall either.

[chez]

Yeah, but you can make a joke about it.  It seems Western Canadians are obsessive about it.  It keeps them up nights.  Eh?

Wrong, I'm from Western Canada and I find the entire political system being played out in the States right now a good joke just watching Trump twist and squirm as the noose tightens around his neck.

[MattBurt]

Well, your guy wore black face three times which is pretty dumb, childish, and racist.  But he's your problem and I can't do anything about it anyway since I don't vote in Canada. In  any case, why get feverish about it and take it so personally obsessed with Trump?

I think because their guy isn't currently a train wreck, even if he has made mistakes in the past. And when those mistakes came to light he apologized and acknowledged the harm they could bring, even if he didn't intend that. That's maturity and leadership.

45 on the other hand is currently a train wreck that might engulf the whole region or beyond in the flaming wreckage. Any of his many mistakes being pointed out have been denied, deflected, or blamed on someone else. That's juvenile and dangerous.

[Alan Klein]

Really...what exactly did Trump do with his bully tactics that actually helped the US? Last I seen, the trade deficit with China has grown during the Trump years...not shrunk. Looks like North Korea is flaunting their latest greatest missiles. Looks like Putin has Trump on a set of puppet strings.

OH...I know...he built the wall and saved America from an invasion of poor immigrants. Wait...no he did not build the wall either.

The negative trade increased with China because of Covid and will continue getting worse.  The problem long predates Trump as we gave our manufacturing up to them, something he complained about long before he became president and it trying to correct.  Whoever wins the election is going to have hell in 2021 as our economy and the world's crap out totally.  Frankly, the loser is going to be glad he lost.