Ostensibly Hoops

[eCat]

The GOP needs to kick the nerds to the curb and root out the yahoos.

The problem with the GOP started when the southern democrats jumped ship and became evangelicals.

They gave us Newt Gingrich and they've gone downhill since.

No matter how you identify as a conservative in the GOP you have to deal with the evangelicals pushing a social agenda 70% of America doesn't want and 85% of America doesn't want - yes I pulled those numbers out of my ass but I bet I'm not far off.

[hedge]

"the evangelicals pushing a social agenda 70% of America doesn't want and 85% of America doesn't want"

I'm confused...

[Bklyn]

That was a bit odd. But yeah, the GOP has some things to get straight after 16. They're just lucky the crop is weak on the DEM side. Otherwise the cakewalk would be epic.

I know what you're saying, though, on the numbers. I always tell my NY and CA Republican peeps that they get the luxury of being a Reagan Republican and live in a bubble. Those people don't exist, in mass, across the rest of the country.

Personally, I would give 15 hours of my week to work for Bloomberg if he decided to run. He wouldn't win a national election under normal circumstances, but this year it would at least be possible. I love that dude. eCat would hate his gun stance, but that little dude is a straight G and gets shit done. My favorite politician in my lifetime...even if he gets the unfortunate label of being a RINO.

[eCat]

my point was that even some of the people that support anti abortion or are against gay marriage only support it casually and would not vote for it as the reasoning in selecting a candidate

[sardis]

With Bloomberg, it's his coziness to Wall Street and his overall God complex that turns me off. I know that they all have God complexes but he pretty much acted like a dictator in NYC which that attitude trickled down to other departments of the city, i.e. police. With all his postings about the police, I'm surprised Brklyn are so enamored with him.

[sardis]

my point was that even some of the people that support anti abortion or are against gay marriage only support it casually and would not vote for it as the reasoning in selecting a candidate

Those issues are important to them, but they had a conservative government just 10 years ago and got nowhere with those issues. Even passed the defense of marriage act and it was shot down by the conservative supreme court. So, now, they are just looking for a candidate that is strong enough to dethrone Hillary and they see the Donald as the only one that can do it.

[eCat]

I'm not really but I like what he represents

a fuck you to the Koch Brothers, Karl Rove and all the other people that have been picking or eliminating candidates for conservatives.

Trump may very well be the worst president we've ever had but I'd risk it just to get help demolish the power base in the GOP now

plus, once you have candidates like Palin and Obama, how much a step below those two is Trump really?

I'd hold out hope that Trump would surround himself with the best people for the job, and not just cronies he owes a job too (ok that might be too much to ask but still)

[Bklyn]

With Bloomberg, it's his coziness to Wall Street and his overall God complex that turns me off. I know that they all have God complexes but he pretty much acted like a dictator in NYC which that attitude trickled down to other departments of the city, i.e. police. With all his postings about the police, I'm surprised Brklyn are so enamored with him.

I hear on Bloomie's God complex. He really does have it, but every President does. I think only George HW Bush kept his largely in check. Very pragmatic dude, from my viewpoint. Otherwise, the office has been filled with people who bypass Congress to sell arms to guerrillas (and perhaps crack in inner cities), get 8X10s from interns, think torture and subverting Constitutional protection is warranted or state to everyone in their cabinet that he "can do every one of your jobs better than you." If you aren't an asshole with a God complex when you get in, within 2.5 yrs you sure are.

Personally, I think Bloomberg doesn't cozy as much to Wall Streeters as he does the affluent. I have a complicated relationship with that dynamic. That's a much longer post for another day. I'll move on and just say he just wants a robust tax base (and tried to balance services to the poor within that space). Even with some of his moves that I have not always been a fan of, he was great at making sure things functioned as efficiently as possible and set NYC up to move forward as a robust city with a greater quality of life.

As far as police and Blommie go, you have to realize I lived with Guiliani before him. Benchmark selection. Anyone is better than Rudy with respect to police; and the police problem is one that is rotten from the culture and union perspective. I don't put much blame/attribution on the mayor's office.

[eCat]

I think Daddy Bush is the most honorable president we've had in decades

and he was a 1 termer so what does that say about us?

[Bklyn]

It tells me being honorable may not have a high correlation with effectiveness. The one termer before him was also a very upstanding fella.

[Saint]

I thought we did.

[eCat]

It tells me being honorable may not have a high correlation with effectiveness. The one termer before him was also a very upstanding fella.

true but Carter had double digit unemployment and inflation at the same time. That's was a rough go. Daddy Bush however did have a recession and got hammered on that no new taxes (plus Perot didn't do him any favors)

[hedge]

"Daddy Bush however did have a recession and got hammered on that no new taxes"

If you really had just read his lips like he asked, he could've been saying "No new Texas". And he kept that promise...

[eCat]

I was just reading up on that a bit.

Its a misconception that Perot cost Bush the election, Perot was actually leading in the polls over Bush when he dropped out and when he re-entered the race, Bush was polling at 35% before and stayed there while Perot ended up taking close to 8% away from Clinton.

Regardless of what Perot was going to do, Bush never had a shot against Clinton

[crotch]

FWIW, I voted for Ross...

[hedge]

Betsy Ross...

[crotch]

Betsy Ross...

Heh... another reason why I appreciate Hedge good one, bud.

[eCat]

Betsy Ross...

LOL...that caught me off guard

[hedge]

I aim to please...

[10ac]

I wish someone would please aim at you...and pull the trigger.