GOP Primary Megathread!

[Sheilbh]

I keep getting the impression he doesn't recognize Americans as humans, and more like props in some sort of elaborate show put on for his amusement.

Politics is and should be mostly to do with emotions, personality and a gut connection.   I think that's the useful aspect of a campaign - especially the American Presidential one - is that it's grueling enough to reveal something of the candidates' personalities.

I've had this problem with Romney for years and I think I'm right about it to be honest.  Whether he was a conservative or moderate, Mormon or Evangelical I think he doesn't connect and that's his problem.

The extent that policy matters during a campaign is that journalists will look it over and it'll percolate through whether they're realistic or not; whether they're credible, I suppose. 

But even then sentiment and tone matters more.  If you read Huntsman's platform and record he was probably one of the most rock-ribbed conservatives up there.  But that's not how he sounded, it's not how he ran and it's not the message the media went with.  Similarly I argued in 2008 that Obama was a centrist Blairite, I still think he is and that the hopes put in him by the left were largely because they weren't paying attention.

I think he simply like the drama and show of politics rather then actual governing.

I'm not a politician so I've not got to worry about either.  I enjoy campaigns and the show of politics and I think it should be fun.  But I've got pretty clear ideas on a few subjects I know about.

But I don't dislike a politician just because I disagree with them, however strongly.  I quite like John Boehner, but I find Eric Cantor genuinely unpleasant and I imagine I'd disagree with them both on about 90% of subjects and would never vote for anyone like them.  It seems sad to limit your sympathy to people you agree with.

Edit:  Incidentally on policy the thing I like most about Santorum is his linking of family to social mobility and the economy.  It reminds me of Reihan Salam and Ross Douthat's 'Grand New Party' and the inspiration, Pawlenty's 'Sam's Club Republicanism'.  He's not the perfect messenger but I am glad it's getting an airing and I think it's a useful way for conservatives to go.

[Admiral Yi]

I think he simply like the drama and show of politics rather then actual governing.

I'm not a politician so I've not got to worry about either.

I understand that this was in the midst of a light hearted post but this statement is kind of bizarre.  Governance is what affects our lives.

[Sheilbh]

I understand that this was in the midst of a light hearted post but this statement is kind of bizarre.  Governance is what affects our lives.

I'm not clear what it means?

To me it's the Minister making the shift from playing it up in Parliament to reading briefing papers in his office.  Actually governing is an act that politicians do.

[derspiess]

Santorum has picked up the hotly contested endorsement of: Dave Mustane

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/02/megadeth-frontman-backs-rick-santorum-114539.html

What's odd is that I often misread this thread title as "GOP Primary Megadeth".

[CountDeMoney]

I agree with everything you've said.  But I think you're judging him too harshly, by the objective standards of running for President.

"Objective standards of running for President"?
The objective standard is not to be a fundie fucktard that wants to wage war on bullshit the majority of the American people don't want to listen to.

[CountDeMoney]

Santorum has picked up the hotly contested endorsement of: Dave Mustane

You'd think Dave was more of a Mitt fan.

"Hello Me, this is the Real Me."

[Malthus]

I keep getting the impression he doesn't recognize Americans as humans, and more like props in some sort of elaborate show put on for his amusement.

To be fair, there is something to be said for that ... 

[Eddie Teach]

  I quite like John Boehner,

I hate him because of the color of his skin. I am racist against orange people.

[Malthus]

Santorum has picked up the hotly contested endorsement of: Dave Mustane

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/02/megadeth-frontman-backs-rick-santorum-114539.html

What's odd is that I often misread this thread title as "GOP Primary Megadeth".

I can't imagine anyone who would be better for Heavy Metal music generally than Rick Santorum. 

[MadImmortalMan]

Santorum has picked up the hotly contested endorsement of: Dave Mustane

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/02/megadeth-frontman-backs-rick-santorum-114539.html

What's odd is that I often misread this thread title as "GOP Primary Megadeth".

What?? The same guy who wrote Peace Sells? Cognitive dissonance, man.

[Jacob]

In both examples (which are actually the same with the David Sedaris tale being a humour take on it) it comes up when someone asks you pointedly where you went to school.  Rather than seem elitist by mentioning where they actually went - they try to stall and hopefully whoever it is loses interest.  Sort of similar is not actually wearing a branded college shirt in public because it may be perceived as an attempt to show off.

I think it is closer to what PDH said:

It is hard to be the everyman when you are rich and/or well educated.

I don't really think the two things are contradictory.

If someone asks you pointedly where you went to school, it's possible - if you're socially adept - to tell them in a way that doesn't destroy the "everyman" air or positions you as thinking you're better than other people. Obviously, the more unique your circumstances - be it wealth, education or other class markers - the more challenging it is.

[grumbler]

I can't imagine anyone who would be better for Heavy Metal music generally than Rick Santorum. 

 

I wish I'd said that.

[Razgovory]

Personally, I much more interested in the nuts and bolts of government.  Can bills move through Congress?  Is the bureaucracy running well?  Is the government doing a good job in procurement.  Are regulations being enforced?  Are our roads in good shape?  Do our enemies fear us and do our Allies respect us.  Can the military kill people adequately?  The horse race and drama are mildly amusing, but at the end of the day I want the a government that actually works.  For the same reason, I don't regard many of the hot button or wedge issues very highly.  Prayer in school, is not really that important compared to whether water quality regulations are being upheld.  Admittedly water regulation is less interesting to a lot of people, but that shit is important.

[Ideologue]

Sorry, shouldn't be free.

That really doesn't make sense to me. If I eat something from Frito Lay, I have no reasonable expectation that I can recover anything from some random guy with stock in his account if I get food poisoning. Why should the government charge for an arrangement that is the only one that makes rational sense?

OK.

Firstly, caveat emptor?  Really?

Secondly, you will concede that your food poisoning has social costs, right?  That it's not just your individual problem?

Thirdly, if the damage done by a corporation is great enough, it will not be able to fix it, but its constituent actors will escape liability.  This is obvious, of course, as it is the essence of limited liability.  But is it fair that people can profit when they do good things, but avoid consequences then they turn catastrophic?  Moral hazard much?

Fourthly, despite the corporate shareholders basic if attenuated responsibility for damages done in their name, it's far more administratively convenient to charge either a corporate income tax, or a capital gains tax, or both, as a form of "social insurance" paid by all limited liability entities, to make up for the social harms some of them commit, by financing a strong, rich government, which will ameliorate that harm either through its functioning courts or through its generous social safety net.

Fifthly, I'm pretty sure LLCs and similar have to pay some kind of taxes, I'm just not sure what, and my copy of the IRC was destroyed in a tragic accident.

Sixthly, there are other good reasons for corporate/capital gains taxes to be higher; specifically, non-labor income is less valuable from a moral point of view; and also because the taxer is the state and the taxee is not.

[Ideologue]

I keep getting the impression he doesn't recognize Americans as humans, and more like props in some sort of elaborate show put on for his amusement.

Politics is and should be mostly to do with emotions, personality and a gut connection. 

I dunno.  Too much in this world already has to do with emotions, personality, and gut connection.  I want to vote for a candidate, not fuck him.

(Maybe Nancy Pelosi.)



Yeah, the Bang Bus.  Bow chicka bow wow.