2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Eddie Teach]

It's not that bad. After all Trump has just rendered valuable service to the Republic by shredding Jeb's candidacy. 

Even Jeb! would be better than Trump.

[Legbiter]

 

[DGuller]

This time a year ago, the top 6 in polls for GOP nomination were:

Bush
Huckabee
Paul
Carson
Walker
Christie

[Valmy]

But...if it happened in 1978, it should still be okay to talk about in 2016, right?

Sure. But 1978 was a different time.

[Admiral Yi]

How did Kaisich defund Planned Parenthood?

[garbon]

How did Kaisich defund Planned Parenthood?

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/21/politics/john-kasich-planned-parenthood-bill/

Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a bill Sunday prohibiting the state from contracting for health services with any organization that performs or promotes abortions, blocking government funds to Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood isn't explicitly named in the legislation, but the law will prevent more than $1 million in funding from the state health department from going to the nonprofit to fund programs such as HIV testing, health screenings and prevention of violence against women.

Kasich, who's tried to project a more moderate image as a Republican presidential candidate on some issues, had been expected to sign the measure. A spokesman for the governor said earlier this month that he intended to sign the bill when it reached his desk. He did so Sunday, a day after finishing a distant fifth in South Carolina's primary.

[OttoVonBismarck]

How did Kaisich defund Planned Parenthood?

Because Planned Parenthood receives a mixture of Federal, State and private funding. He's Governor of Ohio, and signed a bill cutting state funding. It seems they got about $1m in grant money from Ohio's Department of Health, the bill basically classifies PP as an "ineligible service provider", but the money will go to non-PP organizations that do much the same thing. So the amount isn't large relative to the size of Ohio and at least the money is still going to community health organizations that provide services for expectant mothers.

[CountDeMoney]

So in some people's book I am a right-leaning centrist,

You certainly aren't the flaming fucking asshole you were during the 2004 election.

Fatherhood and the malignant lethargy of federal employment has mellowed you out.

[11B4V]

So in some people's book I am a right-leaning centrist,

You certainly aren't the flaming fucking asshole you were during the 2004 election.

Fatherhood and the malignant lethargy of federal employment has mellowed you out.

Fed's FTW. 

[CountDeMoney]

Fed's FTW. 

Oh I'm sorry, that post is not 508 Compliant.  Now go take your Information Security Awareness training module.  Again.

[OttoVonBismarck]

So in some people's book I am a right-leaning centrist,

You certainly aren't the flaming fucking asshole you were during the 2004 election.

Fatherhood and the malignant lethargy of federal employment has mellowed you out.

Eh, I was up against a literal horde of Eurotrash back in those days, I think my bellicosity was understandable. Most of my vehemence back then related to my position that whatever the wisdom of invading Iraq, I didn't like the John Kerry strategy of saying "oh well, we fucked this country up real good, let's get the fuck out." FWIW even Obama didn't fully believe that--he tried to negotiate a bilateral security agreement with Maliki's government that would've left the "super-embassy" with 5,000 "embassy staff" in place, you know, to be in theater in case shit like, oh, ISIS suddenly developed and it turned out the billions of dollars we gave to the Iraqi Army and all the man hours spent training them was 100% wasted. Maliki of course rejected because he was Iran's puppet, but I still think back in '04 to just "bring everyone home" and fuck the consequences was bad policy, and that's why I wasn't too cool with Lurch. I did find the  Swiftboat shit pretty fucking vile, and indicative of the kind of world we live in. Where a guy who actually went to Vietnam, got wounded etc, is called a faker who "moaned about minor injuries to get Purple Hearts" by the backers of a guy who couldn't even be bothered to show up for mandatory training in the national guard unit his daddy got him in so he'd never be in harm's way while Kerry was serving in the frankly brutal brown water navy in Vietnam.

[Razgovory]

Kerry's position was not "bring everyone home" in 2004.

[alfred russel]

I think it is a good question as to whether Kasich will make it to Super Tuesday. He doesn't really have any path to the nomination, but he sucks up anti Trump oxygen which is going to generate pressure for him to get out. He has some theory that he will do well in the midwest, but there is a Michigan poll that has him at 17% and Trump at 35%. Okay, that is second place, but focusing on the midwest won't get you the nomination, and focusing on the midwest and being 18% behind the leader doesn't change that.

[MadImmortalMan]

He'd be rather dumb to drop out before the Ohio primary. I assume he'll decide after that.

[alfred russel]

He'd be rather dumb to drop out before the Ohio primary. I assume he'll decide after that.

The Ohio primary is March 15. More than a quarter of the delegates are awarded before then, and it looks like he may basically get 0 of them. What good will winning Ohio do for him at that point?

On the other hand, he is going to get a lot of pressure to get out of the race from everyone that doesn't want to see Trump or Cruz win. A lot of animosity will be generated by staying in that long.

I'll make a friendly non monetary wager with you: he is gone before Ohio.