2016 elections - because it's never too early

[viper37]

I am wondering, are the three Bushes, Ted Cruz, Mitt Romney, John McCain, Paul Ryan, Dick Cheney, the republican governors, senators and congressmen going to put on red "Make America Great Again" caps, praise Mr Donald Trump and kiss his ring during the party convention?

Yes, they will.  Plotting their revenge all the while and blaming Obama for Trump's election publicly.

Also, imagine that it isn't Obama, but Trump visiting the UK Royal family.  That 90+ year old Prince Philip drives Trump around.  That cute Prince George in a bathrobe shakes Trump's hand.  Or maybe next time they'll send little Princess Charlotte to meet President Trump.  Somehow that doesn't look like a pretty picture to me.

If Trump is elected and he visits UK, the Queen, or King Charles, won't have a choice in greeting him.  I don't know of the royal protocols, I think you're not allowed to touch the King/Queen, so handshake may be excluded from the monarch.  The rest of the family may not have to meet Trump, except maybe Charles' official consort, if any at the time.  Prince Philip may be excused for a case of bad flu, at this age, you know...

[viper37]

Incidentally, why do celebrities threatening to leave the US if so-and-so is elected always plan to go to Canada and never to Mexico? Are they racist or something? 

It's easier to travel the world with a canadian passport than with a mexican passport.  Nobody cares about Canadians except Canadians themselves.

[viper37]

If I supported politicians based on their looks,

you don't?  That hair wave isn't doing anything for you?

[Valmy]

Incidentally, why do celebrities threatening to leave the US if so-and-so is elected always plan to go to Canada and never to Mexico? Are they racist or something? 

It's easier to travel the world with a canadian passport than with a mexican passport.  Nobody cares about Canadians except Canadians themselves.

People care about Mexicans?

[viper37]

Except someone actually reading the polls would be saying "huh, wow, I guess it's Hillary Clinton."

depends on what comes out between now and fall on the investigation front.  If Hillary receives a blame for her personal e-mail account use, it might be enough to convince moderate Republicans to vote for Trump and far left Democrat to not vote at all.

[viper37]

Incidentally, why do celebrities threatening to leave the US if so-and-so is elected always plan to go to Canada and never to Mexico? Are they racist or something? 

It's easier to travel the world with a canadian passport than with a mexican passport.  Nobody cares about Canadians except Canadians themselves.

People care about Mexicans?

Yes.  Enough to make them a subject of this US electoral campaign and to dedicate a reality tv show on tracking them when they cross the border

[viper37]

There is a reason Donald has a growing gay following.

is it the hair?

[Valmy]

Except someone actually reading the polls would be saying "huh, wow, I guess it's Hillary Clinton."

depends on what comes out between now and fall on the investigation front.  If Hillary receives a blame for her personal e-mail account use, it might be enough to convince moderate Republicans to vote for Trump and far left Democrat to not vote at all.

Sanders, on the other hand, was one of those nutters in the 60s and 70s who thought children needed to be exposed to sexuality in order to keep them from being repressed all Freud-like. Then he has consistently voted against federal laws against child pornography and so forth. Everybody has their skeletons.

Also it is laughable that Trump's foibles are somehow less bad than e-mail use.

[Tamas]

To be precise, is the catering to the most idiotic vile edges of the political spectrum that killed the GOP. In hindsight I think a Trump was inevitable to happen. It almost happened with Sarah Palin and the like but none of that "generation" had the slimy salesman experience of Trump.

[viper37]

I really don't see the point of spending time and money to travel to the voting booth just to vote for someone who has no realistic hope of winning an election. 

Because you vote for lots of different things in an election?

Not in Canada, and I suspect not in most British parliamentary democracies.  We vote for our member of parliament on election day, that is all.  Then again, we don't spend 2 years electing a prime minister either

[Valmy]

I really don't see the point of spending time and money to travel to the voting booth just to vote for someone who has no realistic hope of winning an election. 

Because you vote for lots of different things in an election?

Not in Canada, and I suspect not in most British parliamentary democracies.  We vote for our member of parliament on election day, that is all.  Then again, we don't spend 2 years electing a prime minister either

You don't have local offices?

Anyway Mono here you will probably have 20+ elections you will be voting on come November.

[Valmy]

Well considering their first nominee was John C Fremont they just came full circle.

[viper37]

Except someone actually reading the polls would be saying "huh, wow, I guess it's Hillary Clinton."

depends on what comes out between now and fall on the investigation front.  If Hillary receives a blame for her personal e-mail account use, it might be enough to convince moderate Republicans to vote for Trump and far left Democrat to not vote at all.

Sanders, on the other hand, was one of those nutters in the 60s and 70s who thought children needed to be exposed to sexuality in order to keep them from being repressed all Freud-like. Then he has consistently voted against federal laws against child pornography and so forth. Everybody has their skeletons.

True, I never said there was an alternative.  Hillary is the Democrat's best shot at presidency but it's not a sure thing, even if she leads by >10 points in most polls (there's one showing Trump in advance, but I think it's not reliable?)

Also it is laughable that Trump's foibles are somehow less bad than e-mail use.

Yes it is, but I don't see you voting for Trump.  For people who do vote for him, for people who usually do not vote Democrat, it might be a bigger deal than deporting Arabs&Mexicans.
Then, the spin doctors do their show.  And there is swiftboating.  It's not like the truth really matters in politics.  If that was the case, Canada would have a Conservative government and the Liberal party would be in total disarray with barely an handful of MPs accross the country.

[viper37]

You don't have local offices?

Mayors and city counsellors are elected in seperate elections.  The mayor is elected by popular vote, unlike the Prime Minister.
Since very recently, in Quebec, they merged municipal elections with School boards elections.
But provincial and federal elections are "unique", you only vote for the MP, nothing else, and a referendum can only have one question and two answers, yes or no.

[Martinus]

The Eye of Trump is already shifting from Ted to Hillary. And he has the advantage of (contrary to any exceptations) her still facing an internal opponent, while him having destroyed all internal competition. He has already said in an interview for Fox News (yes I watch Fox News now ) this morning that he feels like he is going to use the line from Sanders about Hillary having displayed poor judgement repeatedly in the past a lot in the coming months.

And apparently he has already started to make overtures to some Bernie Bros who say of the two evils, Trump is the lesser one than Hillary.

I think if the general election was held today, Hillary would win, but there is still 6 months to go.