Hot takes on the Democratic frontrunners

[tw]

Originally Posted by Flint

I keep thinking how hard/impossible it will be for a lot of Republican politicians to dissociate themselves from Trump,

A direct quote from a top Congressional Republican (forgot which one):

Trump IS the Republican Party.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by Flint

I keep thinking how hard/impossible it will be for a lot of Republican politicians to dissociate themselves from Trump, if he should become political poison. Because of the way he demands loyalty, they're irrevocably attached to him.

Exactly this. This is what they signed up for.

[sexobon]

Depends on what your definition of IS, is.

[tw]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Depends on what your definition of IS, is.

Among factors cited (by others) is a large exodus of moderates from reelection and the Republican party.

[Undertoad]

This Washington Examiner piece notes that Biden was an enormous hypocrite in the 80s - as were all politicians in the 80s, and also, the 90s, 00s, 10s, and will be next decade.

But in the 80s, Biden was a huge drug warrior, actually helped write some of the harshest drug war legislation; including the legislation to appoint a drug csar, increase mandatory minimum sentences, and to treat crack more harshly than powder cocaine... legislation which, in the long run, wound up actually starting the modern idea of justice reform!

But, in 1988, the first year Biden ran for President, Hunter Biden was arrested for drugs and, through a program, had his record expunged.

[Flint]

Biden was obsessed with very harsh "drug war" policies-- this came back into our minds recently when he said that pot might be a gateway drug, it just needs to be "studied" more. Guess why we haven't studied it?

I think it was a piece on The Young Turks where they examined how much he was an "architect" of the drug war, and poured his energy into pushing for it. That's a lot of incarceration.

[Griff]

He simply hasn't kept up. Most people really do stop learning much in their dotage, present company excepted.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Griff

present company excepted.

Same here.

[tw]

Large numbers of prosecutors have gone through this same mindset changes. In the 80s, most in power associated marijuana with heroine. Since then, large numbers of prosecutors (and lawmakers) have reassessed their attitude.

One noteworthy exception was Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Other prosecutors noted him as a fair and reasonable prosecutor. But also note he just could not accept the reassessment that so many others had switched to.

This Biden example is simply consistent with attitude changes by most in law enforcement.

[xoxoxoBruce]

maybe this will color the next election a little.

[Luce]

Not really a front-runner, obviously, but Julian Castro dropped out today.

[Undertoad]

Elizabeth Warren is a big fat serial liar. She lied about her heritage, she lied about why she was canned from her teaching position, and she is now lying about the Bernie meeting. This is only my guess and my opinion.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Elizabeth Warren is a big fat serial liar. She lied about her heritage, she lied about why she was canned from her teaching position, and she is now lying about the Bernie meeting. This is only my guess and my opinion.

You cannot run for the office of the president without being a gigantic Goddamn liar.

It's part of the job description.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's a horrible thing to say.





Everyone knows it's true, but a horrible thing to say.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

That's a horrible thing to say.





Everyone knows it's true, but a horrible thing to say.

Hey, if the president has to be dishonest, it is left to us to be honest.

I mean, seriously, what kind of person wants to be president? You basically have to give up integrity and anything resembling dignity, just to be in charge of a perpetually fucked up mess that cannot be fixed.

That takes amorality, dishonestly, and a certain level of stupidity.