Anthony Flack wrote: Sat Aug 10, 2024 3:44 am The vetting already happened to get the VP position, and the people effectively endorsed Harris when they endorsed Biden, since the veep is supposed to be your spare president in case the current one dies or suddenly becomes 82. A vote for Biden is a vote for Harris, just like a vote for Trump is a vote for Couch Fucker.

Not quite as democratic as an open primary, but not as undemocratic as the Electoral College...

So electing the next president should just be an endless succession of VPs? I’m not so sure that’s how its supposed to work. You’re also conveniently glossing over the main consideration….money.

kokorodoko wrote: Fri Aug 09, 2024 12:36 pm

dumbass wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:33 am what democracy?!?! they chose the candidate, we didn't.

Can I get a rundown of this 2016 stuff? Was it rigged, was it not, what happened? I've been listening to people and reading some but like, there are two streams that are saying very different things about it, and the arguments against the rigged election claim are extensive and thorough, but they employ very much precedent and so on and I have no idea what's normal and what isn't in these situations.

Please help me untangle this.

I was referring to the fact that Kamala was chosen by the DNC, no one ever voted for her. She was literally eliminated in the first round of the primaries with 0 votes.

dumbass wrote: Sat Aug 10, 2024 10:06 am

kokorodoko wrote: Fri Aug 09, 2024 12:36 pm

dumbass wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:33 am what democracy?!?! they chose the candidate, we didn't.

Can I get a rundown of this 2016 stuff? Was it rigged, was it not, what happened? I've been listening to people and reading some but like, there are two streams that are saying very different things about it, and the arguments against the rigged election claim are extensive and thorough, but they employ very much precedent and so on and I have no idea what's normal and what isn't in these situations.

Please help me untangle this.

I was referring to the fact that Kamala was chosen by the DNC, no one ever voted for her. She was literally eliminated in the first round of the primaries with 0 votes.

I think one thing fueling this slip n' slide is most people who vote Dem didn't feel like they had the opportunity to choose Biden for the 2024 election. He was just there, because the DNC coalesced around him. We were stuck with him. Then we got stuck with a better candidate instead. It's still procedurally shitty, but it's such an improvement of circumstances and the stakes are so high no one even has time to process the lack of democratic process in candidate selection. In a normal time this would be absolutely scandalous. This year it feels like a godsend.

losthighway wrote: Sat Aug 10, 2024 11:35 am I think one thing fueling this slip n' slide is most people who vote Dem didn't feel like they had the opportunity to choose Biden for the 2024 election. He was just there, because the DNC coalesced around him. We were stuck with him. Then we got stuck with a better candidate instead. It's still procedurally shitty, but it's such an improvement of circumstances and the stakes are so high no one even has time to process the lack of democratic process in candidate selection. In a normal time this would be absolutely scandalous. This year it feels like a godsend.

Almost exactly my feelings.

Someone pointed out that it's entirely possible that Trump doesn't know the difference between asylum seekers and those who live in insane asylums. This seems probable to me, but the "media" won't seem to touch it, that I've seen.

enframed wrote: Sun Aug 11, 2024 9:26 am Someone pointed out that it's entirely possible that Trump doesn't know the difference between asylum seekers and those who live in insane asylums. This seems probable to me, but the "media" won't seem to touch it, that I've seen.

He either doesn’t know what it is, or he’s trying to muddy the distinction to shape policy among his followers, who are often too dumb to know the difference.

Dave N. wrote: Sun Aug 11, 2024 1:02 pm

enframed wrote: Sun Aug 11, 2024 9:26 am Someone pointed out that it's entirely possible that Trump doesn't know the difference between asylum seekers and those who live in insane asylums. This seems probable to me, but the "media" won't seem to touch it, that I've seen.

He either doesn’t know what it is, or he’s trying to muddy the distinction to shape policy among his followers, who are often too dumb to know the difference.

2016 Trump might be that clever, 2024 Trump not so much.

Musk interviewing Trump is either going to be the most expensive car crash in history or boring to the point of heat death of the universe.

It’s one or the other.

Arguing the merits of the DNC selection is pretty moot, considering that the whole party is coalescing around the candidate and the candidate has really fired the party up. Seems like the only ones complaining are the republicans (because it's unfair they have to find a new line of attack on short notice, poor fellas) and those of us on the hard left. For me, I don't care, I want to see the energy swing to the Democrats so we can get past MAGA for fuck's sake.

The Republicans will just fall back on the racist dog whistle framework established by their patron saints, Reagan and Nixon.