Third option: America is the worst country in the world... except all others

Seriously though,* America is a great country, but all these politicians and other people who seem we have the right to the title no matter what we do, ("torture is wrong" "shut up, America's the greatest country in the world!"  "Maybe we shouldn't..." "Shut up, don't question your President, America's the greatest country in the world!") make me wish I lived in an underrated country

*Don't worry, I say "seriously," but I don't really mean it.

None of these are true.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This.  I used to subscribe to the whole spoiler theory, but now I just think that if a person wanted to vote for major candidate _____, they would have done that instead of voting for "spoiler" candidate ______, wouldn't they have?  I mean, it's not like people didn't know who they were voting for, there wasn't a candidate Brock O. Bama or James McKain that confused people, then I might say that that candidate cost them votes, but only with people who weren't paying close enough attention anyway.

Jeb's definitely a more competent guy than his brother, but I disagree with his social conservatism a lot.  There was an example I was gonna mention, but I didn't want the thread going off topic, so I'll give a lamer one:  He made "In God We Trust" the state motto, which isn't a big important deal, but it still irritates me on a separation of church and state level.

I don't know too much about Connie Mack, but Wikipedia did say he opposed the PATRIOT ACT and the bailout, so those are two big plus signs...  As a libertarian though, I'm sure he's done a totally justifiable good deed through Government regulation or intervention that I'll hate him for

That said, if Bush runs I think he'd almost certainly be the GOP candidate, because like others have said, he's just very popular here.

A lot of people here have talked about how third parties need to target fewer select races, instead of fielding Presidential candidates, so…  What races would you like to see third parties target in 2010?  Where do, say, the Libertarians or Greens have a good candidate that could actually make a seat a three-way race?  Are there any places where maybe the local Republican or Democratic brands are damaged enough that a third party could market itself as a better alternative?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

So, no, it should not be illegal. Regarding the child abuse issues, forcing a child to handle a deadly snake should be crime regardless of whether or not it's part of a religious ceremony.

That sounds right to me.  Also other issues regarding this, like abuse of the snake, I assume would be covered under other laws.

My guess is one of these is our next first:
-An Italian-American President
-A Jewish President
-A Female President
-A Mormon President

I think one of these would be harder, but I think it just really takes a candidate who can really appear to be more than just a 'blank' candidate, much in the way I think Obama did this election:
-A hispanic President
-An Asian-American President
-A President under 40
-A President over 80
The age ones are hard though;  You need a guy with enough experience under 40, and a guy who seem to be in really good health over 80.

These I predict happen in this order, but are completely unelectable right now, imo:
-An openly gay President
-A Muslim President
-An (admitted) Atheist President
-A transexual President
-A transvestite President

And this one I'm just really not sure about:
-A President with Down's Syndrome
I'm guessing it would just take the right candidate, but I dunno *shrugs*

All of them.

121, and I'm closely related to four of them, actually.

I'm not sure how my city would vote, but my county voted 68-32 for Prop.2, unfortunately.  I don't doubt my town is similar to those results, but I don't really know for sure.

For those who don't know me, I actually live in Florida, just wish I didn't

I always supported Ron Paul; and after Iowa, I seriously thought Obama and Huckabee had a great chance of being the national matchup.  Before that I didn't give it much thought, except that I never really thought Hillary would win the nomination, don't know why, I just didn't think she would.

I've been waiting for a thread to post this in, and this seems like a good excuse to


This was my prediction map on Nov. 3rd, I'm pretty proud of it; my shades were pretty close.  I expected Delaware, California and Connecticut to be high 50s.  I'm not really sure why I decided against putting Alaska at +60, I waffled on it a bit...  I guess I just couldn't convince myself that Palin could really help McCain in any state   I know she did, I just still have a hard time wrapping my head around why

The only states I got wrong, (MO, NC & IN,) were the last states to be called and the hardest predictions I made.  The only state I think I did badly in predicting was Nevada, which I thought would be almost as close as the other three, but I think that surprised a lot of people, so I don't feel too badly

EDIT: Forgot, I also predicted Nebraska at +60.  I also didn't think Obama would win it's 2nd district, but I thought it'd be kinda close, like 51-48 or something.

Yup, it really does look like you were right about both the Presidential and Senatorial results in your home state and, more importantly, you stood by your projections no matter how much ridicule it brought you.  Will you except my accolades?

But, again, seriously good job *thumbs up*

Not bad, I'd think OR, WI, NM and CO should be a shade redder though, and AZ and NE a shade bluer, but that's just personal opinion on the race, not based on any facts really.

Oregon a tossup?
Colorado lean Republican?
Wisconsin a tossup?
New Mexico a tossup?


What race are you watching?  Obama is ~5.5% up in the polls right now.

By "redder", I think he means Democratic (according to Leip's colors, of course).

Well yeah, I mean, the map in the thread has those colors, too, so, y'know I thought that'd be obvious

Oops, brain fart.  I don't normally watch so much cable news and I've been staring at their maps for the last three hours.


My mistake, thanks.

No problem, I get confused over things far more obvious then my post, especially after a long debate has lowered my IQ a few dozen points

Obama 330+.  I just don't see McCain as being able to win it, haven't really for awhile now.

Not bad, I'd think OR, WI, NM and CO should be a shade redder though, and AZ and NE a shade bluer, but that's just personal opinion on the race, not based on any facts really.

Seriously, where was the funny Palin gaffes?  I was only watching for an "ultimately what the bailout does is help those concerned about the health care reform" moment.  I want my hour back! (Missed the first 30 minutes, nothing funny happened then, did it?)



Anyway, I think Biden had better, more on point answers, and I think Palin tried too hard to be folksy, ("goshdarnit, there you go again Joe,") and, maybe this was just me, but she kept smiling when the answers seems like they needed a more serious expression, if that makes any sense.  But, Palin definitely exceeded expectations, (or fell short of them, depending on which way you look at it,) so I think she'll be considered the winner.  She also seemed to explain the Couric stuff as being the formats fault, which I obviously don't buy at all, but I think it will sell to her supporters.  Evil Couric!

Yeah, Palin most likely will be seen as having redeemed herself in most peoples eyes, methinks.

This:


But only if McCain/Palin does something to regain credibility, if not I see this as being a very real possibility:


Of course, we still have a month.  It's just weird to think I use to believe McCain would be competitive in Pennsylvania, and now I'm pretty sure Obama will get +300EVs.

[I]

Am I missing something here?

No, I am. which I kinda already said.  It's been forever since I talked to Porce, (who use to be in SC,) or Berger, but I thought Porce was a moderate-southern democrat and, this is the big one I could be completely mistaken on, pro-choice?  I was almost sure he was, but *shrug*  Anyway, Andrew Berger was a somewhat more moderate libertarian conservative which struck me as being a good fit for the west and south, plus he's pro-choice, if, again, I'm not mistaken.

After that, my reasoning gets real fuzzy, well, just about everywhere.  I don't do too well on a state-to-state basis, but I'm trying

Seriously though, it's been about a year since I talk politics with either of these guys, so what did I get wrong?  I really, actually want to know, because I guess I don't remember them too well, eh?

P.S. Not that I care that much, but didn't anybody see I pointed out I was sure I was missing something that made my map laughable? That was suppose to be a invitation to tell me what I was missing *shrug*

So, yeah, basically, I know my map's wrong, I'd just like to know what I'm forgetting/don't know.

It's been awhile since I read posts by either and realized it was them, (Ebowed?  Sal Paradise?) but anyway, this would be a great election with two excellent candidates, and either would be far better then the average US President, IMO.

Probably Berger/Porce.

I think this election would provide a major realignment, something like this maybe?



I don't know, there's probably some policy I'm forgetting which makes this map laughable.

Porce: 305
AndrewBerger: 233

Only ban non-secular homeschooling. If the homeschooling is for leftist purposes or other non-religious purposes it's cool with me. Basically my same stance as on private/charter schools. Ban religious-focused ones but allow the magnet schools/other secular private schools.

Besides the invasive policies you'd have to enact to make sure they were teaching a non-religious curriculum, doesn't that violate the free exercise clause?

Plus, how do you distinguish what counts for school time and family time?  If a family teaches a secular curriculum, and goes to church on Sunday, does that make them secular or religious?

I'd also like to point out I don't see anything at all wrong with a religious curriculum, in and of itself.  The problem would be with overzealous parents.

Lean McCain.

Obama vs Giuliani:



Giuliani's fatal mistake being, of course, when he decided to skip all the other states and campaign only in Florida.

I don't have the info, but I did hear the LP isn't running Barr/Root in NH, instead they're running George Phillies.

Why?  I don't know.

This thread is a veritable storm of color, flying beautifuly through the forums.

ROTFL

CheezWhiz you are a god among men.

Oooo!  I don't believe I've ever been called a god before! *hugz*

GREEN + YELLOW



GREEN + ORANGE



YELLOW + ORANGE