But Seriously...

There is also the gerrymandering factor to take into consideration. Once a party controls a state, they will redraw the districts to give themselves advantages and keep the opposition party out of power. My state is a great example. We've been a republican state for a long time, but recent it has gone the way of super mega "south of the north" republican. Why? The few democratic strongholds in the state (Gary/NWI, Michigan City, and Indianapolis) have been gerrymandered into irrelevance. Michigan city used to be in a different congressional district than Gary and Hammond, meaning Dems had a shot at 3 congressional seats. They gerrymandered the districts to put Gary and Michigan City together, knowing they're both democratic strongholds, essentially ceding one district to ensure they maintain control of the other

This is done all over (and make no mistake, Dems are guilty of it, too), but once a party gets solid control, they will gerrymander a state into a virtual supermajority that is almost impossible to break.

Plus, as in my case, I tend vote economics at the local level and more social at the national level. My state controls my job and economics in a big way, while the federal government can overrule bullshit social rules set by states (see: gay marriage debate).

That said, in Indiana, I will literally vote for anyone but Mike Pence. Dude is awful.

 

If trump wins the election I'm seriously considering how my wife would accept a move to Canada. I love Toronto.

 

I know I keep harping on you about this, but to follow your narrative, what comes after the "end" of the RNC? What are these very big changes you expect to occur?

 

The biggest things I envision would be abandoning Reagan era platforms like trickle down economics and issues driven by evangelical beliefs (gay marriage, planned parenthood, etc.). They might try not being the party that attracts racists, anti-intellectuals, or anarchists by adopting an actual platform based in conservative values.

 

They might try it but they won't. In the end the party is who the donors are and as long as the Christian Right are stroking checks to Republican leaders then I don't see it changing.

 

That would be the smart thing, but can one of their candidates win the primaries without ranting about this crazy shit?

I think the best thing that would happen is we get a legitimate split. Crazy, we're still living in the 1950s Republicans to the right. Sane on social issues, but fiscally conservative Republicans to the middle. Not that I think that will happen either, but a lot of people could behind a Republican party that wasn't so driven by their religion and outdated beliefs. The tea party could be the lunatics and the current establishment could make an appropriate shift.

Or more likely, they'll double down and market harder to minorities and such. That won't work, but these are the people who look at trickle down and ask "It's so great, why won't everyone else get behind this?"

They need to focus on what they're going to do instead of this fear mongering towards the democrats, but again, don't think it's going to happen.

 

I guess the thing that bugs me is that unwillingness to break away from the loons that have hijacked the Republican Party.

Back in 2008, I was an independent. I was genuinely struggling in deciding between Obama and McCain. Then McCain brought in Sarah Palin and went full crazy himself to pander to the crazy-ass base, and I voted for Obama. If there was a solid fiscal conservative who was socially liberal? I'd vote for them in a minute. As it stands, the closest is Hillary, and ugh.

 

This is pretty much what I expected. This is from a Monmouth University survey of Republican voters in Florida:

 

Well, I think a lot of conservatives, after 2012, thought "we need to be MORE conservative." They did not realize the far right rhetoric is not what the majority of the GOP voters want. But they vote in mid-terms. There was talk about finding the perfect conservative. Look at the crop who popped up since 2008. The GOP partially lost the election because of disastrous state level gibberish about rape and reproductive rights. Which is starting up all over again. If the "real rape" and abortion clinic talk gains mainstream media attention look for it to poison the national election *again*. Trickle down economics does not work as is apparent in WI, LA, OK, KS, (Florida soon) though they keep pushing it. They're going to lose the debates HARD on these two issues.

The same people who voted in the tea party, politicians who *ran* on a platform of stalemating government, are now surprised that nothing got done. So, now they're going with Trump to fix it. They didn't like Romney, so they're going to vote in Romney's id? This is where 30 years of cutting civics gets us. Though, we have to admit a huge swath of people who took personal offense to certain social movements, are just malignant regressives who spit hate and found a mouthpiece welcoming their ideas.

The democrats don't necessarily want to change the rhetoric of leftist politicians. Though, many will hold their nose with Hillary (she's basically a moderate Republican). Obama's approval rating is 51%, just like Reagan's in his last term. Kind of a Clinton effect. The more you went after the guy the more people liked him.

 

The thing that gets me about the "fiscal conservative yet socially liberal" thing is that the line between the two is grey. If you mean someone that is pro-choice, pro gay rights, pro minority group fairness, I agree with you. But then socially liberal could also be a lot of expansion of social welfare programs which would then start to encroach on fiscal conservatism. Personally, I would just like to see women and minorities left the fuck alone and not treated like fucking societal cancer. Stop with the planned parenthood bullshit. Stop putting up barriers for the underprivileged and women to get vital healthcare. If they just knocked it off with that shit, I would actually consider voting for them.

For me, the happy medium is the Republican Party not being a party of "fuck you". And the democrats being a little more realistic and than idealistic.

 

Same here exactly. I questioned McCain's health but not his leadership, then he brought on Palin and I laughed my loyalties away and voted Obama. Then voted Romney because I didn't like what I saw from Obama's first term and didn't want more of the same in the second term.

With you as well on wanting a fiscal conservative who's socially liberal. Hillary's platform is decent, but the fact that she's Hillary makes it really tough.

 

If Romney had stayed that way during his campaign, he would have won a lot of the fence sitters and probably be president right now. I still don't understand why he pandered to the far right, given that they were going to vote for him anyway.

 

Another thing to worry about Trump is his administration. Carson says Trump offered him a job, which is illegal to do. Federal law expressly prohibits candidates from directly or indirectly promising “the appointment of any person to any public or private position or employment, for the purpose of procuring support in his candidacy.” So, this idiot can't keep his fucking mouth shut, but he's going to be the next surgeon general. Or minister of grain silos. I am going to assume Christie got a similar offer.

So, basically Trump's cabinet will be pusillanimous, thick headed dick farts. Funny enough, to use Trump vernacular, a bunch of losers who couldn't beat him.

 

Interesting article/photos of North Korea:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/15/travel/north-korea-tourist-photos/index.html

 

Rubio pulled Dade county. That's it. His hometown. He couldn't even get the rest of South Florida. I'm having a bit of a laugh. Last week I mentioned his own state doesn't like him, and here we are. 66% reporting, Trump and Hillary take Florida. Quite handily.

All those candidates really did split up the non-Trump vote. Wouldn't surprise me if the RNC attempts to put limits on the number of candidates next go round.

Here is an interesting article about the RNC convention written by an RNC committeeman out of VA: The Coming Trainwreck. Basically, no one will be able to come up if they're behind due to a Romney rule where nobody without an 8 state majority gets their votes counted.

 

I didnt get to vote today, because it took me 3 hours and 16 minutes to go 12 miles. Someone crashed off a bridge, on one of the main arteries to the Cincinnati suburbs. They shut down the highway. I sat for 2 hours before I could turn around.

Driving on the wrong side of the highway is empowering.

The moral of the story is vote early if you can because you never know what is going to happen day of.

 

I unfollowed a Facebook friend today who is a rabid Rubio fan after she posted a wordy diatribe about the grace of God, and how the lack thereof is ruining this country, and how we need to turn back to the Lord blah, blah, blah.

Ben Franklin and the baby Jesus weren't even on speaking terms, Jefferson was too lit on his own wine and beer to even find a church, and Washington was too busy being a gentleman farmer and carving a new set of teeth. The founding fathers were religious like we use the internet. It's an ubiquitous part of everyday life, everyone takes it for granted, but don't put too much stock in what it says.

 

And Rubio has called it quits. Just hours after saying win or lose, he'd continue.