The End of America?

[juanitox]

[video=youtube_share;a_PoyONe-CQ]

 

i want one of these shirt

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

I frequently tell my friends that the President doesn't have too much power in our democracy. It's designed this way. And, not much will change between now and the next election, that's directly related to the President. Sure, the President appoints judges and can enter or remove us from partnerships, but Congress is where the real power is located. I said this for the last several elections and I think it still holds up.

 

I appreciate that you are trying to be optimistic and comforting here, but this view is a litlle simplistic... The presidency, and its administration, have significant power as they shape policy, implement legislation, and conduct foreign policy and military operations. Moreover, the presidency influces legislation through its veto power and wields significant clout over congress - take a look back at some of the major legislation of the past - they have been shaped by presidents as much as by congress.

[The Computer Audiophile]

My uk view is you got the American dream... There are people on the top doing very well and making sure they stay there....... Either depression or glut war or peace the rich do very well thank you... 2 party politics just slightly leans on what side the crumbs fall off the table. But we will never sit up there.

But neither will half the world. It seems the top half give the impression of a Las Vagas casino.... but the house always win in the end.... House of Parliament. .House of Representatives . . . Brexit has me worried... I hope Trump is a wake up call and the post Trump presidential term is just bad headlines and not leaving you guys in a mess....

Good luck to us all....

 

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Computer Audiophile mobile app

 

Perhaps a little different outlook on an American dream. Minnesota just elected the nation's first Somali legislator to the MN House. She is a Muslim woman, who can't even drive or vote in some Muslim countries. Her story is one that puts a smile on my face. She came here for a better life and is making the best of what America has to offer. I don't care if she is Polish, Canadian, or Somali, but the fact that she comes form such a terrible situation, makes her story one of incredible perseverance and I like that in a person.

 

Ilhan Omar will be nation's first Somali-American legislator - StarTribune.com

 

"Omar was born in Somalia in 1982. At the age of eight, she fled the Somali Civil War as a refugee with her family and spent four years in a Kenyan refugee camp before attending middle school in Arlington, Virginia when she, her siblings, and her father, Nur Omar, arrived in the U.S. in 1995. She states that her father opted to move them to Minnesota for economic security and because of its reputedly excellent education system.She has lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 1997.Omar has shown interest in politics since the age of 14 and obtained her degree in political science and international studies at North Dakota State University.[2] She has three children." - Wikipedia

[The Computer Audiophile]

I appreciate that you are trying to be optimistic and comforting here, but this view is a litlle simplistic... The presidency, and its administration, have significant power as they shape policy, implement legislation, and conduct foreign policy and military operations. Moreover, the presidency influces legislation through its veto power and wields significant clout over congress - take a look back at some of the major legislation of the past - they have been shaped by presidents as much as by congress.

 

Hi Hopkins - I respectfully disagree. It's a job that isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

Hi Hopkins - I respectfully disagree. It's a job that isn't all it's cracked up to be.

 

Tell that to Hilary

[Rt66indierock]

When you get a chance to vote against Fox News, CNN, the entertainment industry and the DC establishment take it.

 

This morning I'm listening to AR-4x speakers in my office just as I've done for the last 30 years.

[NOMBEDES]

When you get a chance to vote against Fox News, CNN, the entertainment industry and the DC establishment take it.

 

This morning I'm listening to AR-4x speakers in my office just as I've done for the last 30 years.

 

 

Word!

[bluesman]

This morning I'm listening to AR-4x speakers in my office just as I've done for the last 30 years.

You gotta love AR - they've been joyfully keeping us in acoustic suspense for 6 decades now!

[Jud]

My personal opinion is that she lost this election all on her own. I voted for hope and change when Obama first got in office and I did it again when I voted for Trump. I think Hillary missed out on votes like mine by not addressing all of the things we aren't happy with. People are fed up with Obamacare and other things related to the current democratic presidency. She needed to explain why we needed another democrat not just blast Trump or boast about how she would continue Obama's policies.

 

Really good article from Politico on the Clinton campaign itself realizing what you are talking about: Inside the Loss Clinton Saw Coming - POLITICO Magazine

 

 

When you read this article and think about the decision her campaign made even before the outset of the general election phase to play in Trump's sandbox by going hugely negative, it is a startling admission by the candidate and those who knew her best that they didn't feel they could win on a favorable platform of their own.

 

 

Telling regarding the state of politics in the USA right now: Quick, think of 2020 candidates of either party (but especially Democrats) who can articulate plans and policies that will make our lives better, rather than campaigning primarily on the platform of "I may be no bowl of cherries, but the other side is even worse!"

 

So just as always, only cast in sharper relief by yesterday's events, it's not primarily about what someone else will do for us, but about getting off our asses and making things better for ourselves and others.

 

 

Having scattered around all this sunshine, I do have to sound one note of caution: There are some individuals and groups who will feel empowered by this result who make me nervous as someone who grew up Jewish. I do not think this extends to Trump himself (his Orthodox Jewish son-in-law was one of his most trusted advisers during the campaign). But Trump was not above riding this tiger for electoral advantage, so I hope it doesn't wind up eating up his movement.

[NOMBEDES]

I frequently tell my friends that the President doesn't have too much power in our democracy. It's designed this way. And, not much will change between now and the next election, that's directly related to the President. Sure, the President appoints judges and can enter or remove us from partnerships, but Congress is where the real power is located. I said this for the last several elections and I think it still holds up. (edit)

 

 

Don't forget that President Trump will have his hands full with the "Freedom Caucus" in the US House. There is very little unity in the Republican Party. There are serious issues to address and wacko-bird social issues can certainly derail reasonable discussion and resolution.

[mordante]

My problem with the US elections is that the whole electoral system of the USA is just not very democratic. The president should get elected by popular vote. Get rid of the super delegates etc. One person one vote.

 

Also politicians have far too much influence on the judicial system. Mayors that can appoint who is in charge of the police. Judges who get appointed by politicians etc. It is just all really bad. Does the USA not know what trias politica means?

 

Also commercial entities or individual persons should not be allowed to make donations of say more then 5000 dollar and all donations should be public. Even in the Netherlands, where I live politicians are always trying to influence the judicial system. And that is wrong on so many levels. As politicians you make the law. The police upholds the law and the judges judge. Neither of the three should influence each other and neither of the three is above the other.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Don't forget that President Trump will have his hands full with the "Freedom Caucus" in the US House. There is very little unity in the Republican Party. There are serious issues to address and wacko-bird social issues can certainly derail reasonable discussion and resolution.

 

With so much disfunction, I have a hard time believing any elected candidate can get anything done.

[The Computer Audiophile]

My problem with the US elections is that the whole electoral system of the USA is just not very democratic. The president should get elected by popular vote. Get rid of the super delegates etc. One person one vote.

 

I don't mind the electoral college. It's not perfect, but nothing is.

 

With respect to super delegates, that's got nothing to do with the country itself or how official elections work. The Democratic party has decided that's how it wants to select a candidate. People can elect to play in that game or not. I could invent my own CA Party and use low jitter delegates if I want. It's like a private business, parties can do as they like. Bernie Sanders may have been better served by another party, but he elected to play the game under the established DNC rules.

[gmgraves]

End of America? I doubt it as the Constitution will now continue to live as it was "meant"

 

If one looks at the history of America, which few on these threads know much about, the US Constitution began being shredded in earnest since the FDR era. Most of us Constitutional Conservatives believe this election was most important strictly regarding the restoration of the Supreme Court to one of an originalist court rather than a activist court.

 

Many of us here believe and cherish our Constitution and the Framer's intent and the rules set by the same which many of you abroad have a hard time understanding.

 

+1

[speavler]

I almost forgot, some of the hosts of The View and other Hollywood Elites "promised" to move out of America if Trump wins. Huge gain for America

 

And anyone who continues to use the mainstream media as their primary news source is choosing to be intentionally misinformed.

[Priaptor]

Don't forget that President Trump will have his hands full with the "Freedom Caucus" in the US House. There is very little unity in the Republican Party. There are serious issues to address and wacko-bird social issues can certainly derail reasonable discussion and resolution.

 

The "Republican Party" is dead. Last night was as much of a repudiation of them as the Democrats. The Democrats have little in common with the Democrats of just 30 years ago except the name and I wouldn't be surprised if you don't see the same with Republicans, where the so called Libertarian/Constitutionalists/TeaParty/FreedomCaucus become a bigger and bigger portion of the party. Many Conservatives, me included, are sick of the all the status quo DC professional types.

 

One quick example of how DC has grown out of hand. We have 350+ regulatory bodies, which we can argue have no constitutional authority, never elected and accountable to no one, through the manipulation of the Constitution and while in some cases, make people's lives better in many many ways make our lives much worse. How did this happen? The growth of a government and with it corruption.

 

I am not naive to claim Trump is the answer to the a smaller government or the corruption but I am happy to see some people (from both sides) finally starting to recognize it.

[rickca]

I just read an article that called Trump's win the 'Archie Bunker uprising'. I think that's a pretty accurate characterization.

I recently became a US citizen. This is the first presidential election in which I was eligible to vote. What a doozy!

[NOMBEDES]

I am not naive to claim Trump is the answer to the a smaller government or the corruption but I am happy to see some people (from both sides) finally starting to recognize it. (edit)

 

+ 1 ~ It would be wonderful if the US could get smaller government out of this election. I remain dubious. I predict infighting and more disfunction. Hope I am wrong.

[Priaptor]

My problem with the US elections is that the whole electoral system of the USA is just not very democratic. The president should get elected by popular vote. Get rid of the super delegates etc. One person one vote.

 

Also politicians have far too much influence on the judicial system. Mayors that can appoint who is in charge of the police. Judges who get appointed by politicians etc. It is just all really bad. Does the USA not know what trias politica means?

 

Also commercial entities or individual persons should not be allowed to make donations of say more then 5000 dollar and all donations should be public. Even in the Netherlands, where I live politicians are always trying to influence the judicial system. And that is wrong on so many levels. As politicians you make the law. The police upholds the law and the judges judge. Neither of the three should influence each other and neither of the three is above the other.

 

I don't know if you are an American or not (sounds like you are not). To truly understand the electoral college and how we elect our President one needs to understand our history. You many not like it and many others in America may not like it BUT we do have a method to change it if America was so inclined to do so. Our Framers made great compromises to ensure not just an equal proportion delegated to the individual but to the geographical regions of interest. If anything, popular vote carrying the whole state IMHO probably gives much more weight to cities than it should. IMHO, if we were to change the electoral college it would be to assign electoral votes based on districts rather than a winner take all popular vote in the state and surely not the country. We Americans are very disparate geographically, much more so than in Europe and I understand the knee jerk of Europeans to disagree on this point (as do many Americans) but it is the fabric of America. Like I said, we can change it with a Constitutional amendment. We have done so 27 times before.

[Priaptor]

+ 1 ~ It would be wonderful if the US could get smaller government out of this election. I remain dubious. I predict infighting and more disfunction. Hope I am wrong.

 

Just one point about the "infighting". Madison, Jay and Hamilton were no idiots. They basically predicated our Constitutional Republic on just such a quagmire of infighting to ensure that whatever changes were made would be done very very slowly and laboriously rather than in a knee jerk fashion as we have witnessed by the ever increasing use of Executive Action and number of regulatory bodies bypassing congressional oversight over the decades.

 

I too hope for a smaller government but am not holding my breath.

[Priaptor]

I just read an article that called Trump's win the 'Archie Bunker uprising'. I think that's a pretty accurate characterization.

I recently became a US citizen. This is the first presidential election in which I was eligible to vote. What a doozy!

 

Well if you are going to read stuff like that I recommend reading some more poignant and educational books especially if you are a new citizen of this country. This was no "Archie Bunker uprising" but an uprising against the professional politician and shredders of our Constitutional Republic. Yeah, certain buttons were pushed by Trump but just as many if not more by the other side if we are going to keep score. The real core constituents of the voters last night are those like myself who are really fed up with the professional politician and could care less about governing or the people. The press would like you to believe this was a movement by bigots, xenophobes, etc but real movement was mainly by people fed up with DC.

[rickca]

Priaptor, I'm not saying only bigoted idiots voted for Trump. I agree with you and I am one of those core constituents. I just think it's great that Americans finally rejected the status quo.

[NOMBEDES]

Having scattered around all this sunshine, I do have to sound one note of caution: There are some individuals and groups who will feel empowered by this result who make me nervous as someone who grew up Jewish. I do not think this extends to Trump himself (his Orthodox Jewish son-in-law was one of his most trusted advisers during the campaign). But Trump was not above riding this tiger for electoral advantage, so I hope it doesn't wind up eating up his movement.(edit)

 

I have been shocked by the reported tide of anti-Jewish activity in the UK (after Brexit) and in France. You would think that the Europeans would have learned the lessons of history. I hope we do not have an upsurge in such activity here in the US.

[mordante]

If anything, popular vote carrying the whole state IMHO probably gives much more weight to cities than it should..

 

Why would that be? If I understand correctly you have the senate to represent the individual states. Why involve the separates states at all in presidential elections?

 

Isn't equal representation the basis of a democracy?

[mordante]

Having scattered around all this sunshine, I do have to sound one note of caution: There are some individuals and groups who will feel empowered by this result who make me nervous as someone who grew up Jewish. I do not think this extends to Trump himself (his Orthodox Jewish son-in-law was one of his most trusted advisers during the campaign). But Trump was not above riding this tiger for electoral advantage, so I hope it doesn't wind up eating up his movement.(edit)

 

I have been shocked by the reported tide of anti-Jewish activity in the UK (after Brexit) and France. You would think that the Europeans would have learned the lessons of history. I hope we do not have an upsurge in such activity here in the US.

 

Well to be honest the anti Muslim sentiment in Europe is stronger then the anti-Jewish sentiment. Many people were I live have nothing against the Jewish religion but do have anti Israel sentiments.