The Trump implosion thread!

Quote: SOOPOO

I know a Congressman and asked him about his average week. He said 2 days are about fundraising, 2 days working in his home district, and one day in Washington working. He said it is very sad but a fact that our Senators and Congressmen are essentially always fundraising for their next election. Of course the above is a broad generalization, and most days are a combination.
Imagine if you spent 40% of your time at work not working but just doing stuff so you don't lose your job. Dysfunctional.

I heard that before, and agree completely.

It seems that politicians can be most effective when they are not up for re-election for whatever reason.

Maybe instead of term limits there could be a mandatory 2 years off after serving for 6 years. That would give them their last two years of not having to campaign, since they wouldn't be eligible, followed with 2 years free to campaign to get re-elected without impacting their work.

Yeah the first and second terms would be much the same, but the additional benefit would be "new blood" with the option to go back to the previous candidate, compared to a strict term limits system.

As long as they don't find a way to pull a 'putin' and alternate between president and prime minister, pulling the power with them as they go.

I've voted for 99.99% more politicians whom I've never actually met, as I suspect most people have, by only observing them speaking or interviews or some filmed interacting with citizens.

So, why the hell is it necessary for them to do much more than live and recorded internet transmissions? A whole campaign season, for 10k maybe.

Quote: rxwine

So, why the hell is it necessary for them to do much more than live and recorded internet transmissions? A whole campaign season, for 10k maybe.

Way more to a campaign than a few commercials. Look at what gets spent on market research alone.

Quote: AZDuffman

Way more to a campaign than a few commercials. Look at what gets spent on market research alone.

Yeah, but it's an arms race mentality. An arms race doesn't specify any spending limits, just to keep spending trying to crush your opponent and you can even show many times it doesn't even work for the opponent who spends the most in a political race.


We don't need unlimited spending to have any other competition. So, why have it in politics? (I know the reason, but that still doesn't make it useful or practical)

Quote: rxwine

We don't need unlimited spending to have any other competition. So, why have it in politics? (I know the reason, but that still doesn't make it useful or practical)

Reality is that you need to spend to get your message out. Some do not, the media gave Obama huge push and the DNC fixed the race for Hillary. Trump took all the free media he could get, which fed on itself. But if the media wants to blackball you then you are out of luck.

Spending does not bother me as much as the political class being a CLASS. Get out of DC and do something useful.

If money is free speech and speech is money, why are we not allowed to sell our endorsement or vote to the highest bidder?

I hate the Citizen United ruling but wonder why I should be prevented from selling my vote. I'd love to scuttle it by abusing it.

Quote: rxwine

If money is free speech and speech is money, why are we not allowed to sell our endorsement or vote to the highest bidder?

I hate the Citizen United ruling but wonder why I should be prevented from selling my vote. I'd love to scuttle it by abusing it.

I've posted that very thing several times.

If politicians can sell their votes [ lobbyists/ campaign donations etc.] than we should be able to as well.

If you could sell your vote, it would at least be worth something.

Quote: rxwine

If money is free speech and speech is money, why are we not allowed to sell our endorsement or vote to the highest bidder?

I hate the Citizen United ruling but wonder why I should be prevented from selling my vote. I'd love to scuttle it by abusing it.

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Who says that you cannot?

Citizens United is a good and proper ruling, protects freedom of speech. What does it have to do with selling your vote?

Quote: rxwine

If money is free speech and speech is money, why are we not allowed to sell our endorsement or vote to the highest bidder?

I hate the Citizen United ruling but wonder why I should be prevented from selling my vote. I'd love to scuttle it by abusing it.

That already happens. That is how the wealthy and the corporations get the laws passed that favor them, further concentrating their wealth and power. Politicians make backroom deals and promises, or sometimes blatent public promises, in exchange for campaign donations and votes.

Citizens united is an example of that, one more step cementing the plutocracy.

Quote: Dalex64

That already happens. That is how the wealthy and the corporations get the laws passed that favor them, further concentrating their wealth and power. Politicians make backroom deals and promises, or sometimes blatent public promises, in exchange for campaign donations and votes.

Citizens united is an example of that, one more step cementing the plutocracy.

A good example of this is laws that require union wages on labor. Unions get the job then take in dues. At election time, the unions give donations and manpower to the candidate.