Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Hannibal]

I mean...has he really helped the Rs since 2016? The 2018 midterms were a disaster, he almost single-handedly cost the Rs the Senate in 2020, and the 2022 midterms were massively disappointing. It's conceivable the Rs would have 55-56 Senate seats right now if he wasn't so involved in choosing fucking terrible candidates.

Eh. I disagree about 2020.At least overall.

2018 was a pretty standard first term midterm backlash IMHO. No matter who was President, you were going to see that.

2022 -- Trump endorsed some candidates in the primaries but didn't get involved much in the general. The Michigan catastrophe was not his fault at all. And some of the other candidates who lost were more or less sabotaged by the R establishment, who would rather lose than win with Trump. When out of state groups pour tens of millions of dollars into a Senate race and the D outspends the R five to one, it's hard to blame a 2% loss on Trump.

You also have to take into account what the Rs would look like without Trump. Without Trump, they are most likely, still the party mostly of supply side economics and small government -- two ideals that have next to zero mass appeal today. And before Trump came along, the Rs did nothing to lend themselves credibility in the "small government" department, so that's out the window now. As best i can tell, the R base doesn't even care about tax cuts these days. Small government Libertarianism is dead and without Trump, that's probably where the Rs would be right now.

That and being pro-foreign wars. Hooray.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I think poor Tester is done for, I haven't seen a good poll for him since before the Biden-Trump debate. Will the Rs do any better than 51-49 in a year they have basically no at-risk seats? Moreno could still win here in Ohio but again, candidate choice.

Haley rakes Ohio Senate candidate for criticizing suburban women on abortion stance (thehill.com)

[THE_WIZARD_]

heh
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[Mike]

Trump absolutely cost the Rs the Senate in 2020 with his Georgia nonsense. He's been a major drag since he pulled the upset in 2016. I'll concede that 2018 was a mostly typical first midterm pendulum swing against the president's party but 2022 was a disaster for Rs when it should have been a similar bloodbath for the Ds. Trump has a loyal following and a brand. Idiots like Kari Lake with their weak imitations do not and they are routinely routed in environments that are favorable to Republicans.

[Dr. Strangelove]

The Rs have been fortunate that Trump hasn't been as directly involved in Senate races this time. I mean you have an actual shot of flipping Maryland because Trump didn't get involved and MAGA arch-enemy Larry Hogan is the nominee.

Mark Robinson and Kari Lake are the most MAGA candidates this cycle and we see how well those races are going.

[Hannibal]

Trump absolutely cost the Rs the Senate in 2020 with his Georgia nonsense. He's been a major drag since he pulled the upset in 2016. I'll concede that 2018 was a mostly typical first midterm pendulum swing against the president's party but 2022 was a disaster for Rs when it should have been a similar bloodbath for the Ds. Trump has a loyal following and a brand. Idiots like Kari Lake with their weak imitations do not and they are routinely routed in environments that are favorable to Republicans.

The 2022 candidates that you speak of were also abandoned by the R party and were outspent by godly amounts. And some of them lost very very close races in spite of that. As of 2022, the anti Trump people were still very much in charge of the party and they were going to show all of those Trumpsters who's boss.

Have you ever seen the relative expenditures for Dr. Oz vs. Fetterman? It was insane. I am picking Dr. Oz specifically because his personal demeanor was totally unoffensive and he never came across even a little bit as a nut case. So you can't say that he lost because he was a loudmouth kook.

[Dr. Strangelove]

If Trump believes he has the right to handpick Senate candidates from among his C-tier celebrity golf buddies maybe he should bear the burden of raising money for them instead of demanding Mitch McConnell do all the real work? But I imagine he's too busy raising money for himself selling gold sneakers, NFTs, Trump commemorative coins, Trump Bibles, Trump picture books, Trump crypto, yadda yadda...

[Dr. Strangelove]

When Kari Lake told the RINOs and McCain voters to get the hell out, they weren't wanted and wouldn't be listened to, she didn't mean for them to take their checkbooks with them too!!!

BETRAYAL BY THE ESTABLISHMENT!

[Dr. Strangelove]

This is kind of funny. The Governor makes it sound like if this had passed then finally all Nebraskans would get equal attention. Lol yeah if everyone gets zero attention, everyone is equal I guess. The only reason the national campaigns spend any money or time in Nebraska is because it is NOT winner take all.

[THE_WIZARD_]

...if Bugaha decides the outcome of this election for Heels Up...I'm gonna be pissed...

[THE_WIZARD_]

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[Jeff Buchanan]

The shit storm in the ME is complicated. To put it plainly, this isn't a conflict between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah. It is a conflict between Iran and Israel. Putting an end to the conflict with diplomacy - the Biden position - is wishful thinking at best plain fucking stupid is the more relevant characterization. The clouds of war correctly reflect that the larger conflict is one involving the shrinking global forces of democracy v, the expanding forces of David Frum's term, The Axis of Evil - freedom v. dictatorship.

The US and it's allies can't be sitting on the sidelines and dawdling - something it has done for the better part of two decades, and in the process severely weakening US Power projection and deterrence. It is that capacity, shrinking as it may be, that encourages the willingness of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea to challenge the Western allies on multiple fronts.

There are two wars already well on their way that need to come to a convincing end. Ukraine needs to prevail in it's war with Russia. Israel needs to succeed in neutering Iran and it's main proxies - Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. The West has the means. It lacks the will. Slow transfer of the war fighting kit the Ukrainians need and trying to end the attacks on Israel diplomatically is folly. Ukraine needs to be fully armed to win and now, not 6 months from now. NATO involvement is probably necessary. Putin will not abandon Russia's endgame unless he is forced to do it. The Islamic Theocracy that is governing Iran needs to be driven out by force. The Arab countries that have everything to lose should Iran prevail should be mustered to take whatever steps are necessary to throw the Mullahs and Islamic hard liners out of Persia.

It's a deal with all of it now or pay the high cost of dawdling situation. War on multiple fronts waged by the forces of freedom and democracy, not diplomacy are called for. This is 1939 all over again.

[Mike]

Kamala will get it handled within a couple weeks of taking office.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Trump's threats to hit John Deere with a massive tariff if they move some production to Mexico would violate the USMCA that Trump himself negotiated.

Trump threatens John Deere with 200% tariff if moves production to Mexico (cnbc.com)

Economists Baffled by Trump's Tariff Threat on John Deere - Business Insider

[Mike]

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