US Presidential Race 2020

[timmullen1]

Mar 11, 2020 23:14:17 GMT Merseymike said:

Mar 11, 2020 23:09:32 GMT Richard Allen said:

Do you have a clue what you are talking about?

The US have separation of powers. Taking a senior position in the legislature is in no way “covering” for the head of the executive.

If he wants to waste his time, up to him....

A bit like us reading your drivel really.

[Richard Allen]

Mar 11, 2020 23:14:17 GMT Merseymike said:

Mar 11, 2020 23:09:32 GMT Richard Allen said:

Do you have a clue what you are talking about?

The US have separation of powers. Taking a senior position in the legislature is in no way “covering” for the head of the executive.

If he wants to waste his time, up to him....

It is quite obvious that you are speaking from total ignorance of the US system of governance. Chairing a major committee in either the House or the Senate is a position of significant power and influence. A skilled politician can use such a position to advance their agenda considerably. Obviously it is not as good as being President but it is far from a waste of time.

[Richard Allen]

Just in case there was any doubt last night it is now pretty clear that Biden is going to win Washington. Next week he is going to batter Sanders in all 4 states that vote and open up a huge delegate lead. If Sanders doesn't call it quits at that point he is nothing but a spoiler working to re-elect Trump.

[Merseymike]

Mar 12, 2020 0:12:18 GMT timmullen1 said:

Mar 11, 2020 23:14:17 GMT Merseymike said:

If he wants to waste his time, up to him....

A bit like us reading your drivel really.

You're not obliged to. Block me, given your tendency to dislike reading anything which dares to disagree with you.

[Richard Allen]

Mar 11, 2020 20:07:44 GMT Merseymike said:

Mar 11, 2020 19:45:18 GMT mrpastelito said:

Same here. We don't even know Biden's VP pick yet.

Which may be quite important if he is in the early stages of senility....

Here is Joe Biden speaking less than 24 hours ago



If you watch that and think this man is senile then I can only conclude you are either an idiot or a liar.

[Merseymike]

Mar 12, 2020 0:24:35 GMT Richard Allen said:

Mar 11, 2020 23:14:17 GMT Merseymike said:

If he wants to waste his time, up to him....

It is quite obvious that you are speaking from total ignorance of the US system of governance. Chairing a major committee in either the House or the Senate is a position of significant power and influence. A skilled politician can use such a position to advance their agenda considerably. Obviously it is not as good as being President but it is far from a waste of time.

You really don't get what Sanders has been saying, do you? His agenda can't be advanced by such a post. Indeed, even as president he would have found it difficult but could have operated in much the same way as Trump -hardly someone who respects the separation of powers!
He may go for it but I think it would be a mistake.

[Merseymike]

Richard Allen The fact that you seem so keen to defend Biden is odd. Why?

[bjornhattan]

Mar 12, 2020 0:44:26 GMT Richard Allen said:

Mar 11, 2020 20:07:44 GMT Merseymike said:

Which may be quite important if he is in the early stages of senility....

Here is Joe Biden speaking less than 24 hours ago



If you watch that and think this man is senile then I can only conclude you are either an idiot or a liar.

Or could it be the case, that as with many (if not most) afflictions, he has both good days and bad days?

[Richard Allen]

Mar 12, 2020 0:45:40 GMT Merseymike said:

Mar 12, 2020 0:24:35 GMT Richard Allen said:

It is quite obvious that you are speaking from total ignorance of the US system of governance. Chairing a major committee in either the House or the Senate is a position of significant power and influence. A skilled politician can use such a position to advance their agenda considerably. Obviously it is not as good as being President but it is far from a waste of time.

You really don't get what Sanders has been saying, do you? His agenda can't be advanced by such a post. Indeed, even as president he would have found it difficult but could have operated in much the same way as Trump -hardly someone who respects the separation of powers!
He may go for it but I think it would be a mistake.

I do get what he saying, but I also get that you are simply clueless. As I have already said, he chaired a full Senate Committee last time the Democrats had a majority and has been Ranking Member of the Budget Committee for 5 years. How much he could achieve as Chairman is up for debate but he can clearly achieve more from such a position than he can from being just a rank and file member of the Senate. He may be stubborn but he is not so foolish to turn down an opportunity to achieve something just because he can't get everything. The idea that he would turn down the position is palpably absurd.

[Richard Allen]

Mar 12, 2020 0:46:41 GMT Merseymike said:

Richard Allen The fact that you seem so keen to defend Biden is odd. Why?

Since I wish to see Biden defeat Trump it is hardly odd that I would defend him. However in this case I am more motivated by disgust at your reprehensible stupidity and dishonesty.

[Merseymike]

I don't think he would achieve anything at all. Indeed he may just end up compromising himself. But then, I don't think supposedly getting a little of what you want is worthwhile. If I felt like that I wouldn't have resigned from Labour in 2003.
Politicians are by definition careerists, with a strong belief in their own importance so you could be right.

[Merseymike]

Mar 12, 2020 1:05:41 GMT Richard Allen said:

Mar 12, 2020 0:46:41 GMT Merseymike said:

Richard Allen The fact that you seem so keen to defend Biden is odd. Why?

Since I wish to see Biden defeat Trump it is hardly odd that I would defend him. However in this case I am more motivated by disgust at your reprehensible stupidity and dishonesty.

Oh, fair enough. I would have thought you would have preferred Trump to remain in power. I don't have a preference as I wouldn't vote for either of them. You may consider cutting the personal invective.

[Richard Allen]

Mar 12, 2020 1:06:15 GMT Merseymike said:

I don't think he would achieve anything at all. Indeed he may just end up compromising himself. But then, I don't think supposedly getting a little of what you want is worthwhile. If I felt like that I wouldn't have resigned from Labour in 2003.
Politicians are by definition careerists, with a strong belief in their own importance so you could be right.

You really are one of the most self absorbed clueless fools I have had the misfortune to come across. You seemingly apply your own position to that of everyone else regardless of circumstances. Taking to its logical conclusion you argument would be that the numerous Democrats in the House of Representative who Chair committees are all compromising themselves and should allow their political opponents to take on those positions of power instead. If you seek election to the legislative branch then you surely want to use that position to advance your beliefs, to suggest that should decline to do so just because the leadership of the executive branch doesn't share all your beliefs is so ridiculous that I can only assume that you, not Joe Biden, must be the one who is mentally ill.

[timmullen1]

Mar 12, 2020 1:00:29 GMT Richard Allen said:

Mar 12, 2020 0:45:40 GMT Merseymike said:

You really don't get what Sanders has been saying, do you? His agenda can't be advanced by such a post. Indeed, even as president he would have found it difficult but could have operated in much the same way as Trump -hardly someone who respects the separation of powers!
He may go for it but I think it would be a mistake.

I do get what he saying, but I also get that you are simply clueless. As I have already said, he chaired a full Senate Committee last time the Democrats had a majority and has been Ranking Member of the Budget Committee for 5 years. How much he could achieve as Chairman is up for debate but he can clearly achieve more from such a position than he can from being just a rank and file member of the Senate. He may be stubborn but he is not so foolish to turn down an opportunity to achieve something just because he can't get everything. The idea that he would turn down the position is palpably absurd.

The only reason to turn it down (assuming the Democrats are in the majority next year), and I’m not for a second saying he would, is if he feels he can achieve more on another committee, and then, with the agreement of the Majority Leader, he can defer to the next person in line and there’s a whole game of musical chairs. In his latter years, Ted Kennedy declined what in Senate terms was a promotion to stay as Chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to try and navigate Obamacare through the Senate. Heidi Heitkamp skipped promotion to stay on the Indian Affairs Committee as the Senators from States with large Native American populations see benefit in being on that committee.

(This is for Mike as patently Richard knows what he’s talking about and doesn’t need it explaining) Sanders could achieve much as Chairman of the Budget Committee. Traditionally the budget submitted by a President bears no resemblance to that which emerges as Appropriations Acts out of Congress, so Sanders could use his position to try and influence the committee to delete sections he thinks are too weak, or too “moderate” and replace them with his own priorities.

[independentukip]

Mar 12, 2020 1:00:02 GMT bjornhattan said:

Mar 12, 2020 0:44:26 GMT Richard Allen said:

Here is Joe Biden speaking less than 24 hours ago



If you watch that and think this man is senile then I can only conclude you are either an idiot or a liar.

Or could it be the case, that as with many (if not most) afflictions, he has both good days and bad days?

Yep, that has been suggested elsewhere and also (& I don't know how accurate this is) he had 3 teleprompters to assist him to get through the speech.

With the US seemingly likely to be very hard hit by Coronavirus & on the basis that Pence and presumably a younger Democrat VP candidate are left before the election takes place is it the law that they are therefore the candidates?

[Merseymike]

Mar 12, 2020 1:18:20 GMT timmullen1 said:

Mar 12, 2020 1:00:29 GMT Richard Allen said:

I do get what he saying, but I also get that you are simply clueless. As I have already said, he chaired a full Senate Committee last time the Democrats had a majority and has been Ranking Member of the Budget Committee for 5 years. How much he could achieve as Chairman is up for debate but he can clearly achieve more from such a position than he can from being just a rank and file member of the Senate. He may be stubborn but he is not so foolish to turn down an opportunity to achieve something just because he can't get everything. The idea that he would turn down the position is palpably absurd.

The only reason to turn it down (assuming the Democrats are in the majority next year), and I’m not for a second saying he would, is if he feels he can achieve more on another committee, and then, with the agreement of the Majority Leader, he can defer to the next person in line and there’s a whole game of musical chairs. In his latter years, Ted Kennedy declined what in Senate terms was a promotion to stay as Chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to try and navigate Obamacare through the Senate. Heidi Heitkamp skipped promotion to stay on the Indian Affairs Committee as the Senators from States with large Native American populations see benefit in being on that committee.

(This is for Mike as patently Richard knows what he’s talking about and doesn’t need it explaining) Sanders could achieve much as Chairman of the Budget Committee. Traditionally the budget submitted by a President bears no resemblance to that which emerges as Appropriations Acts out of Congress, so Sanders could use his position to try and influence the committee to delete sections he thinks are too weak, or too “moderate” and replace them with his own priorities.

But given he has few allies for his ideas I don't think he would achieve much, if at all
Still, I've virtually given up expecting much in the way of change. This is classic tweaking at the edges. I know you think it's worthwhile and believe in it, but I think it's illusory.

[Merseymike]

Mar 12, 2020 1:18:10 GMT Richard Allen said:

Mar 12, 2020 1:06:15 GMT Merseymike said:

I don't think he would achieve anything at all. Indeed he may just end up compromising himself. But then, I don't think supposedly getting a little of what you want is worthwhile. If I felt like that I wouldn't have resigned from Labour in 2003.
Politicians are by definition careerists, with a strong belief in their own importance so you could be right.

You really are one of the most self absorbed clueless fools I have had the misfortune to come across. You seemingly apply your own position to that of everyone else regardless of circumstances. Taking to its logical conclusion you argument would be that the numerous Democrats in the House of Representative who Chair committees are all compromising themselves and should allow their political opponents to take on those positions of power instead. If you seek election to the legislative branch then you surely want to use that position to advance your beliefs, to suggest that should decline to do so just because the leadership of the executive branch doesn't share all your beliefs is so ridiculous that I can only assume that you, not Joe Biden, must be the one who is mentally ill.

I thought you had been warned before about your inability to discuss anything without constant use of personal insults or accusations. Mental illness, this time.

[timmullen1]

Mar 12, 2020 1:28:04 GMT independentukip said:

Mar 12, 2020 1:00:02 GMT bjornhattan said:

Or could it be the case, that as with many (if not most) afflictions, he has both good days and bad days?

Yep, that has been suggested elsewhere and also (& I don't know how accurate this is) he had 3 teleprompters to assist him to get through the speech.

With the US seemingly likely to be very hard hit by Coronavirus & on the basis that Pence and presumably a younger Democrat VP candidate are left before the election takes place is it the law that they are therefore the candidates?

Everybody uses three teleprompters - one to the left, one directly in front, and one to the right. Apparently one of the deemed major successes of Kellyanne Conway as a senior Trump advisor was persuading him to use teleprompters on the campaign trail because in that way they can control some of his rambling speeches. On the flip side there were some in the Obama Administration who argued “let Barack be Barack” as he sounded very stilted and wooden when working off an autocue and was far more effective when speaking from memory. Ditto here, Johnson is uncomfortable with an autocue, Corbyn took considerable convincing, but Theresa May was barely coherent without one.

[timmullen1]

Mar 12, 2020 0:39:26 GMT Merseymike said:

Mar 12, 2020 0:12:18 GMT timmullen1 said:

A bit like us reading your drivel really.

You're not obliged to. Block me, given your tendency to dislike reading anything which dares to disagree with you.

Did that eons ago but you keep showing up on other people’s quotes. Nothing to do with disagreeing with me, everything to do with eradicating trolls.

[timmullen1]

Mar 11, 2020 23:35:13 GMT dizz said:

Decision Desk/Dave Leip are both reporting Biden as 8k or 0.7% ahead in Washington State.

On the New York Times results page it’s 1.7% or 15,293 raw votes with 77% reporting.