GOP Primaries/Caucuses Discussions, Jokes and Predictions

[Forty Two]

So, we are now here in 2016 and the Republican Caucuses and Primaries are starting.

The first one is Iowa. Iowa is a Caucus state. So, they have 1682 precincts in the State and people gather together to decide which candidate a precinct will support and then delegates go to the county level and vote in accordance with their precinct's determination. This year, the delegates have to vote proportionally and the votes are binding on the delegates.

Trump is winning -- he is polling at 30%, with Cruz at 23% and rubio at 16%.

I am not sure who will win. I guess Trump. I really am not a fan of any Republican candidate.

Honestly, I think he is preferable to Cruz, who I disagree with on every issue, I think. Rubio seems to me like such a fake candidate. He is just a professional candidate -- he has done nothing but run for President, and I disagree with most of his positions.

Trump, at least, is a pragmatist, and while he is now pandering to the Christians for votes, he really isn't religious. Maybe his effective deal-making ability is as good as anything else in shoring up US economic opportunity and growth.

But, he won't win a general election anyway, so whatever. He's more entertaining than the other creeps, so let's keep him in the game as long as possible, I say.

[Forty Two]

[Forty Two]

[Forty Two]

[Forty Two]

[Svartalf]

or why conszervatives are bad

[pErvinalia]

There's a part of me that hopes that Trump gets elected Prez so the US can finally see what a joke it is.

[Forty Two]

Australian exceptionalism. Pretend to humility, call other countries uncivilized and jokes.

[pErvinalia]

Well even you would be embarrassed if Trump winds up Prez, surely? I know many of us were embarrassed by Tony Abbott.

[Tyrannical]

I'm going to my caucus and I suppose I'll vote Trump. Probably will volunteer to be a State delegate too.

[pErvinalia]

You're seriously going to support a narcissistic buffoon?

[Forty Two]

Well even you would be embarrassed if Trump winds up Prez, surely? I know many of us were embarrassed by Tony Abbott.

I would prefer Trump to Cruz, Huckabee, Rubio, Bush, Clinton or Sanders. I would prefer Kasich, Christie or Fiorina to Trump.

In absolute terms, I would prefer Caligula's horse to any of them.

Trump is not the incompetent that some of the media like to portray him. But, then again, I'm from the northeast originally, so I've known about Trump since the early 1980s. He has some skills, namely business acumen and the art of the deal type stuff. He also knows how to manage and get people to do things. It's conceivable that he would pursue economic policies designed to advantage the US.

That being said, his downside is his reputation around the world. You have folks in the UK, for example, looking to ban him from entering the UK on hate speech grounds. LOL. He also has never held elected office. For lots of people, that might be a good thing.

I am generally, though, against "celebrity" politicians. It's a bad precedent for folks just to make names for themselves and run on celebrity. That's Idiocracy come true -- the Kardashian and the Paris Hilton effect -- famous for being famous.

Now, I'm curious -- I've heard you joke about Trump being a laughable candidate, but can you articulate what about him or his qualifications/experience that make him unfit? Is it his policies? Or, is it his demeanor? Be specific.

[Forty Two]

You're seriously going to support a narcissistic buffoon?

If narcissism is a disqualification, then you'll have a hard time finding a good candidate.

Buffoon? What has he done that qualifies him as that?

Here is an argument from Breitbart on points offered to support a Trump Presidency:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government ... rump-2016/

Other than attacking the source -- what's your response to the substantive points?

[pErvinalia]

Well even you would be embarrassed if Trump winds up Prez, surely? I know many of us were embarrassed by Tony Abbott.

I would prefer Trump to Cruz, Huckabee, Rubio, Bush, Clinton or Sanders. I would prefer Kasich, Christie or Fiorina to Trump.

In absolute terms, I would prefer Caligula's horse to any of them.

Trump is not the incompetent that some of the media like to portray him. But, then again, I'm from the northeast originally, so I've known about Trump since the early 1980s. He has some skills, namely business acumen and the art of the deal type stuff. He also knows how to manage and get people to do things. It's conceivable that he would pursue economic policies designed to advantage the US.

That being said, his downside is his reputation around the world. You have folks in the UK, for example, looking to ban him from entering the UK on hate speech grounds. LOL. He also has never held elected office. For lots of people, that might be a good thing.

I am generally, though, against "celebrity" politicians. It's a bad precedent for folks just to make names for themselves and run on celebrity. That's Idiocracy come true -- the Kardashian and the Paris Hilton effect -- famous for being famous.

Now, I'm curious -- I've heard you joke about Trump being a laughable candidate, but can you articulate what about him or his qualifications/experience that make him unfit? Is it his policies? Or, is it his demeanor? Be specific.

Well clearly it's the crazy he's been preaching. But the fact he is utterly inexperienced in government is also a big downside. It seems to me that he's in it for his own vanity, not for the honour to serve the people.

[pErvinalia]

Buffoon? What has he done that qualifies him as that?

Seriously?! Is this going to be another of those debates? No thanks.