Though I'm not in favor of F-bombing my way through a conversation (or a headline), Ferrett Steinmetz pretty much speaks for me here.
Oh, For Fuck’s Sake: A Gentle Talk With My Republican, Democrat, And Undecided Friends | Ferrett Steinmetz
It’s hard to look at the headlines when you’re facepalming. But I see my Facebook feed alight with various opinions on the election, all of which are wrong – so rather than screaming OH, FOR FUCK’S SAKE at all of you individually, let me pull you into the corner and have a brief but …
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Brilliant.
Yeah, I had to turn off wifi so I could read that article at work 🙂
I think I'll share it about. I know some people who should read this.
Can't read while at work. >.<
Nice straw man.
Gonna have to agree with The Bruce. Definite straw manning here. Not only does this author blame Russia for the #DNCLeaks , a shoot-the-messenger sort of analysis; his argument about Bernie not winning the black vote is a direct result of what the #DNCLeak proved: collusion among the DNC to elect Hillary regardless of the will of the people. Could Bernie have done more voter outreach for the black vote? Sure. But the DNC knew Clinton's name recognition was her strongest asset, so they catered to it. Limited debates during low viewership time slots, false inflammatory stories like that 'data controversy' in December, voter purging… I could continue.
This article is written from the perspective of the past, where it's one party or the other and that's that. But 2016 has already proven to be one of astronomical peculiarity. No other presidential race has had both candidates with such high unfavorability ratings as these two. And with Jill Stein tugging on the left and Gary Johnson pulling on the right, I see a four-way race in November.
If Millenials have anything to say about it. And I get the feeling that we do, and we will.
#BernieOrBust #NeverHillary #JillNotHill #DemExit #Independent
+Derik DaSilva Since you offered a bit more meat on the bones of the argument …
1. There's solid basis for thinking that Russia actually was behind the DNC hack. Given the ongoing love affair between Trump and Putin — healthy or not — it's not at all unbelievable. [http://motherboard.vice.com/read/all-signs-point-to-russia-being-behind-the-dnc-hack]
That doesn't mean that the information coming out of the DNC leaks isn't significant (though there are indications that at least some of the documents were modified, or even possibly crafted from whole cloth). It does add an additional dimension to considering, at least from US-vs-Russia perspective, which candidate Putin's government would prefer to have win.
2. I would rather that the DNC were a true neutral party. It doesn't surprise me that the presumptive candidate going into the election season (Clinton), a person who has been enmeshed in Democratic politics and political structures for decades, was the favored of the DNC organization (including her good friend, the counterproductive DWS).
But, then, she was in 2008, too, and Obama managed to overcome that limitation.
3. 'Limited debates during low viewership time slots, false inflammatory stories like that 'data controversy' in December, voter purging' — I find the idea that somehow there was a mass conspiracy to minimize exposure to Bernie Sanders' ideas to be unsupportable. The information was there. The debates were held. Anyone who had an interest in finding out what Sanders had to say was easily able to find out — and having more debates would not have added to that,high or low viewership periods notwithstanding.
4. 'And with Jill Stein tugging on the left and Gary Johnson pulling on the right, I see a four-way race in November.' – Honestly, I believe thinking that either Johnson or Stein will pull enough votes to actually get the majority is wishful thinking of the worst sort. The chances are much higher of one, or the other, being a spoiler — and not only does that make it more likely that Trump will get a majority — a disaster of profound magnitude — but makes it even more likely that there will not be an actual majority.
In which case it goes to the (GOP-dominated) House to decide. Which leads to Trump.
The idea of breaking the two-party system is worth discussion, but we are juggling with hand grenades here.
5. Millennials number 75.4 million. The actual voters in 2012 were 125 million. Yes, in theory, if 3/4 of all Millennials actually voted, and voted for a single candidate, they could dictate the election. That seems extremely unlikely to me.
I just watched the last night of the convention. Contrast the candidates. There is a choice here, and I know my choice.