[Rugoz]

But it's a factor that you'd want to point to to avoid taking responsibility for such a shit party that the Democrats are.

The MAGA GOP is the literal definition of a "shit party". It's so utterly moronic, you have to see it to believe it.

[Hakeer]

She may still be a “meh moderate” candidate, which looks “radical” from a MAGA perspective and (normally) uninspiring from a progressive Democrat perspective. However, nothing about this election looks normal.

Anyway, who ya want for VP?

[Verv]

Who is 'qualified' if Harris isn't?

I think, generally, the best experience for someone who becomes President is usually along the lines of being a governor, and next best would be someone who spent significant amounts of time as a Senator/Representative. There's also something to be said about extensive military service or even being head of a business empire.

What really stops Harris from being qualified is she is a terrible speaker who cackles and comes off as an idiot. She also appears to lie casually - even when there is little discernible benefit (like in her Breakfast Club interview).

Primary elections reward ideological purity. Harris was a 'meh moderate' candidate and a former AG in a 'defund the police' primary environment. Not the progressive bona fides of Warren or Sanders, and the moderate vote split between Biden, Buttigieg, and others. She wa a meh candidate for the primary, but this doesn't mean much in the general election as long the party isn't divided - which doesn't appear to be - and she can turn out the base while appealing to moderates - both of which, initially polls suggest, she can do. Like Biden in 2020, she's no one's first choice, which would lead to poor primary performance, but I think a lot of folks think the Democrats hate her, which I don't see.

I think she can't beat Trump.

But I also tend to agree with the analysis of Ted Cruz: the only person that could have been nominated after Biden's removal besides her would have been Michelle Obama. As he said, the Democrats are "bean counters" at the end of the day, and their coalition will be damaged greatly if they were to replace a black female with anyone but a black female, which is why Michelle Obama would've likely been the best choice for someone to run that could bring in unexpected energy.

[Verv]

She may still be a “meh moderate” candidate, which looks “radical” from a MAGA perspective and (normally) uninspiring from a progressive Democrat perspective. However, nothing about this election looks normal.

Anyway, who ya want for VP?

Nobody knows what a moderate is - conservatism has been blown up by Trump and the radical left can be so extreme in terms of the culture war with such an amplified voice it's hard to not be a moderate in comparison.

[Hakeer]

Nobody knows what a moderate is - conservatism has been blown up by Trump and the radical left can be so extreme in terms of the culture war with such an amplified voice it's hard to not be a moderate in comparison.

If you’re getting crap from people on both the “right” and the “left”, you might be a moderate. By that definition, Harris will qualify.

[Verv]

If you’re getting crap from people on both the “right” and the “left”, you might be a moderate. By that definition, Harris will qualify.

I agree overall!

[Fasces]

What really stops Harris from being qualified is she is a terrible speaker who cackles and comes off as an idiot. She also appears to lie casually - even when there is little discernible benefit (like in her Breakfast Club interview).

She's running against Trump.

[Verv]

That's a good point, @Fasces . I also found your question about qualifications earlier poignant.

You have good analysis of this.

But I think you would agree that there are better potential candidates than Kamala, yes?

[Rugoz]

What really stops Harris from being qualified is she is a terrible speaker who cackles and comes off as an idiot. She also appears to lie casually - even when there is little discernible benefit (like in her Breakfast Club interview).

"comes off as an idiot" and "appears to lie casually"? She's running against Trump, how could those possibly be criteria for voting against her.

[Verv]

"comes off as an idiot" and "appears to lie casually"? She's running against Trump, how could those possibly be criteria for voting against her.

To Trump's credit, he comes off as someone who is saying important truths that the media will not say. He comes off as a rebel. You might not think that, and I won't try to convince you, but I think it's the case that his vices become irrelevant due to his status as a rebel and fighting the "world," so to speak.

He's gangster. The guy is like a living folk hero at this point.

Nobody cares if you point out that Al Capone was in the mafia, or 2Pac had gang affiliations - yeah, we know, he is flawed... But we are very interested in their perspectives because they are countercultural figures.

Whereas, Kamala comes off as part of the establishment and does not have the liberties to appear gangster and countercultural.

[Rugoz]

But we are very interested in their perspectives because they are countercultural figures.

Trump is about as vacuous and self-centered as it gets. I'm not interested in his "perspectives".

He comes off as a rebel. You might not think that, and I won't try to convince you, but I think it's the case that his vices become irrelevant due to his status as a rebel and fighting the "world," so to speak.

He comes off as a spoiled entitled brat.

A rebel must have a reason to rebel beyond self-aggrandizing.

[KurtFF8]

To Trump's credit, he comes off as someone who is saying important truths that the media will not say. He comes off as a rebel.

Anyone who thinks this is quite detached from reality.

[Verv]

Of course, I understand how there is a perspective where Trump is just a showman... He says these really wild things about immigration and other topics just to dupe people, but the people who believe it and vote for him view him as someone who is a rebel and breaks the paradigm...

It is possible for something to be true to many people while not conforming to reality...

There are entire countries built on lies, after all. You don't have to be bitter about what some people think.

[KurtFF8]

Of course, I understand how there is a perspective where Trump is just a showman... He says these really wild things about immigration and other topics just to dupe people, but the people who believe it and vote for him view him as someone who is a rebel and breaks the paradigm...

It is possible for something to be true to many people while not conforming to reality...

There are entire countries built on lies, after all. You don't have to be bitter about what some people think.

And like I said, people who think Trump is some sort of rebel are detached from reality. He was born into wealth and has always been a major part of the system.

I think we agree that anyone who buys into his rhetoric are just getting played by him though. He is notoriously known as a conman after all.

[Verv]

And like I said, people who think Trump is some sort of rebel are detached from reality. He was born into wealth and has always been a major part of the system.

I think we agree that anyone who buys into his rhetoric are just getting played by him though. He is notoriously known as a conman after all.

So, i am going to disagree, but not in the spirit of being antagonistic. I do not even want to debate this so much as just provide how I see it...

I think it can be simultaneously true that Trump is a self-serving, slick salesman who runs a bit of a con and that he also believes his own political positions, wants them to be good and to succeed and be his legacy.

I think he's not a sociopath or a deranged person... The guy has done some bad things, absolutely. Cheating on his wife with a corn star in Las Vegas is really lame. He himself has stated he used to buy politicians, which made him essentially part of the massive problem of politics in the US...

But I think the truth of it is that he doesn't think of himself as running a con - at least no more than any other politician.

We've met guys like this, all of us, though, haven't we..?

[Rugoz]

I think it can be simultaneously true that Trump is a self-serving, slick salesman who runs a bit of a con and that he also believes his own political positions, wants them to be good and to succeed and be his legacy.

If Democrats were easier to dupe, Trump would switch his political positions in a heartbeat.

I suppose he cares about his legacy in the way narcissistic autocrats do. I imagine he dreams about building an entire TRUMP city and making it the capital of the US of A.

And like I said, people who think Trump is some sort of rebel are detached from reality. He was born into wealth and has always been a major part of the system.

Trump oozes resentment, draws the ire of the educated elites and excels at playing the victim. It works on an emotional level.

[wat0n]

And like I said, people who think Trump is some sort of rebel are detached from reality.

Why? Trump's certainly a rebel in the sense that he's been able to force an ideological realignment inside the Republican Party. He's no Reaganite or neoconservative, and has successfully pushed the GOP away from that.

What Trump is not is a revolutionary, in the sense that he's not trying to radically change the US political or economic systems (even his election drama wouldn't qualify, but it's a bad precedent).

He was born into wealth and has always been a major part of the system.

You could say that even about revolutionaries like Fidel Castro. That's not why Trump isn't a revolutionary.

I think we agree that anyone who buys into his rhetoric are just getting played by him though. He is notoriously known as a conman after all.

Indeed, but many will still fall for the con. Charismatic populists like him, be they revolutionary or not, be they leftist or rightist, have that appeal that makes many people turn their critical thinking skills off among their worshippers.

[KurtFF8]

But I think the truth of it is that he doesn't think of himself as running a con - at least no more than any other politician.

I'm sure there are many conmen who don't see themselves as conmen. But the point is that Trump promoting the image of "draining the swamp" and "going against the elites" is absurd on so many levels. Not only in that he appoints people who have long been a part of the ruling class to positions and upholds the system, but the fact that he is currently a major part of the ruling class, always has been, and has the political aim of securing the power of the current ruling class.

You could say that even about revolutionaries like Fidel Castro. That's not why Trump isn't a revolutionary.

This is obviously meant as a troll attempt. The differences between them are so obvious that this comment isn't worth taking seriously of course.

[wat0n]

@KurtFF8 do you even know about Castro's bio?

[KurtFF8]

@KurtFF8 do you even know about Castro's bio?

He was a lawyer when he became a revolutionary. However, he was never a part of the ruling class of Cuba prior to 1959.