the most important election of your lifetime: 2012 american general election thread

hurr

So, as a professor of economics who has studied politics, my advice is to not vote if you know an average amount or less, to copy a better informed close associate if you are willing to appear submissive, and otherwise to just reelect incumbents when your life goes better than you expected. And if you care a lot more about the outcome than most do, help create presidential decision markets, so other info-seekers will have a better place to turn.

Well first, I have said that politics isn’t about policy, i.e., that we quite reasonably care more about how our political views make us look to our associates than how they effect policy outcomes.

this is the kind of shit that people who think they are way smarter than they are say about politics. like forget about elections or any of that, politics go deeper and are far older than the "policy oriented" late capital/democratic order. what was politics not about back then, dr overcomingbias?

Found out about GE Smith from this Gawker post, where the poster noticed that they're warming up with selections from "The Wall":

So Ya Thought Ya Might Like to Go to the Show: On the RNC Floor

And the party continues to collapse in on itself.

TAMPA, Fla. — Mitt Romney’s supporters passed new rules governing future primaries over the loud boos of Ron Paul supporters and other conservative activists who had objected to what they said was a power grab by the party’s establishment leaders.

...

Advisers to Mr. Romney had proposed rules that would make it harder for a candidate like Mr. Paul to amass delegates to mount a challenge to a more established candidate.

Under the compromise, delegates would be selected by the state and local level without interference or control by the party’s presidential candidate. That would allow competing voices inside the convention, both sides said.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/28/over-loud-boos-romney-supporters-pass-new-rules/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Punditocracy whipping themselves into believing that Ann Romney is a star.

xpost GE Smith has been playing bass in Roger Waters' band touring The Wall.

Did they let her prescription therapy horse dance?

Christie reminds me of the fat-suit from that crap movie "Thinner."

http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv249/darkwingduck11/thin1Small.jpg

i cant believe i watched all of that, i feel hung over, ann romney is really weird

She seems incredibly dim.

she got up there and the first thing she did was go like 'yaaay miiit!' crinkle her nose and throw her fists up in the air

Punditocracy whipping themselves into believing that Ann Romney is a star

Sullivan's round-up seems pretty mixed. I thought she was okay, nothing more.

I was so glad that Christie didn't get up there and launch into the typical socialist/not-one-of-us mantra that I missed a couple of things (I still think his delivery was fine): 1) as get bent and others have pointed out, he probably just made up a bunch of stuff about his own record (I read up a bit on Camden, and that sounds like a real mess), and 2) he really spent a lot of time talking about himself, which wasn't exactly his job. I'd almost grant that that's why Romney looked so perplexed, if it weren't for that fact that Romney often wears that expression.

Heard bits of Mizzus Romney on the radio this morning. Really straining for populist connection: I had five kids running around the house! (And no nannies? Really?) I've been sick! (With the best health care money can buy.) Etc. I mean, all to be expected, but still really insulting.

I watched about a minute of Santorum's speech. I straight cannot deal with these assholes and have gotta sit this convention out for my health.

Andy McCarthy, unimpressed:

I, I, yay, yay …
By Andrew C. McCarthy

August 29, 2012 9:01 A.M. Comments0

If someone had said the main speech would be an out of place exercise in auto-biography and self-adulation that couldn’t have had more I’s in it if every other word had been Mississippi, you’d have figured we must be talking about the other guys’ convention, right?

Was the GOP’s goal to add self-absorption to Big Government, the Arab Spring, and suppression of conservatives on the list of things they can do just as well as Democrats?If so, they’re off to a flying start.

Colbert had a great line last night as he ran down the list of speakers for the rest of the week: "...and then Thursday night, time permitting, Mitt Romney."

Nice line in the Guardian about how they have been using Isaac to help them a little - "Sorry Akin-fan Mike Huckabee, we'd love to have you talk, but with this hurricane.."

I didn't watch any of last night's speeches (my wife had a couple on in the background, so I overheard snippets), but was kind of intrigued by this, posted by TV critic (and former music critic) Tom Carson on facebook: "I'll be damned. Chris Christie did such a great job that I wonder if Mitt regrets keeping him off the short list for VP. It may be the best GOP keynote speech I've ever heard." He didn't elaborate about what made it so good, but when somebody asked him what the best one had been previously, he wrote: "Colin Powell in '96 wasn't bad. The nice thing about being an Easter Island head is that your butt is buried and no one can smell it burning."

If this is to be believed, it was Christie's call:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/christie_had_veeping_doubts_b1gkN5io8CtDgcuiuEgMqL

christies message wasnt up to much but he was for sure a much better speaker than anyone else last night, that maybe says more abt the other speakers than him tho

On the other hand (I have no idea what the consensus is, though I now I kind of wish I watched it, just to have my own opinion):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/28/rachel-maddow-chris-christie-keynote-rnc-speech_n_1838274.html

Obama's '04 key note and whatever Reagan's was in '76 are my favorites.

ya hes was im sure imagining himself as obama in 04, then went ahead and believed the conservative line that obamas a tireless self promoter and decided to try it out himself, he prob couldve actually made some noise if the speech had more substance to differentiate itself, but as it was no ones gonna remember it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CLQ473J5FA

hope these people get swept into the sea

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2012/08/hbc-90008805

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/cnn-republican-convention-black-camerawoman.php?ref=fpblg

wish we knew more about the two attendees who got thrown out of the convention for throwing peanuts at a black CNN camera operator while saying "this is how we feed animals"

xpost

That's the thing (I keep doubling back on myself)--Christie was so much better than everyone else simply as a orator. Watching Santorum, you were reminded of how utterly inexplicable it was that someone so bland could go so far. I didn't watch much of Ted Cruz, but he seemed perfectly boring too, and he's one of the party's big hopes. Thinking about who's left, I'd be surprised if anyone matches Christie in the animation department, including/especially (time permitting) Mitt Romney.

Christie was so much better than everyone else simply as a orator.

The guy sure knows how to use his mouth.

He was compelling to the extent that he reminded me of a real person given a chance to shout into a mic, as opposed to Santorum and The Missus, who looked manufactured in a hate lab.

How did Hunter S. Thompson on acid deal with these people?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5kMguEqi8

"real marriage" fuck YOU

lol @ "hate lab"

wish we knew more about the two attendees who got thrown out of the convention for throwing peanuts at a black CNN camera operator while saying "this is how we feed animals"

Not to mention the ones who chanted "USA! USA!" at a party official from Puerto Rico.

Clip just above...That's the first time I've seen that--quite sad. Even Rumpus Proboscis looks defeated.

That's incredible.

In fairness, I read the Harper's link above, and there's some uncertainty as to whether the chanting had to do with a separate Ron Paul issue rather than the Puerto Rican official. It's hard to be sure from the clip.

Fair point to be made, but still, those facial expressions are the very definition of "grotesque".

There's something so passive-aggressive about shouting "USA! USA!" whenever you disagree with something, whether it's the rules of order or someone protesting the speaker. I don't mind the chant at a USAFB air show, but any time the phrase "drowned out" is used before "USA!", it's very likely nagl.

I've come to hate that chant in any context, even sports-related. (Actually, it's funny if someone like Letterman uses it as part of a joke.)

the "USA!" chant was more of an attempt to drown out the chant by Ron Paul's supporters, who were protesting the revised rules for the 2016 GOP convention. it seems like they just happened to start shouting "USA!" just as the Puerto Rican delegate was speaking in somewhat broken English, and they completely lacked any self-awareness (imagine that) to realize how that would be perceived.

what a collection of terrible people

oops, xposts

and yeah, chanting USA! is the very worst. i guess it might be acceptable if a ragtag team of college hockey players defeats a heavily favored russian team in the gold medal match of the 1980 olympics, but other than that

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

why do ilxors hate america?

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http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml ??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc98Xf_zPEU

AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED! AUDIT THE FED!

whenever i see the gop convention i think of mr. show. "my great-grandfather started this company with one rickety slave ship and the motto: people selling people to people."

i'm paraphrasing. but that's what the speeches remind me of.

love the oklahoma part in this.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/rnc-tampa-night-one-12158408?src=soc_fcbk