FROM 2012 INTO 2013 POLITICS THREAD

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

I'm old enough ... Mondale was a decent enough fellow, but he ran on an old school New Deal-type platform in an environment in which broad economic improvements were being credited to his opponent. Sailing against the prevailing winds is a difficult enough proposition in any election, but Mondale, no rock star, was doubly burdened by having to do so against a fairly popular and well-liked man. That is, as they say, a hard dollar indeed.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

Mondale didn't "advocate" tax hikes except to say they would be necessary or else deficits would explode over the moon.

Reagan stuck his fingers in his ears, sang, "La La La La La La, I'm Not Listening!!!"

Then after the election, the deficits CONTINUED to explode over the moon, as they had ever since he took office, and he ended up raising taxes anyway. And he kept on singing, "La La La La La La, I'm Not Listening!!!"

The 1987 Wall Street crash? Oh, that was Carter's fault.

The booming budget deficits? "Oh we won't have to worry about that for 30 years or so."

Uh Huh.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

Then the right-wing shriek machine would complain about how the "libruhl media!" is trying to discourage West Coast voters from voting by proclaiming they're already saying who won.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

D.C. voters feel disrespected again.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

Mondale clearly won one of the debates, if you recall. He wasn't a silly and stupid man like Romney.

He was magnanimous enough not to attack his opponent for being old and feeble-minded -- Uncle Ronnie being one of the two and verging on the other.

Reagan was all but asleep on the job by October 1987.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

"Dick over *today*" is the hard one to sell. "Dick you over in the future" is pretty easy, apparently.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

Margin of loss doesn't necessarily mean poorly run.

Mondale was running at a time when the economy was humming and the the Cult of Reagan was at its absolute apex. He was essentially the dems sacrificial lamb, never really had a chance from day 1.

Whereas Romney's running against a candidate that, at least theoretically, should've been extremely vulnerable, with his first term overseeing some of the worst economic times since the Great Depression. He had a golden opportunity, he's blown it with a remarkably uninspiring incompetent campaign.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

As if this doesn't happen with politicians every time there is a strong incumbent.

Think there's a bit of a rush to pin all the possible "BAD behaviors!!!" on the GOP. The piling on here - and elsewhere - shows a lack of historical understanding, and a lack of foresight.

It was just four years ago that "The GOP is a REGIONAL PARTY!!!!!!!" and wasn't going to have any kind of shot at anything for two decades. Yet, even with a base that hasn't grown, they're not going away.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

There is no solution for their pathology. I'd suggest getting over themselves, educating themselves or balancing their hatred for people who might see and accomplish things another way, but what's the use.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

I'm not sure a strong dislike/hatred "for people who might see and accomplish things another way" is emblematic only of the GOP.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

A destructive fringe element of the GOP. Let's be honest, these people are basically nihilists. Their goal really isn't better government.

 

Re: THE 2012 POLITICS THREAD

Sure.

Which is why I laugh when they get so much attention, from media, the GOP, the people who oppose the GOP, the people who oppose them . . . they've managed to become a major part of the narrative without really accomplishing anything long-term.