Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Western Chauvinist’s Easy Two-Step Voting Guide
On Candidates:
Vote straight Republican. Democrats cannot be trusted not to abuse the authority of dog catcher. We don’t want Democrats to have power over us or our dogs.
On Ballot Issues:
Vote “yes” on anything that empowers the people and “no” on anything that empowers the state.
Easy-peasy.
You’re welcome.
Published in General
Let’s talk tomorrow.
Again, the individual might appear “reasonable”, but the party is not.
Agreed. I wish that the non-Trumpy candidate had won in the Republican Primary.
This is what I see in the issues driving this campaign. Democrat leaders are from populous states with large cities. The issue they are highlighting is government provided health care for all. Why is this the top issue? I suggest that homelessness, drug addicts, and illegal immigrants are a factor. Here’s actual experience where I have data points that I’m guessing are typical. I have lived in what might be termed semi-rural locations where those three listed items are not even close in numbers when compared to our highest population metropolitan areas where I have lived as well. The experience I’m citing is visits to hospital emergency facilities in both types of demographic areas. Can anyone guess what the observed difference is? Republican support is more concentrated in the less urban areas or smaller urban areas and rural areas where there is less dependence on government services generally and government provided healthcare specifically. When Democrats are elected to national offices in numbers sufficient to control Congress, we get Schumer and Pelosi and they will push that healthcare agenda.
There are some rather complex related effects that involve the middle class and the rich on healthcare but too much to discuss here.
I usually pick and choose at the local level, but not this time. I even voted against retaining any judges appointed by enemy governors.
Good man. Here’s your sticker:
Yes, but your question wasn’t which are the same, but which are different. Reagan was more like the others in that he was a gentleman, polite, compromised, but he was governed by solid convictions he’d spent his life thinking about and only gave carefully prepared remarks that made the points conservatives wanted made. McCain just wasn’t very smart and had few convictions other than those relevant to the cold war, which was what he needed when it was needed, then he became dangerous. The Bushes had little depth, but were gentlemen like Reagan. Romney? also a gentleman but we just will never know will we? Dole in addition to not being a conservative, in private was really nasty and the people around him were as well, sort of like Jimmy Carter. Trump? the most inarticulate president in my lifetime (I start with FDR) and, like Clinton, he wont stick to the scripts written for him, or doesn’t even take them. But when he uses the script he’s also good and obviously uses writers who know what conservatives want to hear.
I worry about policy and the power of the Federal government more than anything else. A lot more than the collected works of Trump speeches. Only future speech writers review those things. So I’m waiting to see about the budget, the regulatory state including trade, and tax policy. Progress which is pretty good compared to the others even Reagan at two years will grind to a halt if we don’t control the house. Right now that is what matters.
No, but as a party they seem to institutionalize it. And want to punish us to boot. So if you live in a district with a Republican representative, that increases the chance that the Dems control the House. If you thought the last two years were annoying . . .
I agree with this, but at the same time I still follow my grandfather’s advice (he died at the age of 80, in 1975):
If it raises taxes, vote no.
This is going to be an interesting election. Take care!
Thoughts:
I think Trump has gotten better in his behavior and demeanor as well as in his speaking delivery in terms of the aspects of those matters that immediately caused many voters to feel negatively about him. I was one of those and I’m liking him a lot more than I did initially. Most of that improvement in my case is due to the things that he has accomplished and his policy positions on several things.
I think much of the negative reaction encompassing the above and aspects involving his unpredictable treatment of individuals in various relationships with him stems from his own background and being a billionaire in the real estate and entertainment industries. Just think how he would have needed to evaluate each new acquaintance. Most might be thinking they need him for something, he has to figure out who is real and who is in it to use him and get something he shouldn’t deliver. I mean he is the one with the goods. I think these experiences of his don’t necessarily remain permanent, one can be a competitor one day, an enemy and a liar the next, and then suddenly best buddies. I don’t think this mode is common to the average person, but for billionaire business icons it’s probably required.
It is still a dumpster fire, but the garbage is wet and there is plenty of free space beneath the rim.
He can caucus with Ocasio-Cortez in the broom closet.
They often purposely word those to confuse voters. Kamala Harris is known for doing it when she was AG in California.
Alex Padilla has carried on the tradition. Case in point: Prop 6. ELIMINATES CERTAIN ROAD REPAIR AND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING. Our roads are terrible here in CA, why would I want to reduce the funding to fix them?
If you follow the “when in doubt, vote no” rule you’d be voting for higher taxes.
By the way, I answered “None of your business” to all of the questions on the jury questionnaire.
Because voters occasionally toss them out if they choose wrong. It’s much easier to outsource choosing. See Obamacare and its thousands of “the Secretary shall…” nonsense “laws”
Yes, that would be along the same lines as “Never Hillary.”
In CA we have Dems running against Dems with no other type in sight.
Voting for the Libertarian is ALWAYS a mistake, as was voting for Perot, and every other pointless “protest vote.”