[Swampy]

ICTChris, on 06 October 2011 - 12:16, said:

Also in the paper yesterday was Rick Perry getting reamed for repeatedly hiring the sensitively titled, ahem, 'Niggerland' ranch in Texas for hunting over a period of 20 years, ending a couple of years ago.

It's interesting how much flak Perry's getting for the name of a ranch that he chose to change while the fact that Romney spent many adult years as member of a church that refused the priesthood to black people scarcely merits a mention. Oh, wait, I forgot: faith is a very personal thing, i.e. you can do anything you want in the name of a god.

And that is the first - and hopefully last - time I've ever defended Rick Perry, who is a truly loathsome individual.

[Ric]

Piehutt, on 06 October 2011 - 11:54, said:

While America's economy provided some likeihood of Obama having a close fight on his hands... the Osama Bin Laden kill mission has dispelled any notion that there will be a contest next year.

I wouldn't say that is the case, actually. Even adding in the Al-Awlaki kill, a lot of Americans still blame him for the economy, for being black, for being a muslim, for being a communist and for having the temerity to suggest that sick people with no money shouldn't be left in the streets to die.

[Swampy]

Ric, on 06 October 2011 - 12:32, said:

I wouldn't say that is the case, actually. Even adding in the Al-Awlaki kill, a lot of Americans still blame him for the economy, for being black, for being a muslim, for being a communist and for having the temerity to suggest that sick people with no money shouldn't be left in the streets to die.

Yes, Piehutt's talking rubbish. The Osama kill is barely on the public radar now.

[Reynard]

Ric, on 06 October 2011 - 12:32, said:

I wouldn't say that is the case, actually. Even adding in the Al-Awlaki kill, a lot of Americans still blame him for the economy, for being black, for being a muslim, for being a communist and for having the temerity to suggest that sick people with no money shouldn't be left in the streets to die.

Aren't his approval ratings pretty shit regardless of the Bin Laden thing? The economy tends to be what agitates most people into paying attention in most Western elections. When its all set fair it is a lot harder to get rid of governments/presidents normall,. but in this situation anything could happen.

[Pink Freud]

It is quite remarkable how the Tories here have placed all the blame for the economy on Labour, and successfully so, and yet the Republicans appear to have managed the same trick on Obama over there. How have they managed that?

[Swampy]

Pink Freud, on 06 October 2011 - 12:41, said:

It is quite remarkable how the Tories here have placed all the blame for the economy on Labour, and successfully so, and yet the Republicans appear to have managed the same trick on Obama over there. How have they managed that?

Because they're spouting populist buzzwords, mainly, which is a reliable way of winning over one's base. In reality, though, Obama's been a truly missed opportunity of a president so far and among many of his one-time supporters is now being grumbled about as being the 'lesser evil'. Certainly in terms of civil liberties he's been almost as disastrous as Bush the second. But with the economy he's gone with the flow, as if he had another option.

[Swampy]

Reynard, on 06 October 2011 - 12:39, said:

Aren't his approval ratings pretty shit regardless of the Bin Laden thing?

Yes, they are astonishingly low. What's amazing is how few Democrats are happy with his current performance. If the election was tomorrow he would really struggle to bring out his supporters. This will almost certainly change as campaigning begins but even so he can't be complacent.

[Ric]

Pink Freud, on 06 October 2011 - 12:41, said:

It is quite remarkable how the Tories here have placed all the blame for the economy on Labour, and successfully so, and yet the Republicans appear to have managed the same trick on Obama over there. How have they managed that?

As I say, because he is a commie black muslim that would rather tax the hard earned wages of good honest Americans. I DIDN'T LIE FACE DOWN IN A POOL OF MUD AND BLOOD OF MY BROTHERS IN ARMS IN SOME GOD FORSAKEN HOLE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD FOR THI.... ARRRRGRGGRGHH!

[Reynard]

Pink Freud, on 06 October 2011 - 12:41, said:

It is quite remarkable how the Tories here have placed all the blame for the economy on Labour, and successfully so, and yet the Republicans appear to have managed the same trick on Obama over there. How have they managed that?

I suppose Labour going around apologising for stuff has helped immensely. To be honest, I was frustrated with the coalition for not constantly banging on about the ridiculous amount of overspending that went on under Brown with more vigour. Particularly last year when they seemed to allow Balls and the Guardian/BBC axis to get away with their too far too fast drivel.

f**k knows about the US. I find it hard to get interested in US politics for some reason. I quite like the election campaign once they have the contenders lined up but apart from that I find it hard to get into.

[Ric]

Swampy, on 06 October 2011 - 12:44, said:

Obama's been a truly missed opportunity of a president so far ...

Yes, although I think we can all see he initially intended to deliver a lot of stuff he was saying he would, he also seemed to believe not only in those policies but that they were possible. He's been ground down by the reality of it all and the nightmare situation of the Republicans having a majority in the Senate.

Oh, doesn't that peace prize look an embarrassing gaff by the Nobel judges now...

[Highlandmagyar]

Reynard, on 06 October 2011 - 12:49, said:

I suppose Labour going around apologising for stuff has helped immensely. To be honest, I was frustrated with the coalition for not constantly banging on about the ridiculous amount of overspending that went on under Brown with more vigour. Particularly last year when they seemed to allow Balls and the Guardian/BBC axis to get away with their too far too fast drivel.


Keep taking the pills mate

f**k knows about the US. I find it hard to get interested in US politics for some reason. I quite like the election campaign once they have the contenders lined up but apart from that I find it hard to get into.

[ClydeNewcomer]

Did anyone else read the title of this thread and think it said Sarah Sarah Palin?

[Swampy]

Ric, on 06 October 2011 - 12:51, said:

Yes, although I think we can all see he initially intended to deliver a lot of stuff he was saying he would, he also seemed to believe not only in those policies but that they were possible. He's been ground down by the reality of it all and the nightmare situation of the Republicans having a majority in the Senate.

It's the House in which the Rethuglicans have a majority. The Dems have the Senate majority.

I have every sympathy with Obama over the obstructionism of the Republican children, yes. But that's nowhere near the sole factor in his poor record so far. Remember - in order to end the Bush tax cuts, all he had to do was... nothing. Literally nothing. They would expire and they would end. But instead he took a deliberate act to renew them. Meanwhile, as I said, his record on civil liberties has been completely at odds with his pre-election promises. Guantanamo remains open, the surveillance state continues to expand... these are decisions that he has made. You can blame the irresponsible Congress for a lot, but Obama must shoulder his share as well.

Quote

Oh, doesn't that peace prize look an embarrassing gaff by the Nobel judges now...

That was an absurd award in the first place.

[bunglebonce]

Guantanamo is still open? I have long since assumed that it was closed 'early doors' in his regime.

EDIT: From wiki:

Quote

On Jan 7, 2011, President Obama signed the 2011 Defense Authorization Bill which contains provisions preventing the transfer of Guantanamo prisoners to the mainland or to other foreign countries, and thus effectively stops the closure of the detention facility. However he strongly objected to the clauses and stated that he would work with Congress to oppose the measures.

This post has been edited by bunglebonce: 06 October 2011 - 13:27

[Sweet Pete]

Ric, on 06 October 2011 - 12:48, said:

As I say, because he is a commie black muslim that would rather tax the hard earned wages of good honest Americans. I DIDN'T LIE FACE DOWN IN A POOL OF MUD AND BLOOD OF MY BROTHERS IN ARMS IN SOME GOD FORSAKEN HOLE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD FOR THI.... ARRRRGRGGRGHH!

Funnily enough I got banned from Bob Wootton's (of The Tennessee Three) Facebook group after having an argument with him on his Facebook page about how funny I found it that he was posting videos from YouTube that "prove!" that Barack Obama is a Muslim Communist.

[Swampy]

bunglebonce, on 06 October 2011 - 13:24, said:

Guantanamo is still open? I have long since assumed that it was closed 'early doors' in his regime.

EDIT: From wiki:

Yes - again, note that he's not just being hamstrung by an obscutionist Congress (although that is a factor) but is actively acting against his own stated goals. This is why he's been such a disappointment. It's one thing being a bipartisan compromiser; it's quite another doing all the giving without receiving anything in return.

[ICTChris]

What Church is Romney in?

[Ric]

Sweet Pete, on 06 October 2011 - 13:28, said:

..posting videos from YouTube that "prove!" that Barack Obama is a Muslim Communist.

If it wasn't for the fact that America has a large army (although not the money to pay for it) and the largest stockpile of nuclear, bacterial and chemical weapons in the world I would find their incredible stupidity endearing in the way a kitten trying to open a cardboard box is endearing.

Although to be fair to them, and McCarthy proved this ably, you can be a communist in America simply for having views that chime with right wing politics here.

ICTChris, on 06 October 2011 - 13:33, said:

What Church is Romney in?

Being a Mormon I would wager it's the one he's just built along with his extended family.

This post has been edited by Ric: 06 October 2011 - 13:37

[Swampy]

ICTChris, on 06 October 2011 - 13:33, said:

What Church is Romney in?

Latter Day Saints, aka Mormon church.

[ICTChris]

Didn't know the Mormons didn't allow blacks. Charming.

[DA Baracus]

yoda, on 06 October 2011 - 11:30, said:

This one?

That's epic! It's far better than Nick Clegg droning on whilst pishy bits of paper float around him like he's a well dressed binman.


Of course what it's saying is utter, utter shit (American the last hope for humanity or something?!), but still, it's fantastically done.

[Broccoli Dog]

ICTChris, on 06 October 2011 - 13:39, said:

Didn't know the Mormons didn't allow blacks. Charming.

oh they allow blacks, but when they go to heaven they turn white.

[Sweet Pete]

ICTChris, on 06 October 2011 - 13:39, said:

Didn't know the Mormons didn't allow blacks. Charming.

Ironically enough, they were once told when attempting to vote in csme backwater election that they were allowed to vote "no more than negroes".

Though, that was in the 1800s...

[Swampy]

ICTChris, on 06 October 2011 - 13:39, said:

Didn't know the Mormons didn't allow blacks. Charming.

Oh, they could join. They just couldn't be priests until 1978.

http://en.wikipedia....tter-day_Saints

People who were children then or joined afterwards obviously can't share in the blame for this, but Romney was 31 years of age in 1978, i.e. he'd been an adult for several years before the policy change. Did he oppose the anti-black rule? Did he actively work against it? In the absence of evidence I think we need to assume that he simply wasn't bothered one way or the other. Be this the case, what's changed since then? Would he act differently today? These are all questions that won't be answered.

[welshbairn]

Broccoli Dog, on 06 October 2011 - 11:43, said:

michelle bachmann is the funniest because her husband sets of gaydars the world over.

She also made one of the funniest gaffes ever made by an American politician:

Quote

"Well, what I want them to know is just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit that I have, too."

Unfortunately it wasn't the actor, but the serial killer John Wayne Gacy who raped and murdered 33 young boys. Waterloo, Iowa was the town she grew up in.