All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!(Part II)

[WestPhillyPunisher]

That's my problem with a few of the demo who are throwing their hat in the race...instead of coming in with clear policies, they're branding themselves as "Vote for me cuz I'm not a vulgar jerk like Trump." What worked for Obama is not going to work for these folks trying to do weak version of his act ( Booker, Beto, maybe Harris...)

Democrats need to ignore Trump (a Herculean task to be sure) and focus on issues, god knows there are plenty that can be discussed on the campaign trail. Branding themselves as the "anti-Trump" won't work, not on Republicans who's minds are already made up and will vote for Caramel Caligula regardless of what an assclown he's been the last three years, thing is, he's THEIR assclown, and that's good enough for them. Those voters are lost causes, it's the independents and undecideds Democrats have to reach with their message.

[aja_christopher]

That's my problem with a few of the demo who are throwing their hat in the race...instead of coming in with clear policies, they're branding themselves as "Vote for me cuz I'm not a vulgar jerk like Trump." What worked for Obama is not going to work for these folks trying to do weak version of his act ( Booker, Beto, maybe Harris...)

That's definitely not Beto's style -- he might make an issue of Trump's immigration policy due to his El Paso roots, but for the most part he goes around asking people what they want from their government and trying to figure out how best to deliver. They sent out a survey asking what people thought was most important in the election and I'm sure he's going to use that as his playbook going forward.

I can't speak for any of the other candidates, but the only one I've seen really take the anti-Trump angle is on occasion is Warren, which is understandable given his repeated attacks on her person.

Anyway, it's still early in the game (especially with Biden still out there) and at this point I'm more concerned about the Mueller report than trying to nail down a candidate since that could be a game-changer in terms of the general election and of the issues being discussed with regards to the Trump administration and the Republican party in general.

[aja_christopher]

"New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Promises Tougher Gun Laws Within Days Of Shooting"

"New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that she plans to announce stricter gun laws within the next few days, just days after a white nationalist gunman opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers, killing 50 people and injuring dozens of others.

"Within 10 days of this horrific act of terrorism we will have announced reforms which will, I believe, make our community safer," Ardern said in a news conference.

She did not give specifics, but said she supports a ban on semiautomatic, military-style weapons, which she has discussed with her cabinet. Unlike the U.K. or Australia, but like the U.S., New Zealand doesn't have a ban on semiautomatic weapons, although they do require a special license. In contrast with the U.S., which managed not to pass any federal gun laws even after children were gunned down in the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, New Zealand, Australia, and the U.K. have acted fast after shootings of this magnitude. New Zealand, similar to the States, makes it very easy to buy guns without registration and has a powerful gun lobby — though not as powerful as the National Rifle Association (NRA).

"It is heartening to see Jacinda Ardern's incredible leadership and how quickly her administration is acting in the wake of this horrific mass shooting," Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, the grassroots arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, told Refinery29. "We've had at least 200 mass shootings in America since 2009...and yet our leaders have done very little. There's a key difference between New Zealand and the U.S., and that's that we have a gun lobby that uses its power and money to persuade some lawmakers to stand in the way of laws that are proven by data and research to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people."

Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, explained to the Washington Post that while New Zealand's gun lobby and the NRA share a lot of common goals, the U.S. system of representation and the way congressional districts are drawn gives a disproportionate amount of power to rural voters, who are more likely to oppose restrictions on guns. This (and its money) is why the NRA has so much influence with certain politicians, despite the majority of the population supporting common-sense gun reform. New Zealand's voting system is designed so that small interest groups don't have disproportionate influence.

"Our form of government, with a Senate that gives extraordinary power to rural states over urban states and is deferential to states' rights, makes it difficult to advance relatively modest gun-control measures, much less more sweeping measures," Webster told the Washington Post. "The gun lobby has been very influential in convincing people the [second amendment prohibits any] form of gun control, which affects the politics over even modest measures."

New Zealand is determined not to follow in the U.S.' footsteps. Some gun owners have already voluntarily given up their weapons. "Until today I was one of the New Zealanders who owned a semiautomatic rifle. On the farm they are a useful tool in some circumstances, but my convenience doesn't outweigh the risk of misuse. We don't need these in our country," tweeted John Hart."

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/201...jacinda-ardern

[Saffron]

Not having a gun culture that promotes guns as necessary for protection also makes gun reform much easier. Unlike in the US, guns are viewed by most in NZ as just hobbies or tools for pest control.

[ed2962]

That's definitely not Beto's style -- he might make an issue of Trump's immigration policy due to his El Paso roots, but for the most part he goes around asking people what they want from their government and trying to figure out how best to deliver. They sent out a survey asking what people thought was most important in the election and I'm sure he's going to use that as his playbook going forward.

I can't speak for any of the other candidates, but the only one I've seen really take the anti-Trump angle is on occasion is Warren, which is understandable given his repeated attacks on her person.

Anyway, it's still early in the game (especially with Biden still out there) and at this point I'm more concerned about the Mueller report than trying to nail down a candidate since that could be a game-changer in terms of the general election and of the issues being discussed with regards to the Trump administration and the Republican party in general.

That doesn't fill me with inspiration. I get the feeling the responses his team gets will be the same generalities about jobs, education, crime and healthcare. And he'll come out and say the most bland inoffensive things in support of those subjects in a lame attempt to "appeal to the middle." I will be very disappointed if this happens, but it happens all the time with politicians.

Of course, it's way too early and I have no way of knowing what Beto's vision is going to be and how he's going to communicate it when the race gets serious. But so far his "I'm the nicest guy" act isn't filling me with hope.

[Mister Mets]

The teenager who smashed the egg at the Australian senator who said ugly things about Muslims in the wake of the New Zealand mass shooting is donating money raised for his legal defense to the victims.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/new...=NZH_Tw&hootPo

[PwrdOn]

That doesn't fill me with inspiration. I get the feeling the responses his team gets will be the same generalities about jobs, education, crime and healthcare. And he'll come out and say the most bland inoffensive things in support of those subjects in a lame attempt to "appeal to the middle." I will be very disappointed if this happens, but it happens all the time with politicians.

Of course, it's way too early and I have no way of knowing what Beto's vision is going to be and how he's going to communicate it when the race gets serious. But so far his "I'm the nicest guy" act isn't filling me with hope.

Beto is the Renly Baratheon of this race. Sure, he's a nice charming guy and everyone loves him, but when he inevitably gets taken out early on, everyone will more or less nod in agreement that it was probably for the best.

[numberthirty]

Beto is the Renly Baratheon of this race. Sure, he's a nice charming guy and everyone loves him, but when he inevitably gets taken out early on, everyone will more or less nod in agreement that it was probably for the best.

Someone I know posted this elsewhere...

Beto O'Rourke is the Elon Musk of 2020 Democratic Trump opponents.


Don't fall for it!!

Kinda had a point.

[worstblogever]

Kinda had a point.

Only if they were smoking what Elon Musk was.

[zinderel]

The teenager who smashed the egg at the Australian senator who said ugly things about Muslims in the wake of the New Zealand mass shooting is donating money raised for his legal defense to the victims.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/new...=NZH_Tw&hootPo

This kid is a hero.

[aja_christopher]

"Biden privately tells supporters he's planning a 2020 White House run: WSJ"

"Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden contacted a group of his supporters Tuesday to ask for help in raising several million dollars from major donors, making it known he's planning to enter the 2020 presidential election, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Biden, 76, has been contemplating a White House run for some time and continues to lead in polls among Democrats as a favorite to take on President Donald Trump. He would enter a crowded field of close to 20 presidential candidates that have already declared, or are expected to announce, they will be entering the 2020 race.

The Journal, citing a person familiar with the situation, said Biden asked at least a half-dozen supporters for help in lining up major donors. He also reportedly expressed concern he may not have the same immediate success in raising political funds online as some other Democrats, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas."

According to the Journal, Biden is hoping to make a splash with an announcement of his 2020 run by also touting "a large fundraising number."

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/20/bide...0-run-wsj.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-bid...id-11553033380

[Tendrin]

This kid is a hero.

He really is. A source close to the family indicated that when the cops arrived, he simply said: "Here comes the bacon to go with the egg."

The source is a family friend and he's a teenager so perfectly believable.

Meanwhille, we've got internet tough guys shouting that he 'got what he deserved'.

[Tendrin]

Only if they were smoking what Elon Musk was.

People are really keen to underestimate Beto. While I can't speak for how well he'll actually do in the primary given the crowded field, he's definitely got a future.

[Tendrin]

David Sirota joined Bernie Sanders' campaign and had in fact been writing for him for a while.

What a shock that Sirota would be dishonest.

[PwrdOn]

People are really keen to underestimate Beto. While I can't speak for how well he'll actually do in the primary given the crowded field, he's definitely got a future.

Well Beto's future was being the face of the party in Texas and trying to turn the state blue. As a national figure he's not really that compelling, and may in fact do some real damage because he sort of represents that persistent pipe dream for moderate Democrats that we can fix all of our problems by simply "bringing America together" in some vague manner instead of directly confronting entrenched interests.