Talk politics.

talkpolitics @ 2020-10-22T17:46:00

2020-10-23T00:23:54Z

Posted by: oportet

The table is set, the feast prepared. Ready your sporks.

Tonight - the most important debate since the last, and until the next.

Trump vs. Biden, again - but with the added bonus of a mute button (which I'm cautiously optimistic about, although it could turn the debate into even more of a shit show than before).

48 minutes away. You know what to do.

comments

the time has come

2020-09-29T23:38:36Z

Posted by: oportet

There are moments in life that stand out - your first kiss, the birth of your child, finding bigfoot - moments that shape and define you. Tonight, we all get to have one of those moments.

In less than two hours, the most important debate for the most important election ever begins.

Trump vs Biden

Two men will take the stage. Two men will leave the stage. That's how stages work, goofus.

Thoughts? Predictions? Dinner plans?

comments

once in a lifetime experience

2020-01-15T01:57:06Z

Posted by: oportet

It's finally here - the night billions of us have been waiting for. Debate night.

Six will enter. Six will probably leave. Leading the pack - international sex
symbol Tom Steyer. Missing - people with a tint to their skin.

For those of you still not sold, let me remind you of who else isnt watching this
debate tonight - Hitler. But if that's who you want to be like - ok.

Here we go.

comments

talkpolitics @ 2019-12-19T18:35:00

2019-12-20T01:06:41Z

Posted by: oportet

We are seconds away.

We've narrowed it down to 7 contenders. Kind of. There are probably
still twenty something candidates. I don't know. The real question is
can any candidate gain ground on the red hot Tom Steyer?

I hope you're all paying attention because this all will be on the test.

comments

the best night of your existence

2019-11-21T01:58:58Z

Posted by: oportet

It's that time again. The field has been narrowed down to....more than it started with? Doesn't matter. Only ten make the cut tonight. Who are they? Many people are asking that question. Tremendous people. The best people. Be best. Here we go?

comments

The Most Important Night of Your Existence

2019-09-12T23:52:10Z

Posted by: oportet

In a few moments, the most important debate for the most important election ever begins.

I will fulfill my civic duty and watch, ruining an impressive but unhealthy streak of ghost shows.

Join me on this adventure.

comments

Fighting out of the blue corner....

2019-06-26T22:54:40Z

Posted by: oportet

Finally, the most important night. Ever.

Booker, Castro, Delaney, Gabbard, Inslee, Klobuchar, O'Rourke, de Blasio, Ryan, and Warren - step forward and entertain thee!

The rest of you - tell me every thought.

Pace yourselves though, I don't want any of you calling in sick tomorrow - cause we're gonna be doing the same shit again.

comments

sotu.

2019-02-06T01:58:39Z

Posted by: oportet

You know what time it is. Easily one of the thirty-five most exciting Tuesday nights of the year.

State of the Union night - slightly delayed.

I've missed the news for a few days, so I'm not up to date on predictions, I don't even know why a bunch of folks are wearing white - about to look into that though.

I've got red tie, Trump says 'caravans' at least once, and 'drugs' less than 2.5 times.

What say you?

Live thread?

comments

Open Thread: 2018 Midterm Elections

2018-11-06T07:37:53Z

Posted by: airiefairie

I am not very well-versed in these things, but still, here is an open thread where we can follow the midterm elections.

As previously discussed, these elections will have a profound impact on American society in the years to come, and it may well determine Trump's future and legacy, as well as, possibly, the duration of his tenure as president.

( Some observations )

Anyway... We will be following the election as it goes. I hope to be able to update this post at least a few times for the duration of the day.

Oh, and to our US friends... be sure to go and vote! =)

Ps. Just an interesting map here about the most important issues for each region.

comments

State of the Union

2018-01-31T00:45:00Z

Posted by: oportet

It's here, the night you've all been waiting for...

Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. You probably haven't been looking forward to this at all.

You've likely been dreading it, but because -

a) you're into politics
b) this is the most uneventful night of the week
c) you're a masochist
d) you can't find a better time or way to dispose of that 3 liter box of wine
e) some or all of the above

- you will be tuning in. If it's already happened, what'd you think? If it's happening now, what are you thinking? If it hasn't happened yet, what do you think you'll be thinking? If you want to comment on the Democrat response, or the River Monsters marathon, or your true feelings for me - no one is stopping you.

comments

Open thread: Manchester attack

2017-05-23T08:18:00Z

Posted by: htpcl.livejournal.com

British families were left desperately hoping for word of their children's safety following a suspected terror attack outside the Ariana Grande pop concert at the Manchester Arena Monday night.

An explosion rocked the venue as the singer was finishing her set, killing at least 19 people and injuring almost 60 others.

Manchester's top police officer confirmed that police were treating as a "terrorist incident." Sources tell CNN a man at the scene has been identified as a likely suicide bomber.
If confirmed as a terror incident, it would be the deadliest attack on British soil since the 2005 London bombings, which killed 52 people.

More details will be added as the news come in.

Our thoughts are with the families of those who perished.

comments

open dead thread

2016-11-28T16:36:00Z

Posted by: oportet.livejournal.com

A few days late - but I think I know why...

For most folks - reports of their death only happen once, because they're accurate (and you can only die once).

Ol' Fidel was a little different though - his death has been reported at least every two or three years for as long as I can remember - so I understand anyone doubting and shrugging this off. Eventually, one of those reports would be correct though - and it's starting to look like this is the time (I'm assuming this mostly because there is going to be a funeral).

Whether you think it's for better or worse - most agree that Castro's death is only symbolic, and really doesn't affect how things are. Symbols mean things though (literally, that's what they do).

North Korea is going to have a mourning period. Putin called him a reliable friend, but he isn't going to the funeral. Obama, in a pretty tough spot, had a statement that screamed 'a hundred people edited this over a thousand times to insure it pisses off the fewest number of people possible'. Trudeau - well, if you're one of them twitters people, #Trudeaueulogy is good for nine or ten good laughs.

What do you think?

comments

This will soon be over... But first, an OPEN THREAD!

2016-11-08T09:50:00Z

Posted by: abomvubuso.livejournal.com

Yeah, you knew this was coming. Now that Election Day is upon y'all, my American friends, here's the place to dump all our stories, reports, projections, speculations, impressions, and rants about the voting.

It's been a wild, wild race. And some may've prayed that it could be over way ago. Still, it's going to be a thrilling, if a bit anxious day for everyone. The long campaign is coming to a climactic ending.

Hillary Clinton sounded confident yesterday as she sought to cut off any path to the coveted 270 electoral votes for opponent Donald Trump. The billionaire, for his part, promised that his supporters would propel him to a surprise victory. Both have crisscrossed the country during one of the most frantic stretches of the campaign, featuring dozens of appearances in a number of separate rallies heading into Election Day.

Polls have been rolling in by the hour, the majority showing Mrs Clinton with the edge nationally. The picture may look a bit different as far as the Senate and House are concerned, though.

And let's not forget that there are tens of local referenda on various issues, from gun control to minimum wages to legalising pot - plus the gubernatorial races. But the biggest of them all is the presidential election, which could be viewed as a referendum on hate and division in some sense.

( Where to follow the election live )

( Livestreams and Youtube coverage )

( Facebook, Twitter and Google coverage )

( Charts and graphs and stuff )

comments

It's a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive thread........

2016-10-19T19:59:00Z

Posted by: oportet.livejournal.com

We're finally here! The last debate, of the most important election of our lifetime!

Every opinion matters, every vote counts!*

offer only valid in Florida and Ohio

Thoughts? Expectations?

If you're sober enough to pronounce Presidential Debate without stuttering - why the hell are you watching?

Here we go...

comments

Live thread??!

2016-10-09T19:59:00Z

Posted by: oportet.livejournal.com

Here we go again.

Last time I started a live thread - in the first debate - I gave advice on potential greeting bets. With the new information on Donalds unorthodox greeting techniques....I'm not even going to touch that this time.

Some news came out the last few days about both candidates - but was it really news? Did anything, about either candidate, surprise you?

I'm not crazy about the town hall style - people ask stupid questions - yes, more stupid than the plants by regular journalists - but I hope to be surprised this time.

Ready? Go....

comments

Live thread?

2016-09-26T19:58:00Z

Posted by: oportet.livejournal.com

It's almost time - not sure how these live thread things get started - or how to keep them going - or if I can keep my eyes and mind open for another hour and a half - but here we go...

If you're paying attention now - we're five minutes out - I recommend getting in on the 'hug with kiss on the cheek greeting' (8 to 1) probably won't happen but I see some value in it

comments

Not sure if I should be happy to call this trend right or scared I was actually right for a change:

2016-07-15T18:56:00Z

Posted by: underlankers.livejournal.com

Obligatory "And you kept saying the military was neutered and I was wrong to expect this to happen to Erdogan" line so it's out of the way and never brought up again.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/15/world/live-blog-turkey/index.html

This is an open thread for a major development that could end very badly, absolutely catastrophically, or basically confirming Turkey is for all its relative power as compared to such basketcases as Syria, the Palestinian territories, or even Egypt is a Middle Eastern banana republic. At the very least a military takeover to depose Erdogan confirms the disintegration of civilian rule. In most circumstances this is not precisely something to be ah, encouraged. Then again Erdogan essentially was trying to be a poor man's Ottoman sultan without the fancy uniforms or (at least theoretical anyway) charisma so it's hardly a loss.

But now the times they are a'changing and there's no guarantee it's for the better. Especially in the context of the ongoing crisis with Daesh and of course the Kurds.

comments

Open thread: Brexit vote

2016-06-23T23:39:00Z

Posted by: htpcl.livejournal.com

The UK won't be sleeping tonight. The British voters are having their say on their country staying or leaving the EU, the last hours of the voting day are expiring as we speak. This is an open thread to follow the news on this crucial vote.

Here are some relevant links with coverage:

BBC -- here
The Guardian -- here
The Wall Street Journal -- here
The Independent -- here

The forecasts have been changing dynamically in the last couple of days, the latest predictions giving the Stay vote the edge. Global stock markets have responded accordingly by rallying in favor of the pound sterling.

More to follow, including final results, reactions and commentary.

EDIT: Defying latest expectations, the Brexit vote has won by a tight 1.5-point margin, unleashing a storm of reactions. Here's a guide for the perplexed.

comments

OPEN THREAD: Orlando shooting

2016-06-12T12:51:00Z

Posted by: badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com

A gunman opened fire at a gay bar in Orlando, Florida late last night. As of writing this, there are reports of 50 dead so far with many more injured. The shooter has been identified as Omar Mateen, and reports as of right now suggest he may have been on some FBI terror watchlists and may have declared an allegiance or sympathies to ISIS, which would make this the most deadly terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11.

Consider this a consolidated open thread.

comments

Open thread / developing story: Brussels airport attacks

2016-03-22T10:22:00Z

Posted by: ddstory.livejournal.com

We must have all learned by now. Several explosions have occurred at the international airport in Brussels. The number of victims is still to be specified, but there's been widespread destruction. Some report of at least 11 dead and multiple injuries, and the number is growing. Pictures of devastation, a pillar of black smoke, body parts, bloodied faces, etc. You know the story.

There've been reports of several more explosive devices that were found around the airport but never detonated.

The obvious reason for choosing Brussels is that the terrorists want to demonstrate their prowess in infiltrating even the most fortified and (presumably) well-prepared cities and locations (Belgium was already being warned many times about imminent attack, Brussels was put on high alert for days, and the most wanted man from the Paris attacks was caught).

Don't have much of a comment right now. Information is still raw and scattered at this point. Our thoughts are with the people and guests of Belgium. There'll be time for analysis later, I'm sure.

comments

OPEN THREAD: R.I.P. Antonin Scalia

2016-02-13T17:36:00Z

Posted by: badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com

Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court Justice, found dead:

Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes Saturday on a luxury resort in West Texas, federal officials said.

Scalia was certainly one of the more polarizing figures on the Supreme Court. One of the most vocal defenders of originalist interpretation, the loss puts the ideological split on the court at a 4-4, and leaves an election year vacancy for Obama with a Republican Congress and two Senators running against each other in the primary.

Consider it an open thread, because there are just so many wrinkles to this breaking news.

comments

God Almighty Damn:

2015-11-13T18:51:00Z

Posted by: underlankers.livejournal.com

Since nobody else has started one, this is an open thread about the terrorist attack in France. This reminds me of the Mumbai attack a few years ago in scale and organization, which makes me wonder who did it. Usually these movements claim responsibility fairly soon after it, but none of the Al-Qaeda spinoffs nor Daesh have yet stepped up and said "We did it." These assholes aren't usually this efficient or organized with a massed move on the ground, which makes this I suppose the first real incident since 9/11 and Mumbai to be one of the really massive and spectacular terrorist attacks.

There are too many parallels with Mumbai for that to be coincidental. I expect that there's at least some degree of state organization and actual professional soldiering involved here, even if the original architects are too smart to come out and say so.

I hope like Hell this doesn't lead France to endorse the Le Pens in an overraction. America's still paying the price for that mistake when we did it. France doesn't need to emulate those mistakes.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/world/paris-shooting/

http://www.cbsnews.com/europe-terror/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11995227/Paris-shooting-Many-feared-dead-live.html

comments

Open Thread: SCOTUS Christmas 2014

2014-06-24T07:44:00Z

Posted by: badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com

A ton of cases are set to be handed down in the next few days. Among the big ones:

* National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning, which involves the President's recess appointment powers and Congress's "pro-forma" sessions.

* American Broadcasting Companies v. Aereo, a fairly complicated case involving streaming of broadcast television over the internet (I am simplifying this significantly)

* Riley v. California, concerning police and cell phone searches.

* Harris v. Quinn, which concerns whether Medicaid recipients can have their home-care providers classed as public employees, thus pushing them into a union and collecting dues whether they join or not.

* Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores/Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius, regarding the contraception mandate.

* McCullen v. Coakley, regarding free speech and abortion clinic "buffer zones."

I'm personally most interested in Hobby Lobby, Mccullen, and Harris, although the Aereo case, from the oral arguments, seems like a giant mess all around considering the lack of technological knowledge on the bench (although that could have changed since the case was argued).

Are you looking at any specific cases we're waiting on? Any new thoughts (or old) on what's coming up?

comments

OPEN THREAD: McCutcheon v. FEC decision

2014-04-02T10:44:00Z

Posted by: badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com

The ruling is here, in a 5-4 decision. This ruling strikes down aggregate contribution limits by individuals. Previously, you could only donate a maximum of $123200 to candidates and party committees, with a limit of $46800 to individual candidates overall. This would mean that, if you maxed out to a number of candidates, you would only be able to donate to 18 candidates. Those limits are no longer in place - you can now donate to as many candidates as you'd like, but those donations are still subject to the maximum per candidate (was $2600 last go 'round).

Consider this an open thread of sorts in what's a slow week. Are the individual contribution limits next on the chopping block? Will history look at the Roberts Court as one of the major free speech courts of American history? Is there evidence this will increase corruption that was ignored?

comments

So it goes

2014-02-21T18:13:00Z

Posted by: sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com

I'm not sure what to write but at the same time I can't really let this pass without comment either. Venezuela is finally burning.

There have been numerous reports and youtube videos of Pro-government "collectives" roaming middle class neighborhoods on motorcycles, shooting people and storming apartment buildings I wish I could say that I was shocked, horrified, angry, or even surprised but I'm not.

This has been a long time coming.

comments