US Presidential Election 2012

[thejuice]

So 4 years have almost rolled around and the drawn out process of voting for a US president is beginning in earnest today in Iowa with the 1st of the primaries for the Republican nomination. We have Obama hoping to raise $1bn dollars this time around and we have yet to see his campaign even really kick into gear. The halo he walked around with the last time around has lost its shine and for much of his reign it has been down around his ankles.

He hasn't managed to achieve much in terms of what he promised back in 2008, especially with a Republican house that had at times held the country to ransom over what action to take over the economy, spending cuts vs stimulus packages. The old argument of do you cut or spend in a recession has yet to be really definitively answered in the US.

What he did achieve was much in continuing where George Bush left off with the economy and foreign policy. His signing of the NDAA act which former Bush and Neo-con acolytes Cheney and McCain had largely penned being a recent example. He has been a good friend to Wall St throughout the economic crisis while has been almost mute in regards Occupy Wall St protests.



All the while his opponents in the Republican party have already torn strips of each other with many would be candidates campaigns taking off like rockets before falling to earth with a bump like Bachmann, Perry and Cain.  The leaders for the Republican nomination as of today seem to be Mitt Romney, Dr. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum.

Rick Santorum's profile has inexplicably risen recently after months in the doldrums but may go the way of the other aforementioned rockets. He doesn't seem to be peddling a line much different to Romney, in regards making spending cuts and bombing Iran into the dust.

Ron Paul is offering change on a massive scale that would have huge ramifications* around the world, cutting out four government agencies, removing all US military bases outside the United States and returning the dollar to a gold based currency. While on one hand he might cut existing deficits, the US economy would shrink in size and the harm it would cause is hard to grasp.

Likewise, the removal of a US military  presence around the world which may seem preferable to most people but other powers may look to fill the vacuums surrounding them. Would it really lead to a more peaceful world as many suggest or just leave the USA in peace? That said the pernicious influence of the arms, banking and oil industry on democracy in the USA may be curtailed.


*if they pass through Congress, which is extremely unlikely unless a load of Libertarians come out of the woodwork.

[Maguire01]

It's going to be interesting, but at this stage i'd imagine Obama will hold on, on the basis that the competition isn't up to much.

[muppet]

What about Newt 'Palestinians are an invited people' Gingrich?

[Maguire01]

What about Newt 'Palestinians are an invited people' Gingrich?

Invented even.

[thejuice]

He's still there but not among the top 3 Reps any more. But he may return if Santorum or one of the others slip.

[muppet]

What about Newt 'Palestinians are an invited people' Gingrich?

Invented even.

Correct.

Fc*king text corrections.

I sent a text message to a married female friend just before Christmas asking her if she fancied 'a pony after work'. I meant a 'pint' obviously, but I mistyped and it corrected it for me. Took a bit of explaining.

[lynchbhoy]

What about Newt 'Palestinians are an invited people' Gingrich?

Invented even.

Correct.

Fc*king text corrections.

I sent a text message to a married female friend just before Christmas asking her if she fancied 'a pony after work'. I meant a 'pint' obviously, but I mistyped and it corrected it for me. Took a bit of explaining.

LOL

[whiskeysteve]

The medias treatment of ron paul is hilarious - its been widely parodied in the states, most famously here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viDKeTzSLf4&feature=related

but I find it laughable seeing it happening over here! 5/6 page article in the latest Sunday Business Post gave the story on the bleak prospects ahead for the US in 2012 and included back story on the republican nominees.

First Sarah Palin and Trump were mentioned as early write offs, then more in depth focus on the leading candidates. Rick Perry, Michelle Bachman, Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Newt Gringrich. Not even a mention of Ron Paul

Reason I say this is because I have noticed the same thing on RTE reports and I find it curious... I suppose its a symptom of RTE journalism being pretty shallow and just regurgitating the mainstream yanks.

In any case Ron Paul would be the only candidate I would take an interest in as he refuses corporate sponsorship (indeed scares the dung outta corporate america), has seemingly been on the money vis a ve the economy throughout the crisis, can actually string articulate sentences together and pushes for radical measures that strike at the heart of the rot in the US financial system. He also enjoys vastly superior support on social and grassroots media and as far as I can judge has been ideologically consistent for decades.

Everyone else is (quite literally) a moron - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv9LBUG4KsE - or a corporate whore (as obama is).

[Maguire01]

The medias treatment of ron paul is hilarious - its been widely parodied in the states, most famously here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viDKeTzSLf4&feature=related

That's good alright.

[brokencrossbar1]

What about Newt 'Palestinians are an invited people' Gingrich?

Invented even.

Correct.

Fc*king text corrections.

I sent a text message to a married female friend just before Christmas asking her if she fancied 'a pony after work'. I meant a 'pint' obviously, but I mistyped and it corrected it for me. Took a bit of explaining.

Muppet is ....or so he'd like his work colleagues to think

[Denn Forever]

What about Newt 'Palestinians are an invited people' Gingrich?

Invented even.

Correct.

Fc*king text corrections.

I sent a text message to a married female friend just before Christmas asking her if she fancied 'a pony after work'. I meant a 'pint' obviously, but I mistyped and it corrected it for me. Took a bit of explaining.

A Freudian slip?

I'm wondering what you wrote that was changed to Pony?

[screenexile]

As much as O'Bama's rule hasn't been great my main understanding of his achievements are:

he has overseen the capture and assasination of Bin Laden,

the withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq,

overthrowing of Mubarrack and Gadaffi and introduce

the Universal Health Care plan.

I'm sure there are more than that and probably many more failures but he inherited a pile of shit and has kept it afloat and managed to do a few good things which is why I would be happy enough for him to stay on. Also the fact I would see myself as more of a Democrat.

I haven't listened to a lot of Ron Paul but any of the Republican Candidates have shown themselves up to be completely useless/unqualified/stupid take your pick!

I think it will be a case of better the Devil you know for the voters but I would still fancy the Republicans to hold on to the House.

[whiskeysteve]

dont have the time to post more SE, but all il say is that Barack 'Goldman Sachs' Obama has shown himself up to be a patsy for Wall Street as Bush was a puppet of the oil tycoons before him.

[thejuice]

overthrowing of Mubarrack

Obama did that 

[screenexile]

overthrowing of Mubarrack

Obama did that 

Well I would say that GB and the US were heavily involved in the recent uprisings around Africa and have realised that the way to conduct these things now is to support the right side rather than jumping in themselves and pissing everybody else off. Granted I probably shouldn't put Mubarrack's ousting down to O'Bama but it is definitely something that he can take a bit of credit for.

As for the Goldman Sach's thing well I agree that it completely stinks. I watched the Storyville Documentary a few weeks ago and they seem to be the main cause of America's pain. They packaged up the bad debt, sold it to people and then bet against its performance by insuring it through AIG. I think I remember them saying that Goldmann Sachs were owed the most money from the AIG bailout and got 100 cents to the Dollar which is scandallous.

I'm not saying O'Bama is some kind of Saint but I think I would rather have him than those right wing muppets!