The only way to save the GOP

[lazarus]

Here is my hypothesis: the only way to save the GOP from a potential split is to let Donald Trump win the nomination. If Trump gets a majority of the delegates in the primaries but not the majority needed to secure the nomination and then there is a contested convention where he does not secure the nomination, his remaining delegates will walk out. He may then declare a 3rd party run. He may even form a new party.

If conservatives are smart they will make a deal with this particular "devil".

 

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

this year's Republican Presidential race is reminding me of the Democratic fiasco of 1968.

 

[JoeMo]

4 minutes ago, rudywoofs (Pam) said:

this year's Republican Presidential race is reminding me of the Democratic fiasco of 1968.

 

Me too.  But here - 48 years later I'm on the opposite side of the fence.  Back then I was a hippie; and firmly aligned with the protesters.  Now I'm NOT on the side of the protesters.  But I'm not so sure I'm yet on the side of the Establishment, either.  IMHO, the only hope of rescuing the GOP is if one candidate ties up the required number of delegates to win the nomination on the first ballot.  If it goes to a brokered convention, there is a risk that the party with splinter into the  "Establishment Republican Party"  and "The Third Party Who Used To Be Republicans".

[Aliensanctuary]

Perhaps the two-party system needs to be overhauled if politicians are unable to work together to keep govt. functioning. I don't care much for Obama, but I, too, would get very frustrated by the impasses and paralysis that lawmakers create by their unwillingness to compromise, that is, the give-and-take that most of us have had to do from time to time. Maybe the best way to fix the USA govt. would to be to fire all of the politicians and bureaucrats and start over with a new, streamlined process with the flexibility needed to respond quickly to the needs of the citizens who pay their salaries. 

A footnote: Any politician or bureaucrat wanting to increase their, or someone else's pay would have to have that request put to a vote of the people. Same story for any tax or fee increase. As citizens, we have become the victims of govt. instead of controlling the govt.

[lazarus]

On 3/16/2016 at 3:33 AM, Aliensanctuary said:

Maybe the best way to fix the USA govt. would to be to fire all of the politicians and bureaucrats and start over with a new, streamlined process with the flexibility needed to respond quickly to the needs of the citizens who pay their salaries.

A dictatorship would be a good fit for that.

[CoAspen]

Why do they need to be saved?

 

They made their bed.....let them sleep in it!!!

[lazarus]

6 hours ago, CoAspen said:

Why do they need to be saved?

 

They made their bed.....let them sleep in it!!!

I'm just assuming that they would want to save themselves. It would be riveting to me to see the collapse of the GOP.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

the GOP will evolve... just as the Democratic Party evolved from what it was a number of years ago..

[Aliensanctuary]

Seems like politicians and bureaucrats have a strong tendency to focus on spending taxpayer money. I think there should be a watchdog agency that actually has the power to nix wasteful spending, require lower cost alternative choices, and to eliminate, cut, or limit taxes on everything. I don't understand why the politicians go along with the huge deficits of the federal govt. I once thought that the Republicans were against deficit spending. Maybe those who are really running things want the US to go belly up so they're telling the US govt to create massive debt. 

[phkrause]

13 hours ago, Aliensanctuary said:

I don't understand why the politicians go along with the huge deficits of the federal govt.

Who do you think runs the federal govt????? Politicians!!!!!!!!

[Bravus]

Greater than 16% of all US government spending is military spending. Worth taking a look at that.

[CoAspen]

Percentage of GDP= 3 % is spent on Military

 

About 17 % of GDP is spent on Health Care=GDP

[hch]

On ‎3‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 3:33 AM, Aliensanctuary said:

Perhaps the two-party system needs to be overhauled

Alien

Didn't you hear the one party system is so near you can see it over the horizon?

I was explaining my Bible Study on endtime events to a person that must remain nameless

who graciously gave me an interview (off the record).

"The white House has a plan for President BO to remain in office in 2017."

So I read it in the Bible first

and got an unexpected confirmation from someone in the know

But this Laodicean generation is of the Show Me mentality like the Antediluvians  

The only satisfaction: God's going to wrap it up sooner than later!

[lazarus]

13 minutes ago, hch said:

"The white House has a plan for President BO to remain in office in 2017."

I guess if you keep predicting off the wall stuff one day you'll be right. Trump is coming so the odds will go up.

[JoeMo]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who do you think runs the federal govt????? Politicians!!!!!!!!

And who runs politicians?  Lobbyists from large wealthy corporations and special interest groups.  The "golden rule" of most politicians is "he who has the gold wins".  We have a coin-operated government.  I can't say many good things about Trump; but he does know the game; and he's wealthy enough to finance his own campaign independently of anyone.  Theoretically, he will be beholden to no one if he becomes President; and is a sufficiently savvy business man to see through the games of Wall Street.

That being said, I will have to take anti-nausea medicine and hold my nose to vote for him.

[hch]

2 hours ago, lazarus said:

I guess if you keep predicting off the wall stuff one day you'll be right. Trump is coming so the odds will go up.

Sometimes people read the Bible wrong

Sometimes people guess right

But things of eternal importance are better served

by prayerful Bible study rather than guesswork

But experience teaches that it is easier to put an unfavorable twist

on something rather than to give it a fair hearing.  

When the Grand Old Party ***Goes Overboard Politically

The only thing left to save will be the headstone: RIP

 

[hch]

1 hour ago, JoeMo said:

And who runs politicians?  Lobbyists from large wealthy corporations and special interest groups.  The "golden rule" of most politicians is "he who has the gold wins".  We have a coin-operated government.  I can't say many good things about Trump; but he does know the game; and he's wealthy enough to finance his own campaign independently of anyone.  Theoretically, he will be beholden to no one if he becomes President; and is a sufficiently savvy business man to see through the games of Wall Street.

That being said, I will have to take anti-nausea medicine and hold my nose to vote for him.

Would you be saying that the Good Old Politicians *** Get Outrageous Payments?

Imagine that?

[Bravus]

G'day CoAspen

Our numbers are consistent, in that I was talking about percentages of government spending, whereas GDP is all economic activity.

I suspect the 16% of GDP that is healthcare spending includes private as well as public, but I'll have to look at that. If so, it's not a good comparison because (thankfully) there is not private military spending!

[Bravus]

This chart shows US government healthcare spending at about $1.5 trillion for 2016, while GDP is 16.7 trillion, so healthcare spending by government seems to be closer to 9% than 16% of GDP.

I'd still sooner they cut spending on missiles than medications...

[Jeannieb43]

Contrary to what's been said here earlier, I DO like Barack Obama.   I think history will show that he has been one of our best, most level-headed presidents.

Now, with the GOP continuing to shoot itself in the foot, I have no problem voting for Hillary.   She's smart; she has experience in government; she can do the job.   I'm no feminist, but it's actually about time the USA has a female president [many years later than the other leading countries of this world].

 

 

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

not too wise to use the race, religion, gender, or political party as one's basis on voting for the next POTUS, in my opinion.  For me, it's going to be based on their work history (including voting record), issue statements history, how they treat other people (past and present), and statements on policies.  It's not going to be based on promises they make, or what famous people might endorse them...

Even with the above considerations, it's going to be difficult to choose which is the best of what I see are some of the worst candidates we've ever had...

[CoAspen]

DG,

When the rest of the world or at least a substantial part of it, looks to the US for its protection it can be difficult to cut back on military spending. A lot has been cut back over the ears in fact. But the military and industrial complex is a large part of the economy. Eisenhower did warn about it, but not sure if what we see today is what he had in mind.

Health Care is much the same, a big part of our economy as it is all about profits. It can not be downsized either with out some effects that people do not want to see.

In our free enterprise system, profits rule. A lot of money is made from supplying the military complex, after all its free money...for them, so to speak. Taxes, taxes, taxes. We the people are the issue for all of this, no desire to look at reality and change our voting habits.

[Aliensanctuary]

Perhaps if there are no surviving presidential and vice-presidential candidates, then Mr. O. would necessarily continue on as "president". 

So, the US must borrow massive amounts of money in order to protect its interests around the world. Little by little, though, several nations are beginning to match or exceed our technology and challenge our hegemony.

What would happen to our lifestyle if a balanced budget were to actually be enforced? We might suspect that there would be riots and burning cities. No political party would seriously consider pushing for a balanced budget in an election year. The end of our prosperity will come sooner or later, though.

[lazarus]

On 3/20/2016 at 7:50 PM, Jeannieb43 said:

Contrary to what's been said here earlier, I DO like Barack Obama.   I think history will show that he has been one of our best, most level-headed presidents.

Now, with the GOP continuing to shoot itself in the foot, I have no problem voting for Hillary.   She's smart; she has experience in government; she can do the job.   I'm no feminist, but it's actually about time the USA has a female president [many years later than the other leading countries of this world]

I like him too but in many ways he has continued Bush policies. Part of me enjoys the idea of a woman being president but she is part of the system that has bought us to where we are.

I try to pay attention to the thing that politicians DON'T talk about. Habius Corpus is still suspended. The Federal Reserve purchased $4.5 trillion in mortgaged backed securities from 2008-14. A recent report suggests 90% of those killed in drone strikes were not the intended target. A big one for me was the TPP. When there is a bipartisan deal on something this big and it secret it makes me sit up.

Finally, with another terrorist attack today why do politicians never draw the link between their actions abroad and terror at home. Ordinary people suffer the blow back and then politicians serve up the same old drivel about terror and freedom etc.

I think Hillary will continue the work of Obama, Bush and Clinton..... IMHO we are living in a corporate state and the reality is that both parties are sold out to it. The loss of liberties and economic hardship that have been reserved for the poor and minorities is now being served up for everyone to enjoy.

[CoAspen]