The American Politics thread

[vic_orthdox]

How did he drink his own urine if he was handcuffed?

Morning glory.

[vic_orthdox]

When Obama Endorsed Marriage Equality heh

[Fusion]

Virginia Attorney General, a Republican, dismantles Bill O'Reilly on his attempt to manufacture a racial issue

So awesome.

[Sanz]

Romney: "I'll take a lot of credit" for auto industry revival - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

and I will take credit for discovering the moon.

[Spikey]

i saw michael clarke in the street once and well let's just say...

[Fusion]

How Chief Justice John Roberts orchestrated the Citizens United decision

A very lengthy, but extremely fascinating, look at how Chief Justice John Roberts maneuvered to turn a specific and narrow-minded case into an indictment of the entire McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance law. Many liberals (like myself) would argue that the judicial activism of the current court, dominated by the 5 conservatives, has far exceeded the traditional role of the Court to merely interpret the law, not supersede it. The Citizens United case is exhibit A of this problem in full display. The article I linked to points out how Roberts and the conservative Justices went above and beyond just ruling on the case in question and rather made it a point to include provisions that weren’t even being argued. I fear that if Obama looses the election, the Supreme Court would be solidly filled with similar-minded conservatives that will overturn years of precedent and established law to suit their ideology – an ideology that clashes with the constitution in my view. The all but certain overturning of the Health Care law and the affirmation of Arizona’s immigration law will show how precedent and authority of the Federal government will be eroded in the coming years. Control of the Supreme Court is the biggest reason I root for an Obama victory and a defeat of a Romney Presidency.

[cpr]

Can always rely of the Supreme Court to stick the V's at the Constitution and bring in its own backwards rulings TBH.

[Burgey]

Ron Paul pulls the pin.

[silentstriker]

It's crazy how many people think he always has a chance.

[Spikey]

despite the man himself knowing he has no chance

[Cevno]

Tbf, he has done remarkably well in creating a support base for the type of ideology he believes in over the years, and a passionate one too. That's what his presidential bids have been about and also, airing issues he believes strongly in.

It is hard to agree with him on many things and he has been overly rigid on many of his positions which has cost him. But despite that got to respect the man.

[Jono]

Yeah his nominations aren't a waste of time by any stretch.

Meanwhile:



What a photo.

[Ikki]

Ron Paul hasn't pulled out of the race.

Paul's intention all along has been to change the party's talking points. He has, and will continue to. Paul will probably be at Tampa since he keeps getting delegates. Who knows what will happen there really. Unlikely for him to come out the nominee, but it's the only shot left. His supporters keep becoming delegates then it is going to get really ugly at the convention.

[Fusion]

Ikki – he will not have enough delegates to overtake Romney, so there’s no chance of him becoming the nominee. Even in the unlikely scenario that he comes close to threatening Romney’s lead or swaying delegates promised to Gingrich/Santorum to his side, the party leaders will take over in the form of a brokered convention and ensure the nomination goes to Romney. Basically the only reason for him to stay in the race is to keep his name in the news and hence keep his “message” out there and relevant.

[Ikki]

He doesn't have to get more than Romney initially - just so that Romney doesn't get the amount he needs to take it outright. If I know the convention rules correctly (which I am not sure at all on) if Romney does not get those votes it becomes a brokered convention and bound delegates are then unbound rendering a lot of his support useless. In many states he may have won the popular vote and the delegates may have been bound to him, but the Paul fans stayed behind and actually became delegates. Which puts Paul in a commanding position in states that didn't have bound delegates from the beginning and states that will be unbound if Romney doesn't get the 50% he needs. Those Paul delegates won't vote for Romney, they'll vote for Paul. To give you an idea; Romney clearly won Nevada in the voting, Paul came third. But Paul took 22 delegates and Romney only 3 that will vote at the convention. If it does become a brokered convention it can get very messy.

That's why recently the Rs have been trying to paint Paul as some subverter, but it's just the usual process. It goes to show that beside tepid support, Romney has no real strength in the party. Instead of embracing Paul the Rs tried to shun him, with Santorum and Gingrich staying as long as they could to split the anti-Romney vote Paul otherwise would have gotten. If not for Santorum, Paul would have had a great start that even the media could not have ignored. However, Paul changed his tactics and he has the Rs running scared. His supporters are passionate and are willing to go through all these procedures to get elected as chairs or become delegates. Even if Paul doesn't get the nomination, his base are so entrenched in the Republican party now that they're going to shift things to Paul's position - be it happily or kicking and screaming.