Trump I can understand, but can anyone explain why the polls have Carson as #2 in the GOP?
I think there are two crazy obsession that go on in this country. On the left it’s gun murders and on the right it’s late term abortions. First of all they are small and secondly they are decreasing as a problem in the country.
It looks like there were ~11,300 homicide by firearm in the country a rate which has been steadily decreasing. Looking at abortion numbers This from anti abortion site so the numbers maybe exaggerated, in 2013 the were 984,000 abortions, back in 1996 there were 1.31 million a 28% drop in less than 20 years.
Now if you think life begins at conception than yes almost a million murders a year is a big deal. On the other hand solid majority of your fellow citizen don’t go along with that so, sorry we live in a Republic. But if you look at the abortions where a solid argument can be made that the fetus is actually a person and deserving of protection, the number of abortion is way smaller. 1.2% after week 21 which means that under 12,000 are performed annually. So approximately the same number of late term abortions as gun murders occur each year.
Now lets step back, over 2.6 million people die in this country each year,approximately 7,400/day. So the total number of abortions,and gun homicide is equal to 3 days of death, and yet the left and right spend what 1/3 of time taking about these death. What about the people who die the other 362 days how come they get so little discussion?
If I was God I’d have national pointless debate holiday, where both sides can talk about abortion and gun control. However, for the other 362 days, there is really cool filter technology, which turns gun,abortion talk into Sim speak. I’d had have the filter up all the time.
Oghier
1664
Like Trump, he’s not a politician.
Kept meaning to reply to this. I think this quote might explain some of that (from a Vox article I linked earlier):
Last year, Ezra Klein wrote up some interesting new research on enduring differences between the Democratic and Republican parties in the US. Here’s how the researchers summarize their findings: “The Republican Party is dominated by ideologues who are committed to small-government principles, while Democrats represent a coalition of social groups seeking public policies that favor their particular interests.”
As Klein writes, “The word ‘ideologue’ is a technical term within political science but an insult within American politics. There is nothing wrong with approaching politics ideologically — and that’s particularly true when you compare it to the major alternatives, which are approaching it transactionally or as a pure partisan.” So perhaps a simpler way of putting the conclusion is that the Republican Party is motivated by a general philosophy while Democrats are motivated by specific policies they want to achieve.
http://www.theonion.com/article/scott-walker-watches-candidates-emerge-shaken-gops-51193
…emergency-stop lever after a hysterically screaming Sen. Ted Cruz began smashing himself against the glass of the door, tearing off his clothes, and drawing blood as he clawed at his own flesh.
In Not the Onion news, Walker thinks a wall on our northern border is worth considering.
Words fail me.
Thats easy. Its to keep americans in after they realize what a horrible decision they made if Walker wins.
Timex
1669
We’ll get Canada to build it!
Miramon
1670
Those Canadians are so cunning! They send us their hockey players and what do we do? We welcome them! Like complete fools!
Aleck
1671
Haven’t you seen Canadian Bacon? Canada’s population is massed on the US border preparing for invasion!
CraigM
1672
I know, right? 90% of them are within 100 miles! I say we invade. Take all their maple syrup and their universal healthcare system.
Poutine too. A food that unhealthy really should be part of the American culinary experience.
Is it really that simple? Are people really that short-sighted?
I think it’s more about being extremely dissatisfied doing the same thing over and over again – electing career politicians and then being unhappy with the results. Is the better answer to continue to elect more career politicians or perhaps try something new?
Menzo
1675
It is better to keep electing career politicians if the other options are Donald Trump or Ben Carson. Better by a long shot.
Perhaps, but its not like voting for the regular republican cast has gotten themb what they want.
That’s true, it’s not 1952 any longer.
Timex
1678
Ben Carson is a big step up from trump, but that’s like saying having your limbs cut off is a big step up from being decapitated.
I wouldn’t vote for either of them, but I can see why they are gaining support. Also, it’s much easier to support someone when asked for polling purposes than it is to actually vote for him. In 2000 I thought Ralph Nader made a lot of good points, but I was never going to throw away my vote and vote for him.
No thanks. If I have to pick between crazy and entertainer, I’ll pick entertainer every time.
Miramon
1681
Yeah, I think I actually might prefer Trump, because he has no ideology, no beliefs; he’s just a pure self-aggrandizing narcissist. That’s very very bad, but I think he’d be limited in the damage he could. Carson is in step with a certain totally insane anti-scientific oppressive religious agenda, and he’d have more support for his terrible policies.
