The Politics Thread

[ReddFoxx]

Oh, yes, the conservative apparatus has definitely been playing the race card at every possible turn. Cain himself started it by talking about Obama by taking jabs at Obama being biracial.

[Max]

I've already said that the claims of the two women who settled with Cain (or more accurately, with the National Restaurant Association) should be taken very seriously. However, I'm pretty skeptical of the third--and now fourth--woman who all of a sudden popped up out of the woodwork and stated that she was sexually harassed by Cain. Why are they all of a sudden talking when they remained silent for all these years? Furthermore, why didn't these additional two women say something prior to the press reports about Cain's settlements (with the other two women), or say something back when Cain was a long-shot candidate?

Playing the race card is reprehensible whether conservatives or liberals do it.

Edited November 7, 2011 by Max

[Roman]

Cain, along with the entire GOP candidate list, IMO, don't mind making fools out of themselves. I remember a few Dems who did it as well, but off the top of my head, I can't remember the last time a Democratic candidate was pushed by the CNM having so many flaws as these people do. Cain is the black Clinton. And even though he lied under oath (which I feel he should have never done), Cain seems to think in his arrogance that he will fore peole to stop talking about it.

And the ultra-right wing of the party is continuing to show where they are on race. It's no where close to where the majority of Americans (I assume) are at.

[DRW50]

A lot of people won't come forward unless some circumstance pushes them.

[Roman]

Money can be that circumstance. But, seeing this man act like he is could be motivation enough. Although, when Alred attaches herself to someone, it's nothing about anything else but dollar signs. She just so happens to be right on some occasions (Schwarzenegger).

[GoldenDogs]

For some reason, I see any involvement by Gloria Allred a credibility-damaging event. I think most people don't think much of her or her tactics. Who pays this woman and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't recall a time when she championed a cause against a liberal. It's also interesting that she always pops up in cases where the accused is a conservative/Republican.

Are the polls indicating less support for Cain over these allegations? I haven't seen polls today... but yesterday's information indicated the public could care less about these accusations.

So, not much has been said here about the Occupy Wall Street protests/sit-ins/riots/whatever. I'm particularly interested in how my more left-leaning friends in the forum feel about the movement...

[Roman]

Well, even though I understand what you mean, Brian, liberal, conservative....no matter what, I find her an ambulance chaser against the rich and powerful. Now, if you decided to do whatever foul crap you are doing, then don't be surprised when your dirt comes out now. Cain deserves what he's going through, and now, there may be women coming out of the woodwork because of the way he handles himself. It's never what you do....

It's always the cover-up.

[Roman]

The polls show Cain staying with Romney, even though Romney has now gained 5 points over him. Many who support Cain really don't care. Which says something about me when it comes to how much some of his supporters blame the women for what happen. As far as OWS and the other movements throughout the country, hell, right on if they can keep it going. The same thing happened with the civil rights movement. Sometimes people get so damn fed up that they feel they have to beat the streets and shout to the heavens about how they are being treated in their own country. The inequality is worse now than probably at any time in our nation's history. All these charletons we have sent to our Congresses better take heed.....we are mad as hell, and we're not going to take it anymore.

Love Network. One of my all-time favorite films.

[Max]

It's beyond hypocritical for Cain to attack his accusers for making unproven allegations of sexual harassment while he himself suggests that Perry supporters or liberal Democrats are responsible for leaking these stories (despite failing to provide solid evidence that this is the case).

[DRW50]

The most recent polls show Cain slipping. Romney now has more of a lead, but the only one who seems to have seriously benefited is Gingrich, although Gingrich is still in third or fourth place.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67880.html

[DRW50]

Elections today - Kentucky's state officers such as governor, treasurer, AG - thanks to Steve Bashear (Dem incumbent) being popular, and David Williams running a disastrous campaign (his closing act has been criticizing Bashear for participating in a Hindu ceremony for a new business venture in KY, leading Williams to tell people to come to Jesus), it looks like Democrats will win most of these races.

Virginia - elections such as the house of delegates and the state senate. Republicans favored to win the senate and pad their majority in the house.

Ohio - repeal of widely hated governor Kasich's union-busting law, which went as far as to even bar cops or firefighters from having unions. Polls show the repeal will pass, but you never know. The union-busting law is favored by most of the Presidential candidates, aside from wishy-washy Romney, who was for it, sort of against it, and for it.

Mississippi - Personhood amendment on the ballot, which would likely ban abortion and birth control in the state. All major Presidential candidates in favor, including Mitt Romney. 50-50 chance of passing. I'd say it passes with about 54%.

[DRW50]

One of the women whose name was sealed in the Cain cases has come forward.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67891.html

[Max]

In NJ (which I'm surprised Carl forgot to mention), I fully expect the Democrats to retain their majorities in both houses of the state legislature.

If Republicans make legislative gains in VA (a crucial swing state), that's a bad sign to come for Obama in 2012.

A number of heavily partisan states have a governor from the minority party (or recently have had one); such victories (excluding re-election victories) are almost always flukes. In KY, a Democratic governor was elected in 2007 because his Republican precedessor was engulfed in a scandal.

Edited November 8, 2011 by Max

[DRW50]

I always forget they have off-year elections for NJ's legislature.

There's also a recall election in several states - one in Michigan, one in Arizona. The Arizona one is interesting mostly because it involves Russell Pearce, who wrote the anti-immigration law that helped rescue Gov. Jan Brewer from sure failure, and which became a national lightning rod. This is the last election before the new maps, which Brewer is trying to have done in the most partisan manner she can, to the point of impeaching the chairman of the redistricting commission (Arizona, at least before Brewer, was nonpartisan in their maps).

[Roman]

Both issues went down.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/08/8708589-big-win-for-democrats-in-ohio-and-an-abortion-surprise-in-mississippi