A Nation United

[MineralMan]

If you think that sounds like a good thing, think again. Next year, if we're not very careful and thoughtful, the nation may be united in a way that bodes ill for its citizens.

Some people are declaring that they will not vote for the Democratic nominee if that person is not the one they favor in the primary elections. If they follow through on that declaration, it's entirely possible that all three branches of our federal government will be controlled by the Republicans.

Look at the slate of GOP primary candidates. Think about the Republicans running the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court, which would be a likely outcome if one of the passengers in the GOP Clown Car is elected.

GOTV 2016!

[cantbeserious]

1. IMHO - One Suspects - That In A HRC vs Trump General Election - Trump Wins

eom

[Samantha]

5. Thinking over the history of dirty Republican tricks, especially those designed to impact elections

I believe the Republican party will never allow Trump to win the primary, regardless of what they have to do to stop him. Think about it, this is a party that would not allow Al Gore to succeed Clinton (even though Gore won the election).

That party thrives on a few "key" people influencing the man in the Oval Office, and it is abundantly clear no one can control Trump. So while one might not see the Republican slight of hand in whatever maneuvers that party chooses to engineer to dethrone Trump, one will see the aftermath.

Then the question becomes who will the party allow the winner of the primary to be. I speculate that answer is Jeb Bush with Kasich being a potential second. Should that not materialize, I think they would look to Rubio, a Republican with zero depth but a deep thirst to succeed anyway!

Sam

[yallerdawg]

6. Or one can be informed...

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html

[merrily]

10. Relying solely on that kind of polls before primaries have been held is not being "informed."

Early in 2012, Obama lost every single head to head polls with ever Republican candidate, including, IIRC, Santorum and Mr. Generic Republican. And we haven't even gotten to election year itself yet.

[yallerdawg]

16. Alright.

Let's go with "I suspect" then.

[Thinkingabout]

20. An interesting observation, FOX has Trump winning, imagine they would be the one having a

republican winning. The game will be in our corner to win, we win by voting.

[yallerdawg]

27. It's pretty common knowledge.

We Democrats lose when we don't go to vote - how frustrating and sad it is when "Democrats" pledge not to vote for the Democrat if it is not "their" candidate.

[MineralMan]

7. Trump will not be the GOP nominee.

If he remains on top of polling and gets roughly the same percentage of primary voters, the GOP Convention will be a brokered convention. Trump will not be on the ballot next November.

[Thinkingabout]

34. I sure hope you are right but as I look at the field of GOP candidates I don't see a lot of relief.

I know we all need to vote and I want a Democrat elected but with the possible field of GOP we are going to have to GOTV to defeat crazy.

[yallerdawg]

2. I will vote for the Democratic nominee.

I will wholeheartedly support the Democratic nominee!

No Democratic candidate is perfect - but compared to any Republican candidate?

Any of them is the perfect choice!

[99Forever]

3. Same old scare tactic sermon.

Different day.

[bahrbearian]

4. Hiding behind GOTV, makes it ok.

[MineralMan]

9. GOTV is in no way hiding. Just the opposite.

It is being right out in the open, encouraging Democrats to vote. Nothing hidden about GOTV.

[MineralMan]

8. I see. Well, I am scared of that prospect.

So should we all be. You'll notice that I didn't mention any candidates at all. I'll be doing the same GOTV regardless of who becomes the nominee. I suggest that we all do the same thing.

You will, of course, do as you think best.

[yallerdawg]

11. See here, MM?

Hillary Hate - they don't care who wins as long as it is not Hillary - continues to remain the primary goal.

Despite what Senator Sanders (I-VT) says:

"Yes, we do agree on a number of issues, and by the way, on her worst day, Hillary Clinton will be an infinitely better candidate and President than the Republican candidate on his best day."

Obviously, it's not about the candidate of your choice...

[PowerToThePeople]

12. Unrec and trashcan. n/t

[MineralMan]

15. I guess I'd better not count on you, then, for

GOTV efforts. Too bad.

[PowerToThePeople]

18. I will work hard for Dems

I will walk away from DINOs and third way candidates.

[MineralMan]

21. As always, you will do whatever you think is best.

We disagree on the details, apparently.

[PowerToThePeople]

23. I feel that is my duty as a good citizen.

So, the answer is yes.

[Agnosticsherbet]

13. VOTE for your favorite in the primary and a government in the general.

Last edited Fri Nov 27, 2015, 12:30 PM - Edit history (1)

These two elections have different purposes within our system.

[MineralMan]

17. Yup. Let the best candidate become the nominee.

By best, I mean the one with the most support from voters. Either of the two with good poll results would be a fine GE candidate. I can support both of them enthusiastically, and will work for the nominee as hard as I am able.

[Agnosticsherbet]

31. The best candidate is a subjective opinion of every voter.

We all get there in different ways.

In the general the candidates on the ballot are what we get. A voter may want someone else, and even write that person name in as a form of protest, but it is not the issue in the General election.


The issue is about selecting a government, and the two sides have very different philosophies about governing. I think that is often lost here in the battles over which candidate is the best.

[MineralMan]

32. Clearly. The majority of voters will decide, really.

It seems very unlikely that this primary race will be close enough for the super delegates to end up making the decision. I don't see that as much of a possibility.

While I may disagree whether the nominee is the "best" choice, I still live in a country where the majority decides such questions, and will respect the majority's wishes about the Democratic nominee. Once chosen, that nominee will have my full and enthusiastic support. That's how I've always acted in Presidential elections, even when it was obvious that the Democrat would lose in the end.

[Thinkingabout]

14. If the candidates are wanting to put a Democratic president in office next year it would only seem

responsible of each candidate to work hard in the general election to elect a Democrat. They understand how important to the nominating the next SC justices, a republican president will ensure Citizens United continues and other issues like this the GOP wants to pass or implement. Some can think it is a scare tactic, no, not a scare tactic, just plain facts. We can do this, voting is a strength we can speak and not only will our voices be heard in an election we will receive more respect when we approach getting our issues passed.

Thanks MM, good post.

[MineralMan]

33. Thank you for "thinking about" this in a serious, reasonable way.

[moobu2]

19. I think once Bernie endorses Hillary

most of his followers will fall in line behind him and vote for her too.

[MineralMan]

22. I assume that whichever candidate does not become

the nominee will endorse and campaign for the nominee. I'm sure my assumption is correct, too. Some supporters of the candidate who doesn't become the nominee, though, may still refuse to support the nominee. I'm a Democrat. I support Democratic nominees. Always.

[JoePhilly]

24. I think some folks here want that to happen ...

... let the GOP win ... destroy the country ... and then the Socialist Utopia emerges from the ashes.

That's how they see it.

[MineralMan]

25. That, sadly, is a very short-sighted view and an unlikely course of events.

We've had Democrats and Republicans in the White House over the years. In my experience, we do better with Democratic Presidents that with Republicans. Much better. It's a fairly simple equation, really.

Hoping that destruction will lead to rebuilding in a positive way is a form of nihilism. It rarely works out that way, unfortunately. Instead destruction tends to lead to more destruction. I'd rather not go out of this world in a period of destruction. Truly.

[1monster]

26. You know, I'm really getting tired of these constant threads from DUers

telling us we HAVE to vote for the nominee (especially from those who believe that Hillary will be the nominee).

Well, guess what? Most of us would vote for a yellow dog before we would let any of the clown car candidates become president. If I have to vote for Hillary, then I will. Unwillingly, enthusiastically, and with great foreboding, I will vote for her if she is the nominee.

But we are still in the primaries. I'm voting for Bernie and I believe he will win the nomination and subsequently, he will win the general election handily in November, 2016. Because Bernie's supporters are wildly enthusiastic about him and will turn out in droves.

Voting for Hillary will be like an unwanted chore. Those of us who feel the responsibility heavily will turn out and vote out of a sense of choosing the lesser of two evils: the status quo vs OMG! The OMG! factor might be enough to win the election for Hillary.

But one thing is for sure, constant nagging at Bernie supporters to do their duty before it is clear that the duty you are advocating for is going to need to be done doesn't do anything but annoy those who are the objects of the nagging.

We KNOW the score. We will do what is necessary, however onerous.

[MineralMan]

28. I'm sorry that you are annoyed by my post.

However, that will not stop me from posting such OPs. It's something I feel very strongly about. You may want to just skip them, if they cause you annoyance. Up to you. If you see MineralMan as the author, the post is likely to be along these lines, and I'm here every day.

[1monster]

29. Mineral Man, sometimes you have posts that are absolutely sublime.

So I don't skip your OPs just because you are the poster.

And you are not the only one posting on the subject. Wait until AFTER the primaries to do the General Election GOTV. There will be time enough then.

[MineralMan]

30. Well, at this point, I am no longer going to really participate in

the ugly battle between two good people who are running for the nomination. It seems to have become unproductive of anything but negativity. One or the other will be the nominee, so I'm shifting toward the General Election in my posts.

I like Bernie Sanders. I like Hillary Clinton. Given the political realities, both would do a fine job as President. I'll be voting for Clinton at my precinct caucus, which is the one vote I will make for a candidate. I won't be deciding the race, by any stretch of the imagination. I'll be fine with either as the nominee.

So, I see no point in participating in ugly threads about either one of them. I also see no point in waiting until the Democratic Convention to point out how important November will be. I'll cast my one vote for the candidate of my choice and wait to see how things work out. It will be either Clinton or Sanders as the nominee. I'm betting it will be Clinton, but who knows, in the end?

Nope, I won't wait to begin discussing how important this general election will be. Can't do it.