The Republican National Convention

[Moonlight J]

Andrew Sullivan with some strong stuff here: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer...c-night-1.html

11:09 p.m. Just mulling over the events tonight, there’s one obvious stand-out. I didn’t hear any specific policy proposals to tackle clearly stated public problems. It is almost as if governing, for the Republican right, is fundamentally about an attitude, rather than about experience or practicality or reasoning. The degeneracy of conservatism – its descent into literally mindless appeals to tribalism and fear and hatred – was on full display. You might also say the same about the religious right, the members of whom have eagerly embraced a racist, a nativist, a believer in war crimes, and a lover of the tyrants that conservatism once defined itself against. Their movement long lost any claim to a serious Christian conscience. But that they would so readily embrace such an unreconstructed pagan is indeed arevelation.If you think of the conservative movement as beginning in 1964 and climaxing in the 1990s, then the era we are now in is suffering from a cancer of the mind and the soul. That the GOP has finally found a creature that can personify these urges to purge, a man for whom the word “shameless” could have been invented, a bully and a creep, a liar and cheat, a con man and wannabe tyrant, a dedicated loather of individual liberty, and an opponent of the pricelessly important conventions of liberal democracy is perhaps a fitting end.
This is the gutter, ladies and gentlemen, and it runs into a sewer. May what’s left of conservatism be carried out tosea.

[cardboardbox]

Is it ironic that Drumpf 's entrance to the stage was backed by "We Are the Champions" by Queen -- a group that was led by a gay frontman. I wonder if Freddie Mercury would be OK being associated with Drumpf and the GOP.

Trump really doesnt seem to care what someone's sexual orientation is. At least in comparison to repubs as a whole, he'd be far left on this subject.

[cardboardbox]

Ultimately and unfortunately, I think the constant references to Hillary Clinton as a criminal who should be a candidate for a jail cell rather than the White House is probably the correct strategy for Trump and the GOP. I also think that decisively taking the side of the police and raising fears about the Black Lives Matter movement's incitement of would-be cop killers is good political strategy, as well as continuing the drumbeat about "calling our enemy by its name" on Radical Islam. Sure, that stuff makes us cringe as Democrats/liberals/Clinton supporters, and it draws media rebukes, but if I try to step outside my own political beliefs and evaluate it purely in terms of campaign strategy, I think that stuff is where Trump can drum up enthusiasm, get out the vote, and pull over undecideds who just don't like or trust Clinton.

This election is all about who can shout louder that the other side is worse.

[cardboardbox]

I don't know how much longer I can take this. I believe better times are in the future, but I don't know if I can hang on until that happens. I see it 50/50 that I'll be changing parties before the election.

What specifically upset you?

[senorsheep]

Compare the garbage being spewed at the convention to this:

If there is to be a way forward for the Republican Party, it's Gary Johnson's way, not Donald Trump's.

[cardboardbox]

Compare the garbage being spewed at the convention to this:

If there is to be a way forward for the Republican Party, it's Gary Johnson's way, not Donald Trump's.

Almost all of that sounds great, although some is a bit vague. Too bad this platform has no chance...

[senorsheep]

Almost all of that sounds great, although some is a bit vague. Too bad this platform has no chance...

No chance this time, but when the GOP is finally burnt to the ground, something different will rise from its ashes. Conservatives need to drop the GOP's evangelical redneck baggage once and for all and start reaching to the middle with a welcoming tone and message.

[Lucky]

It's like every asshole you went to high school decided to hold a convention and brought their friends.

Now that's funny right there, I don't care who you are. That there is funny.

[Lucky]

The Trump campaign has openly stated that it will not offer policy proposals at the convention, the first time I can remember in nearly 10 or so cycles that the nominees haven't set forth their specific ideas for governance if elected. Supposedly, Trump will present those ideas over the upcoming months. My question is simple...since we've seen no firm policy positions yet, and since the only general ideas he has floated have, when strongly challenged, been downgraded to "suggestions", are there any policies there? Or are they something yet to be dreamed up? Either way, it's a helluva deal that this guy is going to be nominated and the only thing we know is that is for winning and against Hillary.

[senorsheep]

What specifically upset you?

Choosing David Clark to speak was a horrible mistake. Adding fuel to the cops vs. BLM fire at this point was just a terrible thing to do.

[ironfist]

Compare the garbage being spewed at the convention to this:

If there is to be a way forward for the Republican Party, it's Gary Johnson's way, not Donald Trump's.

I have seen these getting thrashed lately by conservatives. They're way too civil and level-headed. The fact that they won't come out and bash Clinton is killing them among those who don't really like Trump. I've seen a few that were considering voting for Johnson swaying back toward Trump. I think a lot more will follow suit as they get more and more bullied and browbeaten over not letting Hillary win.

[Lucky]

I didn't watch too much of the convention (I missed Melania and Chachi and Rudy and Tom Cotton, among others), but it seemed there were more African Americans on the stage that there were in the audience.

But I was particularly impressed with David Clarke's uniform. All those medals, ribbons, and four stars! He looked like Gaddafi.

[senorsheep]

I have seen these getting thrashed lately by conservatives. They're way too civil and level-headed. The fact that they won't come out and bash Clinton is killing them among those who don't really like Trump. I've seen a few that were considering voting for Johnson swaying back toward Trump. I think a lot more will follow suit as they get more and more bullied and browbeaten over not letting Hillary win.

For the most part, Republican candidates don't even try to win on ideas anymore. I don't think most of them can articulate - or in many cases, even understand - the conservative principles underlying what they claim to be for or against. The party as a whole seems deluded into thinking they can "scandal" their way to victory. Not gonna happen.

[B-Fly]

Choosing David Clark to speak was a horrible mistake. Adding fuel to the cops vs. BLM fire at this point was just a terrible thing to do.

I wish I agreed. I think adding fuel to the cops vs. BLM fire is sadly beneficial to Trump's campaign hopes. He's not going to win Black votes, and I think this could help him with white women, which is probably the demographic where he could move the needle the most in his favor between now and November.

[senorsheep]

I wish I agreed. I think adding fuel to the cops vs. BLM fire is sadly beneficial to Trump's campaign hopes. He's not going to win Black votes, and I think this could help him with white women, which is probably the demographic where he could move the needle the most in his favor between now and November.

I was speaking morally and ethically, not strategically. If anything positive has come from the recent shootings, it's that a lot of good people have come forward and expressed a desire to bridge the gap between police and minority communities. Nobody really knows how, but the desire is there. A thoughtful leader could help bridge that gap. The last thing we need right now is a race-baiting clown for a president.