Donald Trump, the road that might not lead to the White House!

[Yossarian]

So why does it fucking matter?

It's first, so candidates can gain or lose momentum there, and the Iowa votes generally leads to at least a few candidates dropping out. There's been more grumbling this year about the role Iowa plays - it's a lot whiter and more rural than most states, meaning that candidates are a lot more likely to be pressed on issues like ethanol subsidies than issues like black teenagers being executed by police.

 

[TomUS]

Fucking hell American Elections are just dumb.

The Iowa caucuses account for 1% of the delegates who go to the conventions.


1 PERCENTAGE. ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME?

It is a bizarre way to pick a pres but it forces the candidates to go out & meet "the people", not just run TV ads.

Iowa has been more important for Dems than Repubs.

But just how important are the caucuses in determining which candidates later become each political party’s presidential nominee? It depends on the party, Vocativ found. Since 1976, 71 percent—or 5 out of 7—Democratic candidates who won in Iowa ultimately went on to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, compared to just 3 out of 7 Republicans who later became their party’s nominee for president.

How Many Iowa Caucus Winners Go On To Be Party Nominees? - Vocativ

 

[Buddy Bradley]

 

[bi0boy]

Can't decide whether Trump or Cruz would be worse as president.

 

[Nylock]

They're both dismal choices tbf

 

[8den]

It's first, so candidates can gain or lose momentum there, and the Iowa votes generally leads to at least a few candidates dropping out. There's been more grumbling this year about the role Iowa plays - it's a lot whiter and more rural than most states, meaning that candidates are a lot more likely to be pressed on issues like ethanol subsidies than issues like black teenagers being executed by police.

He's a wild fucking idea drop this dysfunctional presidential shit and have a proper parliamentary democracy

 

[Yossarian]

The American system of choosing a leader does seem pretty weird and screwed up, but it'd be hard to recommend swapping it for the system that delivered 40 years of rule by Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown, and Cameron.

 

[8den]

The American system of choosing a leader does seem pretty weird and screwed up, but it'd be hard to recommend swapping it for the system that delivered 40 years of rule by Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown, and Cameron.

The UK isn't the only parliament in the world

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Fucking hell American Elections are just dumb.

The Iowa caucuses account for 1% of the delegates who go to the conventions.


1 PERCENTAGE. ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME?

That's not even the worst of it. The estimate I've seen for the total cost of this election could be 10 billion dollars. That's more than the GDP of some countries. I'd think we could find a better use of that kind of money than bombarding (unwilling) people with misinformation. I'm already sick of the election and its hardly started.

 

[weltweit]

That's not even the worst of it. The estimate I've seen for the total cost of this election could be 10 billion dollars. That's more than the GDP of some countries. I'd think we could find a better use of that kind of money than bombarding (unwilling) people with misinformation. I'm already sick of the election and its hardly started.

In Britain, commercial advertising, i.e. by commercial companies, is quite strongly regulated and they can only make claims which are basically true. This regulation does not extend to political parties making election advertising very unregulated.

Is this also true in the USA?

 

[belboid]

In Britain, commercial advertising, i.e. by commercial companies, is quite strongly regulated and they can only make claims which are basically true. This regulation does not extend to political parties making election advertising very unregulated.

Is this also true in the USA?

Not true, UK political adverts are highly regulated, think back to the Rochdale byelection, which was held due to false claims made during the previous campaign. Also, the limits on spending limits make it a very different market.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

In Britain, commercial advertising, i.e. by commercial companies, is quite strongly regulated and they can only make claims which are basically true. This regulation does not extend to political parties making election advertising very unregulated.

Is this also true in the USA?

They have a constitutional right to lie if they want, and boy do they want.

 

[gosub]

Not true, UK political adverts are highly regulated, think back to the Rochdale byelection, which was held due to false claims made during the previous campaign. Also, the limits on spending limits make it a very different market.

Gordon Brown and his non binding manifesto commitments? Ed Milliband's granite slab that didn't mean it was written in stone (though it literally was?) The Tory tax credit fiasco? THIS?

 

[belboid]

Gordon Brown and his non binding manifesto commitments? Ed Milliband's granite slab that didn't mean it was written in stone (though it literally was?) The Tory tax credit fiasco? THIS?

They're not 'adverts'

 

[gosub]

They're not 'adverts'

pedantry.

 

[8den]

That's not even the worst of it. The estimate I've seen for the total cost of this election could be 10 billion dollars. That's more than the GDP of some countries. I'd think we could find a better use of that kind of money than bombarding (unwilling) people with misinformation. I'm already sick of the election and its hardly started.

I was reading something about the Iowa elections that people are getting bombarded with ten to fifteen calls and texts a day from various candidates. At one point a government agency switched essentials staffs mobiles to a Nebraska network to keep lines open.

Fucking ridiculous way to run an election.

 

[bluescreen]

Both William Hill and Paddy Power are offering 3/1 on Trump. (Clinton is 8/11 and 5/6 respectively.)

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I was reading something about the Iowa elections that people are getting bombarded with ten to fifteen calls and texts a day from various candidates. At one point a government agency switched essentials staffs mobiles to a Nebraska network to keep lines open.

Fucking ridiculous way to run an election.

If you're an older person with a landline you're pretty fucked right now. I know people who have simply unplugged the phone. One of them has a medical alert that runs through the phone line so while the phone is unplugged so is the medical alert.

 

[belboid]

pedantry.

No, accuracy. They are not adverts, so do not fall under the remit of the ASA.

Also, as I stated and you chose to ignore, there ARE limits as to what you can say, and they are upheld on occasion.

 

[Idris2002]

The UK isn't the only parliament in the world

No there's Dail Eireann as well.


Oh.

 

[8den]

No there's Dail Eireann as well.


Oh.

And it only takes us six weeks or so to re elect our shower of corrupt ineffective bastards.

 

[ffsear]

Sorry but I know nothing about American politics. Is there a real risk of Trump becoming President? Or Just Republican leader? Are the democrats expected to smash them in the next election or is it close?

 

[two sheds]

And do Republicans still write the software that counts the votes?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

The UK isn't the only parliament in the world

Our parliamentary system gave us 10 years of Stephen Harper.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

And do Republicans still write the software that counts the votes?

Yes, the last election in Kentucky is getting a lot of attention for that reason:

Evidence mounts that Kentucky governor’s election may have been rigged

 

[Vintage Paw]

Sorry but I know nothing about American politics. Is there a real risk of Trump becoming President? Or Just Republican leader? Are the democrats expected to smash them in the next election or is it close?

At first it seemed utterly laughable that Trump could do either. Then it became clearer that he could, in fact, win the nomination, but no one took seriously the idea that he could possibly beat Hillary in the election.

Now it's becoming far less clear. Polling (I know, but it's all we've got) indicates that Bernie has a better chance of beating Trump nationally than Hillary does, but it's unlikely he'll win the Dem nomination (hope springs eternal). At this point you might be able to say it's probable Hillary would beat Trump but it isn't guaranteed.

Which is a horrible, horrible place to be in.

Edit: he's not running to be Republican leader. It's not the same as our system, he's not becoming David Cameron. He's running to be the nomination for the Republican candidate to run as president, which is something entirely different. People vote for the candidate, not for the party (technically, although in practice they are generally voting down party lines).

 

[Hocus Eye.]

It would serve the world right if Trump got to be president. Can you imagine what a mess that would be. At least with Reagan he was surrounded with advisors who effectively did his job for him. Trump being so arrogant would not let this happen and would go ahead with his crackpot schemes to build a wall next to Mexico and ban Muslems. What else would he do?

 

[killer b]

I suspect he'd be brought into line by capital, same as all the others.

 

[DotCommunist]

or take a drive in a convertible through Dallas

/tinfoil

 

[bluescreen]

He won't build a wall. He's expecting Mexico to pay for it. It's bonkers.