Best President ever

[BPPLEE]

This is seriously misleading.

The Trump Presidential Campaign didn't commission this lady to do Opposition research.
She was working for the Russian government and had suggested to the Trump team that she had dirt from the illegally obtain emails.



Collusion isn't of itself illegal. There are also other factors in play. e.g. did the Trump members know they were doing something illegal and hence willingly break the law, etc.

See my last post. The meeting was investigated and there were no charges

 

[stevil]

As an independent, I can see the "nonsense propaganda" from both sides clearly. It would appear I'm not alone.

This is a strange phrase actually. "as an independant" as if that makes you special.
In my country, regular people don't register with political parties, don't pretend they are a Laborite or Nationalite or a Democrat or a Republican etc.

All voters are independant, well apart from the very few that are actually member of the party.

Myself, I couldn't care less if people are right or left leaning.

 

[stevil]

See my last post. The meeting was investigated and there were no charges

I agree there were no charges.

 

[BPPLEE]

This is a strange phrase actually. "as an independant" as if that makes you special.
In my country, regular people don't register with political parties, don't pretend they are a Laborite or Nationalite or a Democrat or a Republican etc.

All voters are independant, well apart from the very few that are actually member of the party.

Myself, I couldn't care less if people are right or left leaning.

You sure fooled me

 

[probinson]

This is a strange phrase actually. "as an independant" as if that makes you special.

It doesn't make me "special". It accurately defines my political affiliation, which is to say, none.

 

[stevil]

You sure fooled me

I've voted left, i've voted right and i've voted centre. There are three opposing parties that I have voted for. I have no affiliation for political parties.

 

[stevil]

It doesn't make me "special". It accurately defines my political affiliation, which is to say, none.

To me, it's a nothing statement. You are simply a voter. You get to decide however you want to vote, just like everyone else.
In the USA context I guess it seems you are saying you didn't register to vote in either the Republican or Democrat primaries.

 

[BPPLEE]

To me, it's a nothing statement. You are simply a voter. You get to decide however you want to vote, just like everyone else.
In the USA context I guess it seems you are saying you didn't register to vote in either the Republican or Democrat primaries.

In the county I used to live in I had to vote in the Democratic primary or else I had no one to vote for. Whoever won the primary won the election. If a Republican did run it was symbolic at best

 

[probinson]

To me, it's a nothing statement. You are simply a voter. You get to decide however you want to vote, just like everyone else.
In the USA context I guess it seems you are saying you didn't register to vote in either the Republican or Democrat primaries.

Voter registration is required in the US, and you must declare a party affiliation. I used to be a registered Republican, until 2016. When the Republicans aligned themselves with Trump, I changed my voter registration to Independent. It was my way of distancing myself from a party that I no longer felt represented my values. That is what my registration as Independent means to me.

You are correct that because I am not registered with either party, I am not permitted to vote in the primaries.

 

[stevil]

I would say that if I lived in USA, I certainly wouldn't vote for this Republican party. Their leader Trump is a convicted felon, he has raped (liable for sex offence involving her genitals) a lady, he speaks very irresponsibly of people from other countries, he tried to steal the 2020 election, he says some overtly racist troupes. Even if I really liked his policies, I wouldn't vote for him.

If the Democrat party had a reasonable opposition, I certainly would consider them. But really if I were in USA and were a voting citizen, I would be voting against the current Republican party more than voting for the Democrat party.

 

[stevil]

Voter registration is required in the US, and you must declare a party affiliation.

That's weird to me. I register to vote in NZ, but no one asks voters to disclose any party affiliation.
Why bother voting if people are affiliated to parties?

 

[BPPLEE]

That's weird to me. I register to vote in NZ, but no one asks voters to disclose any party affiliation.
Why bother voting if people are affiliated to parties?

You can vote for anyone you want in the general election regardless of party affiliation

 

[probinson]

That's weird to me. I register to vote in NZ, but no one asks voters to disclose any party affiliation.
Why bother voting if people are affiliated to parties?

Just because you are a registered Republican does not mean you can't vote Democrat or vice versa. When you're in the polling booth, you can vote however you like. The only real limitation is the exclusion from primaries.

Changing my voter registration was my way of distancing myself from a party that I didn't feel was representative of my values any longer. That's all. It wasn't some grand gesture. It was a personal decision.

 

[stevil]

Just because you are a registered Republican does not mean you can't vote Democrat or vice versa. When you're in the polling booth, you can vote however you like. The only real limitation is the exclusion from primaries.

Sure, but why would you register as a Republican if you are going to vote Democrat?

And then also what does a person think when they are "a Registered Republican"? Do they think they are a member of that party? Do they then feel pride of belonging to "R"? How does that set them up to watch the debates, read the proposed policies and consider who to vote for?

 

[stevil]

You can vote for anyone you want in the general election regardless of party affiliation

I gather. But I don't think it is as simple as that

 

[probinson]

Sure, but why would you register as a Republican if you are going to vote Democrat?

It happens all the time. That's how Trump won this election.

And then also what does a person think when they are "a Registered Republican"? Do they think they are a member of that party? Do they then feel pride of belonging to "R"? How does that set them up to watch the debates, read the proposed policies and consider who to vote for?

There are certainly dyed-in-the-wool Republicans and Democrats that will vote the party line no matter what. Those people likely feel a sense of pride and belonging to their party. Those numbers are shrinking.

It’s not so much that voters’ values are changing. It’s that here and around the country, they are removing themselves from the party-led political process. And we’re only beginning to understand the ramifications. It’s one reason that the two parties may be increasingly beholden to fringe figures and less responsive to what voters say are their actual concerns.​

​

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/06/07/independent-voters-american-politics-00162095

​

​

 

[probinson]

IMO, the disillusionment with the US two-party political system is because 1) Democrats have decided to make their identity one of cultural and social issues that the majority of the people couldn't care less about and 2) Republicans have become beholden to the whims of Trump and all his lunacy.

IMO, that's the biggest reason why 43% of people currently identify as Independent in the US, and I suspect that number will continue to rise.

 

[BPPLEE]

Sure, but why would you register as a Republican if you are going to vote Democrat?

And then also what does a person think when they are "a Registered Republican"? Do they think they are a member of that party? Do they then feel pride of belonging to "R"? How does that set them up to watch the debates, read the proposed policies and consider who to vote for?

You register because of which primary you’re going to vote in. In Alabama they just ask you which ballot you want

 

[XianGoth1334]

LOL. yes inflation happened. It happened in most countries. Damn Jacinda and her NZ policies.

No not referencing inflation... referencing the crisis of illegals invading and leftist lunatics choosing rapists and murderers over veterans.

 

[BPPLEE]

LOL. yes inflation happened. It happened in most countries. Damn Jacinda and her NZ policies.

Profanity is against forum rules. You might want to edit that before it gets reported