Republican National Convention

tryinghard

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 12:25 pm

DH and I are political junkies... this (and the debates) are kind of like the SuperBowl for us. Though I will say that I'm really turned off by so much of this year's campaign that I'm not as into it as usual. so DH is watching every speech, and I listen to some casually from the other room, I hear it or don't and don't care, listen and watch a few more intently. I'm actually enjoying the formality of it all (the aspects that have remained the same through every convention) - I'm fascinated by the "move to adjourn" and the "motion has been tabled", the formulaic speech, it's kinda cool.

amother

Floralwhite

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 12:30 pm

I've attempted to but frankly there was nothing to learn. No real discussion of issues or how they will be able to implement their platform on a national level post election. Most of what I heard were reasons why the Republican party hates Hilary. Meh, too much negativity. Typically I'm engrossed in conventions, elections and all politics but there was nothing productive happening so I wound up turning it off after a few minutes each day.

Amarante

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 12:36 pm

I ha on in the background and since I have a DVR I can fast forward through a lot of it.

I am finding the demonizing of political opponents to be frightening. It is one thing to recognize political differences as was done in the not so distant past. But there are calls to kill opponents. It has not become a debate of ideas in which it is possible to find middle ground solutions to solve problems and govern.

Fox

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 12:56 pm

tryinghard wrote:

I'm actually enjoying the formality of it all (the aspects that have remained the same through every convention) - I'm fascinated by the "move to adjourn" and the "motion has been tabled", the formulaic speech, it's kinda cool.

Can you believe my elementary school actually taught the minutiae of parliamentary procedure? Of course, they also had us playing bridge during recess. Looking back, I think it was a joke: they just enjoyed watching a bunch of pre-teens screaming, "The question is called" at one another on the playground.

What's your take on the whole Cruz contretemps?

Was there ever really an agreement with Trump? If so, did Cruz veer from the agreement? Were the boos orchestrated by Trump? If so, why not have the supporters cheer -- and most of us would have taken it as more-or-less an endorsement of Trump?

Or was this really just the first campaign speech for the 2020 election?

Amarante

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 1:30 pm

Fox wrote:

I think it would have been difficult to exclude Cruz as he would have been able to create a fuss about being "censored". The timing of the speech seems to be another example of poor planning as they should have slotted him for Monday and not on prime time so that anything he said would not upstage the VP's speech.

I think it is a combination of his taking on chance on Trump losing and also personal animus for the insults to his wife and father. I don't know how anyone could endorse someone after that and be believable.

I think Kasich took the much higher road. He won't endorse for reasons of personal integrity but he also didn't make it all about him. He has stayed out of the spotlight. I saw an interview with him and was very impressed by his demeanor. I don't support his politics but I think he is genuinely a mensch. If the Republicans had nominated him, I think he would have won against Clinton.

Fox

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 1:52 pm

Amarante wrote:

I think Kasich took the much higher road. He won't endorse for reasons of personal integrity but he also didn't make it all about him.

Agree 100 percent! As much as the Republican establishment is holding their collective nose over the Trump steamroller, I think they suspected that Kasich wasn't charismatic enough to win in November.

We're moving ever closer toward politics-as-reality-TV and getting candidates that fit that paradigm. Reminds me gathering 'round the TV for the launch of MTV back in '81: "Video killed the radio star . . . "

Amarante

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 1:57 pm

Fox wrote:

I think the Republican establishment was so split in terms of who they were supporting and were stunned that Rubio or Bush didn't perform better. I don't think any of the others were ever viewed by the establishment as viable or acceptable for a variety of reasons.

I also think that the establishment got what they deserved because they have been pandering to Trump's supporters for r years without providing them with actual programs that help them. Very cynical exploitation.

I do not think trump will do anything for them either but he catered the zeitgeist of resentment that the republican establishment had been using to keep their base around while actually ignoring their real needs while governing. Hit button asocial issues versus real economic benefits

Last edited by Amarante on Thu, Jul 21 2016, 1:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

DrMom

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 1:58 pm

I caught parts of it online.

Rudy Guilliani's speech was excellent, albeit somewhat shrilly delivered.

Patricia Smith's speech was powerful.

Kimberlin Brown spoke well.

Trump's entrance through the vapors of a fog machine was silly.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention the passionate, rational, and forcefully delivered speech by Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke.

Fox

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 3:20 pm

DrMom wrote:

Trump's entrance through the vapors of a fog machine was silly.

I laughed myself silly over this, including the subsequent objection by Brian May to Trump's use of We Are the Champions. Of course, I've been laughing for years -- ever since I noticed that Freddie Mercury's melodies are a staple at virtually every frum girls' camp.

Honestly, if frum girls are going to benefit from Freddie Mercury's legacy, they should be taught the example of Mary Austin. Now, there's the way to finance long-term kollel learning!

marina

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:06 pm

The RNC has had a pretty concise theme:

1. The night is dark and full of terrors.

2. Everything is Hillary's fault. And if it's not, it's Obama's fault.

3. Illegal immigrants are coming to eat your children.

4. The only one who can save you is Trump so vote for him!

This is not the first time people fall for fearmongering so I'm sure there have been similar elections in years gone by.

Maya

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:26 pm

There were calls for executing Hillary, to literally kill her. So there's that.

I've just been following on Twitter as we don't have a TV, but to sum it up, it's a pathetic circus with the Republican Party putting up their craziest freak shows for exhibition, aka speakers.

What a bunch of nutjobs. How Jews tolerate this, never mind celebrate it, is beyond me.

treestump

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:33 pm

I've watched some of the speeches, and I honestly think that the Republican Party is on its last legs.

Trump has succeeded in alienating many true, thoughtful conservatives, and brought out the fanatic Christians who want a theocracy, the demagogues, racists, xenophobes, and misogynists, basically, the ugly parts of the Republican party who now have their loudest voice. It looks like Trump, not Hillary, is the Republican Party's enemy, because it is creating a shift between these two factions in the Republican Party.

The speeches were almost entirely fear-based, and I didn't see any thoughtful solutions or even discussion, mostly fear mongering and hate building.

Just my two cents as an independent voter.

amother

Tan

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:33 pm

Maya wrote:

sounds like u think Hillary is better do u?

PinkFridge

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:33 pm

Fox wrote:

Can't remember which RW writer said, months ago, considering that everything's devolved so, why are we surprised it happened to politics too?

I am so disturbed by people who tell the former candidates to put on their big boy panties and what not. Why can't they appreciate that some behavior is venal? One takes a pledge assuming that the others in the running will be behaving with some fundamental decency. Makes you yearn for the old days of "Jane, you ignorant sl*t."

But I was very tired so somehow I missed Cruz being booed off the stage. I did love one line of his that no one I've heard so far's commented on. It was about school choice, and how choosing the best schools for our children shouldn't be the domain of the rich elite like Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton. Oddly, he left out Donald Croesus Trump.

PinkFridge

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:35 pm

Fox wrote:

Agree 100 percent! As much as the Republican establishment is holding their collective nose over the Trump steamroller, "

Ann Coultergeist, who's clearly gone off the deep end (her new book is called In Trump We Trust: E Pluribus Awesome) did have a funny line about a 2008 hashtag or something to the effect of GetDrunkHoldYourNoseVoteMcCain. Sounds like a plan for November if Moshiach hasn't come.

Anyone else think Scott Baio's being at the convention this week, the week Garry Marshall died, is anything less than serendipitous?

amother

Tan

Thu, Jul 21 2016, 4:42 pm

Maya wrote:

Yes. Imagine that! A person who thinks Hillary is a qualified candidate. Try not to faint. Rolling Eyes

I am..... I personally thought the convention was nice never watched it before the only problem is they don't talk about actuall stuff they will do once donal trump gets into office lets hope he will talk about that tonight......
besides the point I like the republican values much better!