2016 Presidential Horse Race

[RDU Irish]

So Walker stopped by the McDs that he worked in high school recently. Could he be the first candidate to have McDonalds on their resume?

I always love the foreign policy jabs. Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama.... what exactly did they have to hang their hats on for foreign policy experience? Bush Sr and Jr had as much as anyone and they off and get us in wars. Maybe less experience is better, too much knowledge is dangerous type of thing.

I know Obama supposedly picked Biden to strengthen that issue, I have never seen it as anything other than a guarantee there would be no assassination attempts. Biden as expert of anything is a comical concept at best.

Who exactly votes based on foreign policy experience? Seems straw man-ish to me.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

So Walker stopped by the McDs that he worked in high school recently. Could he be the first candidate to have McDonalds on their resume?

Well, he doesn't have a college degree. So I guess he's stressing his private sector bona fides?

 

[Cackalacky]

So Walker stopped by the McDs that he worked in high school recently. Could he be the first candidate to have McDonalds on their resume?

I always love the foreign policy jabs. Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama.... what exactly did they have to hang their hats on for foreign policy experience? Bush Sr and Jr had as much as anyone and they off and get us in wars. Maybe less experience is better, too much knowledge is dangerous type of thing.

I know Obama supposedly picked Biden to strengthen that issue, I have never seen it as anything other than a guarantee there would be no assassination attempts. Biden as expert of anything is a comical concept at best.

Who exactly votes based on foreign policy experience? Seems straw man-ish to me.

I agree with this except with Bush Jr. His foreign policy was basically Wolfowitz and Cheney's and by default extensions of Reagan and Bush Sr.

Out of all the candidates though I think Hillary has the most experience in foreign policy. I can't think of a candidate (not including possible cabinet picks etc.) that has more. She is just as likely to go to war as any of the Republicans though.

 

[RDU Irish]

Well, he doesn't have a college degree. So I guess he's stressing his private sector bona fides?

This will be interesting to see how it plays in the eyes of public opinion given that about 2/3rds of voting age Americans do not have a degree either. He has outstanding experience and could be viewed as "one of us" to cement a position as DC outsider. Could be a rallying cry, or death sentence. I'm not an edu-bigot like some of you, rather judging him by the content of his character.


70% of Americans don't have college degree, Rick Santorum says | PolitiFact

"According to census data, 209.3 million people in the United States are 25 years old or older, and 66.9 million have a bachelor’s degree or higher (such as a master’s, professional or doctoral degree). That means about 68 percent of them do not have a bachelor’s degree. If we include people who have an academic associate degree -- about 11.7 million people -- the percentage of people without a degree declines slightly, to 62 percent.

The U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics looked at the same question in a 2014 longitudinal study that followed young people to age 27. It found that by that age, 72 percent of respondents did not have bachelor's degrees."

 

[RDU Irish]

I agree with this except with Bush Jr. His foreign policy was basically Wolfowitz and Cheney's and by default extensions of Reagan and Bush Sr.

Out of all the candidates though I think Hillary has the most experience in foreign policy. I can't think of a candidate (not including possible cabinet picks etc.) that has more. She is just as likely to go to war as any of the Republicans though.

Anecdotal as it seems, evidence suggests foreign policy experience accelerates aggression. Familiarity builds contempt?

Bush Jr's "experience" was an extension his connections. Granted half the people here hate him and "his people" but you cannot deny "his people" had extensive experience. Kind of like you can't deny Lane Kiffin has experience even though we might all agree he is still a f-ing clown.

In summary, Hillary is a war monger.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

This will be interesting to see how it plays in the eyes of public opinion given that about 2/3rds of voting age Americans do not have a degree either. He has outstanding experience and could be viewed as "one of us" to cement a position as DC outsider. Could be a rallying cry, or death sentence. I'm not an edu-bigot like some of you, rather judging him by the content of his character.


70% of Americans don't have college degree, Rick Santorum says | PolitiFact

"According to census data, 209.3 million people in the United States are 25 years old or older, and 66.9 million have a bachelor’s degree or higher (such as a master’s, professional or doctoral degree). That means about 68 percent of them do not have a bachelor’s degree. If we include people who have an academic associate degree -- about 11.7 million people -- the percentage of people without a degree declines slightly, to 62 percent.

The U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics looked at the same question in a 2014 longitudinal study that followed young people to age 27. It found that by that age, 72 percent of respondents did not have bachelor's degrees."

A college degree does not necessarily make someone smart. No question. He had a 2.59 GPA at Marquette. He left college so he could start running for office. I could see him being considered a DC outsider, but there's no question that he's a career politician.

He's also undermined the Wisconsin K-12 and University systems to the point that teachers are leaving to go to other states and outstanding professors are being poached by other universities. As a career educator, that's why I think he'd be a disaster.

 

[Cackalacky]

Anecdotal as it seems, evidence suggests foreign policy experience accelerates aggression. Familiarity builds contempt?

Bush Jr's "experience" was an extension his connections. Granted half the people here hate him and "his people" but you cannot deny "his people" had extensive experience. Kind of like you can't deny Lane Kiffin has experience even though we might all agree he is still a f-ing clown.

In summary, Hillary is a war monger.

Yep. We are saying the same thing.

 

[RDU Irish]

A college degree does not necessarily make someone smart. No question. He had a 2.59 GPA at Marquette. He left college so he could start running for office. I could see him being considered a DC outsider, but there's no question that he's a career politician.

He's also undermined the Wisconsin K-12 and University systems to the point that teachers are leaving to go to other states and outstanding professors are being poached by other universities. As a career educator, that's why I think he'd be a disaster.

Benefits bankrupting the state, just like they were bankrupting Milwaukee County. Lots of teachers voted FOR him (very privately b/c they didn't want the to face the wrath of the union) because they knew damn well the benefits were obscene.

I would love to see your sources for the claims that teachers and profs are leaving en masse. Sounds anecdotal to me. I suspect most of them are long tenured types that are looking too double dip on pensions. A lot is probably normal attrition data. Wisconsin is a brain drain state, if you have options get the hell out of the freezing cold, get more affordable housing and pay dramatically less in taxes.

 

[brick4956]

Scott walker bought by the koch brothers like a majority of the Republican candidates

 

[alohagoirish]

When, on the very day you declare, the first defense of your candidate coming from his close aids is that "being smart" is not that big an issue , being "approachable" is more important, and Gov walker is working hard to familiarize himself with all the issues. That is a bad sign.

Walker has the Koch brothers in his corner of course and has good standing for his cultural conservatism and union battles with many of the RIGHT---but I have seen enough of him in a few interviews. Very milktoast , clearly not very bright , I don't really understand the infatuation with this fella.

I expect him to disappear on the debate stage against many more engaging and sharper candidates.

 

[GoIrish41]

When, on the very day you declare, the first defense of your candidate coming from his close aids is that "being smart" is not that big an issue , being "approachable" is more important, and Gov walker is working hard to familiarize himself with all the issues. That is a bad sign.

Walker has the Koch brothers in his corner of course and has good standing for his cultural conservatism and union battles with many of the RIGHT---but I have seen enough of him in a few interviews. Very milktoast , clearly not very bright , I don't really understand the infatuation with this fella.

I expect him to disappear on the debate stage against many more engaging and sharper candidates.

Agree with all of this. I would add that he is a contender only because there are no strong candidates in the GOP field who have the ability to separate from the pack. The debates will expose him as they will with a lot of these candidates.. The election is a job interview for a job in which Walker, like most others in the running, is not qualified. The ones who may be qualified will not make it through the primaries without selling out to the GOP establishment and their same tired policies ... thereby ruining their chance in the general election.

 

[GoldenDome]

So does Scott Walker buy his kneepads from Koch Industries or Kohls?

 

[ACamp1900]

George Soros thinks 'the Coke brothers' are cute...

 

[Cackalacky]

When, on the very day you declare, the first defense of your candidate coming from his close aids is that "being smart" is not that big an issue , being "approachable" is more important, and Gov walker is working hard to familiarize himself with all the issues. That is a bad sign.

Walker has the Koch brothers in his corner of course and has good standing for his cultural conservatism and union battles with many of the RIGHT---but I have seen enough of him in a few interviews. Very milktoast , clearly not very bright , I don't really understand the infatuation with this fella.

I expect him to disappear on the debate stage against many more engaging and sharper candidates.

All of the candidates are "Do Boys" who take their marching orders from the establishment. I think Rand and Sanders are the only ones that really could claim to be mostly independent of outside influence. Sanders more so than Rand.

 

[Ndaccountant]

oh for fucks sake....can you get off this whole koch industries thing? We get it.....they donate money and there is an obvious conflict of interest. But holy hell is that just white noise when you look at the entire political machine. How many blowjobs did Tom Steyer get from Dems in 2014? Point being, show me a major political figure in Washington who isn't whoring out.

 

[RDU Irish]

Walker the sell out? That is pretty funny. You really aren't trying hard if your immediate response to any reasonably conservative candidate is to call him a Koch brothers lap dog.

I agree that "milktoast" is a good description. I always think of Droopy Dog when he talks on camera. We will see how he does on the big stage but I doubt he has the gravitas needed to win the job.

You really sell him short if you don't respect his ability to affect change in Wisconsin and Milwaukee County to the degree he has. Disagree with the politics but respect the results. Those results are not produced by a nimwit puppet and if they are then who better to follow Obama.

As for putting up with the election pressure cooker?
Scott Walker's parents' home swarmed by pro-union protesters - Washington Times

This was from his parent's home and I know there were plenty of similar marches on his own personal residence, not to mention death threats and the marches on the capital.

 

[GoIrish41]

oh for fucks sake....can you get off this whole koch industries thing? We get it.....they donate money and there is an obvious conflict of interest. But holy hell is that just white noise when you look at the entire political machine. How many blowjobs did Tom Steyer get from Dems in 2014? Point being, show me a major political figure in Washington who isn't whoring out.

Let's talk about something important ... like Benghazi.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Let's talk about something important ... like Benghazi.

or school lunches

 

[GoIrish41]

Walker the sell out? That is pretty funny. You really aren't trying hard if your immediate response to any reasonably conservative candidate is to call him a Koch brothers lap dog.

I agree that "milktoast" is a good description. I always think of Droopy Dog when he talks on camera. We will see how he does on the big stage but I doubt he has the gravitas needed to win the job.

You really sell him short if you don't respect his ability to affect change in Wisconsin and Milwaukee County to the degree he has. Disagree with the politics but respect the results. Those results are not produced by a nimwit puppet and if they are then who better to follow Obama.

As for putting up with the election pressure cooker?
Scott Walker's parents' home swarmed by pro-union protesters - Washington Times

This was from his parent's home and I know there were plenty of similar marches on his own personal residence, not to mention death threats and the marches on the capital.

Sounds like a real man of the people.

 

[RDU Irish]

Seeing how he has won 11 elections in a row in a democrat leaning state, including a heavily democrat county seat... you could say bully tactics don't always work in the privacy of the voting booth.

 

[RDU Irish]

or school lunches

Sounds like an important national issue. Way too important to trust local school boards with that one.

 

[phgreek]

Sounds like a real man of the people.

Maybe he is...maybe he isn't...but he seems pretty competent.

I laughed when he was being broiled for studying up on foreign policy...how much foreign policy knowledge did Mr. Obama have as a 1 term Senator? He was hilarious when he nailed Romney on Russia in the debates...Wait. Seems like Mr. Obama could have benefited from some classes in executive management...because "I didn't know", and the string of WTF moments he's had, and Woodward's characterization of his "style" tends to tell ya all you need to know about how thats going. Maybe its ok to know you are weak and seek to fix it...ya know.

We'll see how Walker does in debates, but as it stands I'd vote for him simply because he has successful executive experience, and seemingly the right attitude about addressing his weaknesses.

Governors are almost always a better choice in my opinion.

 

[GoldenDome]

This will be interesting to see how it plays in the eyes of public opinion given that about 2/3rds of voting age Americans do not have a degree either. He has outstanding experience and could be viewed as "one of us" to cement a position as DC outsider. Could be a rallying cry, or death sentence. I'm not an edu-bigot like some of you, rather judging him by the content of his character.


70% of Americans don't have college degree, Rick Santorum says | PolitiFact

"According to census data, 209.3 million people in the United States are 25 years old or older, and 66.9 million have a bachelor’s degree or higher (such as a master’s, professional or doctoral degree). That means about 68 percent of them do not have a bachelor’s degree. If we include people who have an academic associate degree -- about 11.7 million people -- the percentage of people without a degree declines slightly, to 62 percent.

The U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics looked at the same question in a 2014 longitudinal study that followed young people to age 27. It found that by that age, 72 percent of respondents did not have bachelor's degrees."

So you are willing to devalue a college degree on a Notre Dame fan base site?

 

[pkt77242]

Seeing how he has won 11 elections in a row in a democrat leaning state, including a heavily democrat county seat... you could say bully tactics don't always work in the privacy of the voting booth.

Eh, not really. Look at the current make-up of their legislature. The Senate is 19 R and 14 D, while the assembly is really lopsided with 63 R and 36 D. Even before the 2014 election the R's held the assembly (60-39 I believe) as well as holding the majority in the Senate. While they might lean Democratic in national elections, in the past 8is years they have leaned Republican for the Legislature there.

 

[pkt77242]

I think something that will hurt Walker is the fact that his office was part of the effort to re-write the open records law, that got pulled from the budget bill. I am sure that other candidates (both R and D) will use it against him.

 

[pkt77242]

Sounds like an important national issue. Way too important to trust local school boards with that one.

To be fair, Mrs. Bush was advocating for No Child Left Behind while she was the first lady.

 

[ACamp1900]

or school lunches

Sounds like an important national issue. Way too important to trust local school boards with that one.

To be fair, Mrs. Bush was advocating for No Child Left Behind while she was the first lady.

The free lunch thing pissed me off something fierce when I was teaching… there was no real auditing done by anyone so my experience was way too many well off families with parents who just wanted the hookup or parents who were already on welfare who were too lazy to slap some bread and sandwich meat together... and it felt like one big dirty funnel of taxpayer money to the companies and unions who won the contracts for the vacuum sealed slop they call ‘healthy options’… I’m not sure getting rid of it entirely is a real option, but if there was ever a fraud ridden program that should be pulled way the hell back or overhauled rather than expanded further, that is it. Just my two cents.

 

[pkt77242]

Benefits bankrupting the state, just like they were bankrupting Milwaukee County. Lots of teachers voted FOR him (very privately b/c they didn't want the to face the wrath of the union) because they knew damn well the benefits were obscene.

I would love to see your sources for the claims that teachers and profs are leaving en masse. Sounds anecdotal to me. I suspect most of them are long tenured types that are looking too double dip on pensions. A lot is probably normal attrition data. Wisconsin is a brain drain state, if you have options get the hell out of the freezing cold, get more affordable housing and pay dramatically less in taxes.

How do you know that lots of teachers voted for him if they did it privately? Got any data on that? That sounds anecdotal to me.

As to teachers leaving:
Wisconsin Teacher Retirements Double After Cuts To Benefits And Collective Bargaining

As to professors here is an article on the UW system and pay. This was before they decided to basically end tenure which will drive teachers to leave.
Despite targeted raises, UW faculty pay continues to lag | Post-Crescent Media | postcrescent.com

 

[pkt77242]

The free lunch thing pissed me off something fierce when I was teaching… there was no real auditing done by anyone so my experience was way too many well off families with parents who just wanted the hookup or parents who were already on welfare who were too lazy to slap some bread and sandwich meat together... and it felt like one big dirty funnel of taxpayer money to the companies and unions who won the contracts for the vacuum sealed slop they call ‘healthy options’… I’m not sure getting rid of it entirely is a real option, but if there was ever a fraud ridden program that should be pulled way the hell back or overhauled rather than expanded further, that is it. Just my two cents.

I agree that there is probably fraud but more children live in poverty then most people think (about 1 in 4) and the program gives free meals up to 130% of the poverty line, so it wouldn't be shocking if about 1 in 3 children in the US were eligible for free meals. If the family is already on SNAP, the children automatically get free lunches.

 

[brick4956]

#feelthebern