Man, he has 7 children.

6/11/2014 2:05:21 PM

Apparently all the Huntsman backers are in this thread.

They sure weren't in any primary state in 2012.

6/14/2014 1:17:16 PM

Eh, he'd dropped out of the race by the FL primary. My #2, Gary Johnson, had too.

I gritted my teeth and voted Ron Paul in the primary, then wrote in "no confidence" in the general, as usual.


...but yeah, the machine never supported him, and the media never covered him, so only those who actually pay attention voted for him, and that's a tiny slice.

6/14/2014 3:34:07 PM

His family is loaded. He can make his own media. He never did.

6/16/2014 8:16:50 AM

So this may not be the appropriate thread and I can start anew if necessary, but this thread made me ponder how many TSB'ers are actually registered to vote in NC (or their respective state wherein they choose to post from), and also how many TWW'ers in general have ever run for, or been elected to, office? I, myself, am a registered voter in NC.

I remember that one guy in GA who ran, lost, and was ridiculed, but have there been others? As much pontificating goes on in TSB, there have to be some potential candidates here.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:39 PM. Reason : ...]

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:41 PM. Reason : I am still "undecided" on 2016 just to stay on topic.]

6/16/2014 4:39:10 PM

TGD is involved in the state GOP, but he is one of the good guys. I know that The Duke has/may still have political aspirations. I enjoy the intrigue of politics, but I am terrible with names.

6/16/2014 6:14:26 PM

I'm registered to vote in FL.

I have some interest in running for office, but right now, I need to work and earn a nice salary. State Congress doesn't pay shit, but it's enough of a commitment that it would be tough to have a "real job" along with it.

I am trying to work a deal with my U.S. Representative to meet him for lunch or dinner sometime when he's in town here (he lives about 10 minutes from me) to discuss setting myself up for running for office at some point down the road. I met him at a cookout the other day, and he said he would be glad to. It's just a matter of working out the scheduling (assuming he wasn't just bullshitting me, only to never actually respond when it comes down to doing it).

6/16/2014 7:47:44 PM

True, if you want to continue to advance in your career the old fashioned way, trying to hold office and keep working is difficult. And it obviously takes money to run for any office, especially state or federal campaigns, one reason many people rule out ever running in my opinion. Good luck trying to get a meeting with your Congressman if you're not already a major campaign donor. But maybe yours is one of the "good" ones.

Maybe a "Running For Office" thread is in order, almost a TSB campaign assistance thread for anyone considering running and who doesn't want to pay a campaign consultant tons of money?

6/17/2014 8:52:24 AM

I'd donate to duke's PAC.

6/17/2014 9:43:08 AM

By "TGD is one of the good guys," what do you mean?

I remember him being very baldly partisan and even if he doesn't hate gay people, I'd be surprised if he wasn't cheering on these voting and education changes or positioning himself to get some of that sweet fracking $.

I was in a couple classes at State with the former state chair of one of the Koch groups. He's all about "libertarian conservatism" now but, surprise surprise, he was a HUGE Iraq War backer and once said gay marriage would just lead to a lot of people lying about being gay to get "special treatment."

6/17/2014 2:36:08 PM

To that, I'd say the government shouldn't have much/anything to do with marriage of any kind. Problem solved.

There is room for a spectrum of libertarianism. Hell, not that I see any reason for it to supersede pragmatism (my main beef with true libertarians, incidentally), but just for the sake of argument, there's room for a spectrum that even basically maintains ideological purity, let alone a spectrum of what can reasonably and accurately described as "libertarianism" of some sort...

but it's gotten to the point where we're just taking obscene liberty with the term. Fuckin' everybody's a "libertarian" or "libertarian _____" these days.


_______________

and yeah, I don't really see how you could ever run for any significant office (even state or probably even major local level) without being independently wealthy, or else willing to take a financial beating for a few years (and then probably many years going forward due to your lack of career progression during your stint in politics) on less-than-good chances that you'll ever benefit from it financially.

A State Rep in FL makes a tick under $30k (you get some per diem and expenses, but you'd burn that by going to Tallahassee 3 days/week, so let's just say $30k). I could probably make another $40k/year working the other 2 days/week, but best case for me, I'd be making $70k/year.

If I knew that there were very good odds I'd get to serve a couple terms in Washington, I'd do it...but I feel like those odds aren't good enough for it to pencil out financially. In another 10 years, when I've amassed another decades worth of wealth, at least a Reserve military retirement, and a decades worth of experience, resume material, connections, and gravitas, and don't have to pay $10,000 a year to my daughter's mother anymore, the calculus may well be different. I'm not looking at doing this tomorrow or anything. It's something I keep in the back of my mind, and have since I was a teenager or at least college kid.

6/17/2014 7:30:36 PM

I know that in Virginia, where it's about 17k a year to do it, most everyone who does it either has their own business where they can set their own schedule or are a lawyer and, once again, can set their own schedule. I mean, no one's gonna let some middle manager off for 2 months to go dick around in Richmond passing/not passing a budget and whatever else someone poops out to try to shut down abortion clinics this year.

It's sort of on purpose. I've talked to my former State Senator about this, asking if he thought the pay for lawmakers kept more people from running for office, thinking that they can't live off of it or work it just as a second job (because you still have to handle constituent services, raise money, etc) and still maintain a career outside the general assembly. I mentioned half as a joke that it just meant only rich guys and lawyers would be able to serve and he actually told me (as a trial lawyer who won a 12 million dollar settlement on a fraudulent investment scheme case) he thought the assembly needed MORE lawyers and that he wouldn't change things because it encouraged only people with real stakes in the system (like lawyers) to run as self-interested parties.

I mean, damn. Fulfill some more stereotypes that show why people hate lawyers, why don't you?

6/17/2014 9:08:52 PM

^

6/18/2014 12:49:16 AM

Quote :

"I mean, damn. Fulfill some more stereotypes that show why people hate lawyers, why don't you?"

Don't you mean why people hate politicians? That's just typical thinking for those in power, it's only natural they attempt to hold onto their power by limiting access. Of course, this is coming from a lawyer so I'm just sticking up for my tribe.

6/18/2014 8:42:09 AM

Quote :

"but it's gotten to the point where we're just taking obscene liberty with the term. Fuckin' everybody's a 'libertarian' or 'libertarian _____' these days."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't mainstream American Libertarianism considered a hijacking of libertarian philosophy?

6/18/2014 10:59:46 AM

libertarian today means "I'm a republican who thinks the government should stay out of the bedroom and stop worrying about the stupid shit republicans keep peddling" or more frequently "I have a simple mind and was bamboozled by Koch Industries astroturfing into thinking that the tea party was in my interest" and occasionally "we shouldn't have a black president and the Republican party isn't doing enough to fight the muslim agenda so I'm prepping for the inevitable collapse of our country. don't tread on me!"

6/18/2014 11:06:50 AM

Would you mind posting which district you live in theDuke? Just for kicks it would be fun to look up some of the chucklefucks you'd be bumping shoulders with if you decided to run. It's my bias showing (and ignorance too) ,but I have a really low opinion of Florida politics.

6/18/2014 11:38:05 AM

Quote :

"libertarian today means "I'm a republican who thinks the government should stay out of the bedroom and stop worrying about the stupid shit republicans keep peddling" or more frequently "I have a simple mind and was bamboozled by Koch Industries astroturfing into thinking that the tea party was in my interest" and occasionally "we shouldn't have a black president and the Republican party isn't doing enough to fight the muslim agenda so I'm prepping for the inevitable collapse of our country. don't tread on me! is ashamed to admit it." "

6/18/2014 11:38:28 AM

A couple Brian Schweitzer profiles starting to show up, already having to apologize:

http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-gonzo-option-20140618

The choice quotes

Quote :

"Schweitzer is incredulous that Feinstein—considered by her critics to be too close to the intelligence community—was now criticizing the agency. "She was the woman who was standing under the streetlight with her dress pulled all the way up over her knees, and now she says, 'I'm a nun,' when it comes to this spying!" he says. Then, he adds, quickly, "I mean, maybe that's the wrong metaphor—but she was all in!""

Quote :

"Last week, I called him on the night Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated in his GOP primary. "Don't hold this against me, but I'm going to blurt it out. How do I say this ... men in the South, they are a little effeminate," he offered when I mentioned the stunning news. When I asked him what he meant, he added, "They just have effeminate mannerisms. If you were just a regular person, you turned on the TV, and you saw Eric Cantor talking, I would say—and I'm fine with gay people, that's all right—but my gaydar is 60-70 percent. But he's not, I think, so I don't know. Again, I couldn't care less. I'm accepting.")"

LMAO

6/20/2014 5:59:24 PM

Quote :

"Good luck trying to get a meeting with your Congressman if you're not already a major campaign donor. But maybe yours is one of the "good" ones."

Scheduled for Monday morning.

6/26/2014 2:26:33 PM

Well, my 15- minute meeting turned into a 45-minute meeting.

I didn't get any magic bullets or networking connections, but 45-minutes of face time with a Congressman and insight into the elections process and making inroads to the party, along with some light discussion of some policy issues and some issues within the GOP can't hurt, will hopefully help, and at any rate was interesting.

I found him to be normal, well-adjusted, personable, sensible, and approachable, and doubly-so considering his status as a 7-term GOP Congressman in a solidly GOP district.

7/1/2014 12:29:32 AM

Congrats on the meeting. There's an election coming up this year, have you now started making inroads where it matters - with the local GOP organization?

7/1/2014 6:06:46 AM

Between Democrats, I'd prefer Biden to Clinton.

No good Republican's really jumping out at me although we're a long way out.

7/3/2014 3:26:58 PM

I gotta ask, why would anyone prefer Biden over anyone else?

7/3/2014 4:21:03 PM

i'd prefer clinton to biden.

7/3/2014 4:35:18 PM

No, not Biden

7/3/2014 4:47:02 PM

Quote :

"I gotta ask, why would anyone prefer Biden over anyone else?"

his foreign policy expertise, for example his proposal years ago for Iraq is probably what we will end up with after wasting thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. depending on who the other candidate is, i might chose Biden (i would probably chose Biden over Clinton, for example)

7/3/2014 5:28:21 PM

Foreign policy expertise does not one policy idea make.

7/3/2014 6:00:22 PM

wat

7/3/2014 6:24:04 PM

http://www.independentsentinel.com/six-examples-of-biden-being-nearly-always-wrong-on-foreign-policy/

7/3/2014 7:51:06 PM

Biden is the liberal version of George W. Just no.

7/3/2014 7:53:10 PM

haha, that link is LOL

7/3/2014 7:53:35 PM

lol all you want. you have got to be trolling if you are touting the foreign policy abilities of Lol Biden.

7/3/2014 7:56:59 PM

do you not read the links you find on google before you post them?

7/3/2014 8:16:50 PM

...?

7/3/2014 8:39:46 PM

Quote :

"Pupils DiL8t: Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't mainstream American Libertarianism considered a hijacking of libertarian philosophy?"

Yes. Old big-L Libertarians cared about "negative liberty" (restraining the government and other people from interfering with your life). The modern Libertarian Party, since around 2000ish, has focused instead on "positive liberty" (fighting the societal effects of sexism/racism/classism/insert-ism-here on preventing people from doing what they want). They've turned into equal opportunity whores for government intervention, so long as it's in the areas they care about.

---

Quote :

"HockeyRoman: TGD is involved in the state GOP, but he is one of the good guys."

Appreciate the compliment, but haven't been involved with the GOP in awhile -- they kicked me out back in 2005 for being "too liberal" and I haven't lifted a finger to help them since. I've supported a handful of candidates individually but everyone in the party apparatus can die in a fire until they learn to stop being pricks.

---

Quote :

"Wyld Stallyn: I remember him being very baldly partisan and even if he doesn't hate gay people, I'd be surprised if he wasn't cheering on these voting and education changes or positioning himself to get some of that sweet fracking $."

Good memory, I am baldly partisan. Mostly because just about everything the government does it does poorly, and the modern Democrat Party is the party that wants to expand the size and scope of the government more than everyone else combined.

I do support the voting changes, my opinions vary on the education ones (ambivalent on K-12; oppose the ongoing cuts to the UNC system), and don't know enough about fracking to care about it one way or the other.

I was a small-l libertarian before it was trendy and haven't really changed since.

---

Quote :

"Wyld Stallyn: he thought the assembly needed MORE lawyers and that he wouldn't change things because it encouraged only people with real stakes in the system (like lawyers) to run as self-interested parties. I mean, damn. Fulfill some more stereotypes that show why people hate lawyers, why don't you?"

His dickishisness aside, there actually aren't that many lawyers in state legislatures anywhere in the country. Virginia is one of the exceptions (more lawyers than all but 3 states), but even there lawyers are outnumbered 2.5:1.

http://www.lawdevnull.com/2011/06/state-legislatures-where-are-all-the-lawyers/
http://chronicle.com/article/Degrees-in-the-Statehouse/127797/

---

theDuke866: Shoot me a message whenever you get bored re your plans to run, I've got some resources I've acquired over the years that could be useful


[Edited on July 11, 2014 at 10:11 PM. Reason : ---]

7/11/2014 10:05:04 PM

This is like looking forward to the next person who is going to dick you over

7/14/2014 2:12:44 AM

I would vote for Elizabeth Warren over Hillary Clinton infinite times out of infinite.

7/15/2014 12:21:00 AM

That dude has to be trolling. No way anybody would ever won't Joe Biden to be president

7/15/2014 9:41:05 AM

Of those 3 my preference is :

Warren > Biden > Clinton

7/15/2014 10:13:11 AM

If Hillary Clinton wins, it's actually the winning of Bill Clinton.
Now I'm actually starting to get comfortable to be ruled by THEY TWO.

7/15/2014 3:15:05 PM

oh i don't know a little someone named FRANK ROOSEVELT

7/15/2014 5:08:30 PM

Hillary Clinton with Sarah Palin as a running mate

7/18/2014 11:40:53 AM

Brian Schweitzer gets a playboy interview:

http://www.playboy.com/articles/playboy-interview-brian-schweitzer

10/20/2014 5:36:37 PM

Quote :

"Congrats on the meeting. There's an election coming up this year, have you now started making inroads where it matters - with the local GOP organization?"

unfortunately, no. Most of the local GOP candidates suck, and there mostly isn't much campaigning anyway except when a seat becomes open, because it's such a lopsided-GOP district that incumbent Republicans have it completely locked, winning races like 90%-10% without really even trying. Serious Republican candidates mostly don't run in the primaries; they wait for open seats. Most serious Democratic candidates don't run here, because they'd get fucking demolished.

If I ever do it, I'll need to position myself to make a run at an open seat, but I'm not sure that volunteering on campaigns is the way to do it. There isn't much campaigning, and I pretty much wouldn't be able to tolerate the few Republicans on the ballot, anyway.

10/20/2014 7:05:04 PM

Huntsman isn't running

10/20/2014 8:16:13 PM

Huntsman would be my #1. I also like Gary Johnson for whatever that's worth.

I still don't think the GOP is likely to run anyone that I can stomach voting for.

10/20/2014 8:47:35 PM

I'd probably vote for Chris Christie

10/21/2014 1:14:11 PM

Fuck that guy. I thought I liked him at first, and then I learned a little more about him. He isn't a Bible-thumping relic from a century ago, but he still sucks.

10/21/2014 10:32:38 PM

We will all be dead from Obamacare/Ebola.

10/31/2014 8:12:27 AM