What's killing me about this election is that it is 100% about brand. Not parties, but rather the brand of the candidates themselves. This is pretty obvious when one of the surviving five candidates is known to his followers as "Bernie", and Donald Trump is considered a serious contender.
Not only that, but candidates are so driven by their brand that they have to insult the people on their own side of the aisle, rather than courting the middle. I have been told by Hillary Clinton that I am naive. I have been told by Hillary Clinton's followers that I am a misogynist, a racist, and basically just as rotten as a Rand Paul voter. And I'm a lefty.
Granted, Sander's partisans haven't exactly been a model of civility, either, which leaves everyone on the left in the painful position of not being able to point at Trump and Cruz and laugh, without being hypocrites.
But we'll do that anyway, because that's what brands are for. You can ignore these little inconsistencies, because fuck if you'll be reasonable in front of your friends, right?
I think Obama won on brand. He was cool and he was very good at being something to everyone.
Quote from: Pergamos on April 15, 2016, 01:55:11 AM
I think Obama won on brand. He was cool and he was very good at being something to everyone.
It's very unfortunate that he can't run again. But he can't, so it's up to us to chop holes in the bottom of the lifeboat.
It may be more obvious this time around, but wasn't this job always about brand?
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 15, 2016, 02:00:49 AM
Quote from: Pergamos on April 15, 2016, 01:55:11 AM
I think Obama won on brand. He was cool and he was very good at being something to everyone.
It's very unfortunate that he can't run again. But he can't, so it's up to us to chop holes in the bottom of the lifeboat.
I'd prefer Sanders to Obama, and I don't think Clinton is any worse than him. He's a moderate establishment democrat, she's not as charismatic but her positions are pretty much the same.
Quote from: LMNO on April 15, 2016, 04:12:22 AM
It may be more obvious this time around, but wasn't this job always about brand?
During our lifetimes, it was always about party brand. That isn't good enough for people anymore.
And you'd think - off all people - WE would have maybe figured out some way of defending ourselves against that sort of thing.
Naaaaw. :lulz:
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 15, 2016, 01:50:01 AM
Granted, Sander's partisans haven't exactly been a model of civility, either, which leaves everyone on the left in the painful position of not being able to point at Trump and Cruz and laugh, without being hypocrites.
At least Sanders' and Clinton's most worthwhile accomplishment isn't being a washed-up reality TV personality
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on May 30, 2016, 02:36:09 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 15, 2016, 01:50:01 AM
Granted, Sander's partisans haven't exactly been a model of civility, either, which leaves everyone on the left in the painful position of not being able to point at Trump and Cruz and laugh, without being hypocrites.
At least Sanders' and Clinton's most worthwhile accomplishment isn't being a washed-up reality TV personality
Shut the fuck up until you can understand the subtext, freak.