everyone

[Socks]

r u serious? huntsman the MORMON governor of utah, alllll in bed all over the place with reagan and bush administrations?? ?imo paul is by far the most sane and reasonable of the republican candidates, he is actually capable of saying somewhat smart and relevant things where all the others just spew nonsense. have you watched any of their debates recently?

I am dead serious. His faith and practice is his own. I am not one to judge, when it does not affect his character and judgment. He not only has the appeal, but the wisdom and experience to be a good President. Far more than Ron Paul, whom I would never vote for because in the first place I care about image and so does the rest of the world. I do not want a foaming munchkin representing the United States of America abroad. Also, I am not much in favor of his radical ideology and extreme 'solutions'. I have seen most of the debates. Huntsman and Romney have by far performed the best.

[Hiro]

there are a few select things I agree with ron paul on but for the most part he says some pretty batshit stupid things. Huntsman is just kind of shitty, but he's probably not the worst of the republican candidates.
Still, I fucking want Kucinich.

[Socks]

Still, I fucking want Kucinich.

See previous argument about toads.

[snoorkel]

I am dead serious. His faith and practice is his own. I am not one to judge, when it does not affect his character and judgment. He not only has the appeal, but the wisdom and experience to be a good President. Far more than Ron Paul, whom I would never vote for because in the first place I care about image and so does the rest of the world. I do not want a foaming munchkin representing the United States of America abroad. Also, I am not much in favor of his radical ideology and extreme 'solutions'. I have seen most of the debates. Huntsman and Romney have by far performed the best.

So you're saying you care more about a candidate's image than his personal beliefs?

there are a few select things I agree with ron paul on but for the most part he says some pretty batshit stupid things. Huntsman is just kind of shitty, but he's probably not the worst of the republican candidates.
Still, I fucking want Kucinich.

I'd be hard-pressed to find sufficient reasons to like Ronpaul more than Obama, he just seems normal and reasonable to me which is something most R candidates definitely are not.

Kucinich (who I like also) and Paul have actually expressed interest in running together, but that is obviously not likely to ever happen.

See previous argument about toads.

That is definitely true about Kucinich, he'll never be elected for exactly that reason. But Paul, an elderly and visibly wisened politico? I don't see how he could possibly offend the rest of the world more than some pasty Mormon asshole.

[Thyme]

Might actually get nominated. They would have to be pretty fucking desperate to finally resort to... him.

Who's him? For an outsider like me, you could be referring to anyone in the republican race.

[Socks]

So you're saying you care more about a candidate's image than his personal beliefs?

Of course not. But there is usually in a good candidate a divergence of different talents and features, both physical and ideological. I like well rounded individuals, more importantly, I like predictable people. In terms of their attitude and opinion. While this is a plus for Ron Paul because I actually believe he means what he says, it is also in his case a huge negative because I am afraid he would do exactly what he says. We can't have a guy go in there and just start flipping switches off because he has a single minded belief.

But Paul, an elderly and visibly wisened politico?

That's what you see. I see an old man and career politician not quite there who should start thinking of retirement and slowing down his roll.

I don't see how he could possibly offend the rest of the world more than some pasty Mormon asshole.

My God he is so normal and down to Earth. A genuinely decent guy, and very smart too. I hardly doubt the rest of the world is going to care or even know about Mormonism over economic and forging policy. Besides, I don't know if you have noticed, but a good deal of the world believes in polygamy.

[Hiro]

I'd be hard-pressed to find sufficient reasons to like Ronpaul more than Obama, he just seems normal and reasonable to me which is something most R candidates definitely are not.

Ron Paul, normal and reasonable? 
He has a very specific and abnormal set of ideas and beliefs. Some good, some bad.
Still, it would at least be interesting to see him in a higher position in government, but I'd feel a tad uncomfortable with him as president.

While this is a plus for Ron Paul because I actually believe he means what he says, it is also in his case a huge negative because I am afraid he would do exactly what he says. We can't have a guy go in there and just start flipping switches off because he has a single minded belief.

That's pretty much how I feel. While some of his ideas might pay off splendidly, there are some things that for all he knows could fuck things up on a serious level. At the same time, it's not like the president just gets to start doing whatever he wants and make anything law at-will. We'd just need a really strong congress to keep him in check.

That's what you see. I see an old man and career politician not quite there who should start thinking of retirement and slowing down his roll.

I don't really get that from him, but I get what snorkel's saying even less. Being a career politician isn't inherently a bad thing, and at least with Ron Paul you get the idea that he genuinely wants to do things to help the country, even if a lot of his ideas are misguided.

My God he is so normal and down to Earth. A genuinely decent guy, and very smart too. I hardly doubt the rest of the world is going to care or even know about Mormonism over economic and forging policy. Besides, I don't know if you have noticed, but a good deal of the world believes in polygamy.

Not that I would know this for sure but it's my understanding that most of the world thinks of Mormonism as pretty wacky.

[Socks]

If anything this political debate is making Hiro seem normal and reasonable. Imagine that! Also, I just realized that I said 'forging policy', which while interesting, is still not as bad as Rick Perry's amnesia.

[snoorkel]

Who's him? For an outsider like me, you could be referring to anyone in the republican race.

Ron Paul, sorry. In 2008 he had a decent run and actually gained significant traction, but his party started cutting power to his rallies and blacking him out of the media and other dastardly Republican things. He is a moderate outlier, so the 'traditional' Republicans are not keen on electing him because of what it would do to the image of the party...

Of course not. But there is usually in a good candidate a divergence of different talents and features, both physical and ideological. I like well rounded individuals, more importantly, I like predictable people. In terms of their attitude and opinion. While this is a plus for Ron Paul because I actually believe he means what he says, it is also in his case a huge negative because I am afraid he would do exactly what he says. We can't have a guy go in there and just start flipping switches off because he has a single minded belief.

That's what you see. I see an old man and career politician not quite there who should start thinking of retirement and slowing down his roll.

My God he is so normal and down to Earth. A genuinely decent guy, and very smart too. I hardly doubt the rest of the world is going to care or even know about Mormonism over economic and forging policy. Besides, I don't know if you have noticed, but a good deal of the world believes in polygamy.

Alright, well call me intolerant, but Huntsman is A FUCKING MORMON  

Mormonism is in the same ranks as Scientology to me, it should be systematically eradicated from the face of the Earth and forgotten to history except as a curiosity of bigoted white people culture.

I don't know if you've noticed, but Mormons are trying to take over the world. Would I want a Muslim to be president? Yes, I'd be perfectly fine with that. Hopefully we'll continue to have a mostly atheistic president like Obama. But a MORMON POLITICIAN? REALLY? HE'S TRICKING YOU THAT EASILY? Have you read the Book of Mormon?! Polygamy is the tip of the iceberg...

I just meant that he seems like a normal and level-headed person, not that his ideas about particular things are 'normal' (though personally I like a lot of them). You watch the Republican debates, the rest of them are yelling over each other trying to get a line in, and he just smiles, then says something to subtly mock the fracas when called upon. He seems legitimately interested in doing something to help our fucked up country, not just in it for his individual party/religious/race interests...

[Hiro]

Alright, well call me intolerant, but Huntsman is A FUCKING MORMON  

Mormonism is in the same ranks as Scientology to me, it should be systematically eradicated from the face of the Earth and forgotten to history except as a curiosity of bigoted white people culture.

I don't know if you've noticed, but Mormons are trying to take over the world. Would I want a Muslim to be president? Yes, I'd be perfectly fine with that. Hopefully we'll continue to have a mostly atheistic president like Obama. But a MORMON POLITICIAN? REALLY? HE'S TRICKING YOU THAT EASILY? Have you read the Book of Mormon?! Polygamy is the tip of the iceberg...

I know quite a few mormon people and many of them are actually really good people.I agree that as a religion it's quite awful, but I wouldn't quite put it on the level of Scientology.
And I find it funny that you claim mormonism is trying to take over the world and then say you'd be fine with a muslim president, seeing as Islam is rapidly approaching the position as the most prevalent religion in the world. I'd be fine with either as long as they don't get their religion much involved in their politics and obviously they'd still have to be of a political ideology compatible with mine.

I just meant that he seems like a normal and level-headed person, not that his ideas about particular things are 'normal' (though personally I like a lot of them). You watch the Republican debates, the rest of them are yelling over each other trying to get a line in, and he just smiles, then says something subtly mocking the fracas when called upon. He seems legitimately interested in doing something to help our fucked up country, not just in it for his individual party/religious/race interests...

I can get behind that. He does keep himself quite collected in these debates, especially among the blithering children that are his peers.

If anything this political debate is making Hiro seem normal and reasonable. Imagine that!

Well thanks Socks, glad you can see I'm not really a total idiot.

[Socks]

I don't think you can black list someone indiscriminately because they are Mormon. It is very intolerant. And as a general observation people hopped up on Scientology are infinitely more frightening. I don't buy the whole taking over the world bit, as far as Huntsman is concerned. But then again, I am of the opinion that snide remarks and a lack of care for amusement does not reflect anything magical or saint--like. After all, several notorious figures of world history seemed distinct in their debates too.

[snoorkel]

I know quite a few mormon people and many of them are actually really good people.I agree that as a religion it's quite awful, but I wouldn't quite put it on the level of Scientology.
And I find it funny that you claim mormonism is trying to take over the world and then say you'd be fine with a muslim president, seeing as Islam is rapidly approaching the position as the most prevalent religion in the world. I'd be fine with either as long as they don't get their religion much involved in their politics and obviously they'd still have to be of a political ideology compatible with mine.

Of course there are nice Mormons, just like there are nice Christians and Jews and Wiccans. But do I want a president who claims membership in an extremist religious sect representing one of the most powerful countries in the world? No.

I don't think you can black list someone indiscriminately because they are Mormon. It is very intolerant. And as a general observation people hopped up on Scientology are infinitely more frightening. I don't buy the whole taking over the world bit, as far as Huntsman is concerned. But then again, I am of the opinion that snide remarks and a lack of care for amusement does not reflect anything magical or saint--like. After all, several notorious figures of world history seemed distinct in their debates too.

If it makes you feel any better, I blacklist anyone with ties to organized religion, because they're all trying to take over the world.

[Socks]

If it makes you feel any better, I blacklist anyone with ties to organized religion, because they're all trying to take over the world.

It is shocking that in present day America scores and scores of Senators, Reps and top politicians cannot come out and openly state their lack of faith. And yet others are openly elected on a religious platform.
Oh roll, roll in your graves you founding fathers.