2016 Election

[BigV]

In other happy news, I just heard that Scott Walker, he of the selective intolerance of collective bargaining (cops and firefighters, ok; teachers, no way), has just announced that he'll suspend his campaign.

Oh happy day!

“I encourage other Republican presidential candidates to consider doing the same, so that the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive conservative alternative to the current front-runner,” Mr. Walker said in the short appearance, at which he took no questions. “This is fundamentally important to the future of the party and, more importantly, to the future of our country.”

Way to take one for the team. And it shows a certain mortal fear of the power of Trump's blithering demagoguery. And they're right to be afraid, we should all be afraid, at least when we're not rotfloao.

[fargon]

YAY!!!

[Happy Monkey]

It's a competitive title, but I think he was the worst of the lot.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

It's a competitive title, but I think he was the worst of the lot.

When the GOP campaign began, he worried me more than any of the others.

FWIW, I had a lot of fun debating my wife today on what it would be like if
Fionena became the GOP candidate and Clinton was the Democratic candidate.

Then no matter which won, the winner would say they proved 1 woman can beat 16 men*.





*... when all the men are Republicans...

[BigV]

traceur--

I see from reading and rereading your remarks that we're saying the same thing. Voting for someone should involve examining their character, etc, including their ideas on religion. What Ben Carson's saying is that being a Muslim is a disqualifying condition for President of the United States. *I'm* saying that's a completely bullshit point of view. And that someone who's vying for public office that holds such unambiguously rigid prejudices is himself unfit for public office.

He's saying "no" *because* someone's a Muslim.

He's not saying any more about "the importance of looking for the context religious takes within the person's life and the role it takes in informing their ethics and ideology." He's just saying "no", being Muslim is enough for him to make his decision. That's prejudiced and ignorant and bigoted, not characteristics I believe are conducive to good public leadership. He compounds this error by citing its "unconstitutionality", adding a good dose of dumb to his remarks.

[Undertoad]

do you have some complete quotes for this so we can judge the level at which we should be aghast and all harumphing at

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

do you have some complete quotes for this so we can judge the level at which we should be aghast and all harumphing at

Sure. I quoted him in post number 137, and included a link in that post to my source. He said this during an appearance on meet the press. He's subsequently reaffirmed his position.

[Undertoad]

Oh, is that all? I, too, would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I was expecting some sort of actual Constitutional challenge or something. Something to really be aghast about.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Oh, is that all? I, too, would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.
I was expecting some sort of actual Constitutional challenge or something.
Something to really be aghast about.

Transcript of Carson's words on Meet The Press 9/20/2015

...
CHUCK TODD:...Let me ask you the question this way:
Should a President's faith matter? Should your faith matter to voters?

DR. BEN CARSON:Well, I guess it depends on what that faith is.
If it's inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter.
But if it fits within the realm of America and consistent with the constitution, no problem.

CHUCK TODD: So do you believe that Islam is consistent with the constitution?

DR. BEN CARSON: No, I don't, I do not.

CHUCK TODD: So you--

DR. BEN CARSON: I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that. ...

Then the 6th Amendment...

...The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures,
and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States,
shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution
but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States....

UT: What does it take for something to be a "religious test" or an actual declaration to be taken "aghast about" ?


.

[BigV]

Huh.

So, I can't ask Ben Carson, but I can ask you: that's all it takes for you to reject a candidate? Don't need to know anything else about them, once it's clear they're Muslim, the answer for you is "no".

[Undertoad]

Right now? 2016? Yeah, no.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yabut, there's already a Muslim in the White House, dintcha know?
It's on all the honest patriotic websites.

[sexobon]

There is a citizenship test for office of the President. One has to be born in this country.

There is no religious test for office of the President. One does not have to be a certain religion.

Those are qualifications.

Disqualifications: Anything that undermines the oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Religion can be a disqualifier if it promotes theocracy; but, doesn't necessarily have to be depending on an individual's ability to maintain a separation of church and state in their mind despite group pressure.

[Undertoad]

Islam, as it is practiced by a huge majority of its adherents although not all, is not compatible with the US Constitution.

This is not to say that one couldn't locate moderate practitioners who would agree to the standards of the Constitution. Of course one could. And those practitioners would be considered apostate in a huge majority of the Islamic world.

I don't really want a Southern Baptist to be President either. I don't consider their beliefs all that Constitutional. You could find me a "moderate one" but I would only ask why they are hanging out with and defending their friends if they want to be President of a country with LGBT equality and gender equality and freedom of religion.

And so would you, my progressive brethren. Not demanding the same of Muslims is just your attempt to say how well-evolved you are.

[henry quirk]

Don't hire X if X can't do the job.

Fire X if X refuses to do the job.

Offer no accommodations that relieve X of work at the expense of other employees.

#

Don't apply for work you can't do.

Quit if the work becomes unacceptable.

Don't expect accommodations that relieve you of doing your job.