Non-insane politicians

I've started making a list of reasonable politicians that I hear of. Here's two

Evan McMullin - interesting conservative - http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/gabfest/2017/05/comey_conservatism_under_trump_and_utah_on_the_political_gabfest.html

Jason Kander - interesting democrat - http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/gabfest/2018/05/voting_rights_with_jason_kander_gov_eric_greitens_scandal_and_the_mueller.html

Add to the list if you hear a politician speak and think they may have something on the ball. Point to a podcast etc. if you have it.

Pete Zicato;1008584 wrote:

reasonable politicians

Ain't that one of them there oxymorons? :haha:

Gavin Newsom is running for governor in CA, and barring some huge scandal that takes him out completely, my money is on him being a presidential candidate in the next 20 years.

He's a democrat who is fairly hawkish on foreign policy and supports charter schools, plus is a proponent of "Third Way" centrism. First impressed me when, as mayor of San Francisco in 2004, he decided to just start issuing same-sex marriage licenses because it was the right thing to do, and told the rest of the state to come fight him on it if they wanted to. Sure, he was in San Francisco, but to me it was a powerful act of civil disobedience, and kickstarted us toward nationwide legality.

A sample podcast with Adam Carolla (ignore the clickbaity video title--it's an interesting discussion and Adam doesn't throw softballs, but no one is "destroyed"...)

[YOUTUBE]ZbAsD0lEpuA[/YOUTUBE]

Does he call himself "Third Way"? That may turn out to be a branding issue. The Clintons turned that into a money talks, corporations before people agenda that won't play in an age of populism. If a moderate got through one of the major party primaries he could win but either primary would be difficult unless he adopted something like national healthcare.

On the Republican side Ben Sasse strikes me as not insane, but his preferred policies are pretty archaic.

Yeah, I go back and forth on Ben Sasse. He talks a good game, but then I hate everything he votes for. Newsom might end up just the same.

Griff;1008607 wrote:

...strikes me as not insane...

That's when you know they're truly crazy.;)

xoxoxoBruce;1008589 wrote:

Ain't that one of them there oxymorons? :haha:

Literally? Yes.

But let's remember that most things are a shade of gray. There's a whole range of politicians out there and I'd like to see our next president be someone with a firmer grasp on reality, reason, and truth.

If only the most popular politician in America was completely scandal-free, had unimpeachable integrity, a 40-year track record of unchanging, reason-based positions on a wide array of issues that a majority of Americans, from all across the political spectrum, overwhelmingly agree with, and wielded histrionically enthusiastic support from the largest voting bloc in the country, all without being beholden to the two-party system that we all agree is broken. If someone like that existed, I'm sure we could devise some bizarre rationale to consider them unelectable.

No, we assassinate those.:neutral:

Even if we don't shoot them the character assassination takes them down...

Not a politician but I'm wondering if or how the attempted take-down of Mueller will go. USMC, bronze star, career public servant...

Flint;1008635 wrote:

If only the most popular politician in America was completely scandal-free, had unimpeachable integrity, a 40-year track record of unchanging, reason-based positions on a wide array of issues that a majority of Americans, from all across the political spectrum, overwhelmingly agree with, and wielded histrionically enthusiastic support from the largest voting bloc in the country, all without being beholden to the two-party system that we all agree is broken. If someone like that existed, I'm sure we could devise some bizarre rationale to consider them unelectable.

Bernie has bad hair.

His problem for his whole career has been that he burns bridges. Maybe that's fine now, as there are no more compromises allowed in Congress, and this is his time.

Hell, I thought his problem was that he was a commie.

In today's America, however, I guess that's a plus.

Henry, your problem is you don't know the difference between a socialist and a commie. The difference is huge.

The only difference between the socialist and the communist is degree.

The agendas of both are largely identical.

And both end up with folks like me gettin' a stick upside the head.

Here...

https://www.diffen.com/difference/Communism_vs_Socialism

...a handy comparison of the diseases.

That's a good link, if you read for comprehension it clearly shows the difference. They are far from the same.

Yeah, you keep lookin' at the trees, sayin' that one is spruce, that one is oak, not the same at all.

Me: all I see is the same smothering forest.

So in this analogy you know nothing about trees? But you don't like them?

Missin' the point completely...on purpose, no doubt.

Spruce, oak: both trees with more in common than not.

Socialism, communism: both diseases with more in common than not.

I didn't miss Bruce's point, which you made for him quite well.

I don't like things I don't understand and everything I don't like is bad!

Bruce didn't make a point, he made an error, which I corrected.

#

"I don't like things I don't understand and everything I don't like is bad!"

I feel your pain.

You demonstrated your error that he pointed out.

:neutral:

I demonstrated that he pointed out the error which WAS agreed to, and since he agreed to THAT, he demonstrated that I missed the point about demonstrating missing the point.

You're a lawyer (or politician).

henry quirk;1008863 wrote:

wrong (again), tw...wrong (again)

How curious this extremists. He must post insults even in discussions I am not participating in. Well at least he did so without profanity. Maybe his prefrontal cortex is finally growing.

Did you know henry quirk is my straight man?

:)

henry quirk;1008980 wrote:

and you, tw, are my sweet bitch

Blow in my ear and I'll follow you anywhere.

Just remembered this guy.

Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse. He came across well on Wait Wait.

He sounds like he won't last in DC. Too good natured, to in touch with people, they'll frustrate-infuriate him with stupidity and grind him down. The only way he could survive is if the voters send a dozen senators like him so they could circle their wagons.

Can you tell I'm old, disillusioned, and bitter. :crone:

When I was young I always said I would never get as cynical as my parents.

Guess what?

I know this thread is about politicians who are not batshit insane.

This ain't that.

This piece of shit is a card-carrying lunatic.

And he's running for Congress.

Anybody familiar with Rep. John Delaney? https://www.reddit.com/r/usanews/comments/8ord1t/the_american_people_have_correctly_diagnosed_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=toast_only_ios_app&st=JI1WWJIU&sh=21a5de42

He sounds interesting, maybe glatt knows something about him.