Question for Americans:Voting?
- Thread starter nyer4ever
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I remember McCain and Romney saying the same thing when Obama beat them like a red head step child..
We Burners need to get over it and move on.
jantango
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Lawsuit filed to stop certification of California Primary Election (New tally has Bernie with 51.1%)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q50liF72HjA
Intelligence Squared US has started a petition at
https://www.change.org/p/hillary-clinton-and-donald-trump-fix-america-s-presidential-debates
to change the debates for the presidential election 2016
Americans deserve better than the current presidential debate format.
Today’s debates have been reduced to a string of “gotcha” questions for candidates, which result in personal attacks, uninformative sound bites, rehearsed remarks and scripted rebuttals. They tell voters almost nothing that can’t be gathered from campaign ads. There is no time for depth, no payoff for nuance, no serious discussion of policy.
That’s why it isn’t surprising that America is tuning out. The percentage of the voting-age population watching has dropped from 58% during the first Presidential debate in 1960 to 25% in 2012 -- with younger voters in particular choosing not to watch. Even so, more than 60 million Americans in 2012 watched the debates, giving them substantial influence.
With so much at stake, it’s imperative that the Presidential Candidates and the Commission on Presidential Debates fix our upcoming presidential debates.
For the 2016 general election, the candidates and the nonprofit that oversees the format, the Commission on Presidential Debates, ought to adopt Oxford-style debate, a proven format that would better demonstrate the candidates’ platforms, ideas, and interactions.
Here’s how it would work: Sharply framed resolutions — for instance, “give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship” or “the United States intervenes abroad too often” — are devised for one side to support and the other to oppose.
The Democrat and Republican each start with an opening statement that they deliver without interruption. Then the contenders address and rebut the best arguments their opponent has made. The moderator’s role is simple, but vital: to ensure that the candidates actually debate each other—that they respect the process, respond to points made, refute or concede as necessary, and honor time limits. The debate ends with two-minute closing arguments, a final opportunity to sway the audience.
In 2016, a debate like this would be a gamechanger.
Unable to rely solely on personal attacks and personality, an Oxford-style debate would force the candidates to respond to intense questions, marshal relevant facts, and expose weaknesses in their opponents’ arguments. Memorized talking points could not be disguised as answers. Anyone running for president should be able to answer tough questions with the confidence that comes from deep conviction and a lifetime spent developing his or her own political philosophy.
Best of all: we know it works.
Since 2006, Intelligence Squared U.S. has mounted some 120 debates, often to sold-out theaters in New York, Boston and Chicago. We have explored nearly every topic discussed on the presidential campaign trail, including income inequality, business regulation, immigration, guns, taxes and health care. We’ve tackled questions regarding Russia, China, the Middle East and America’s role in the world. On average, 46% of attendees change their minds during our debates.
By showing voters who the candidates are, how they think, and what they can teach us about difficult policy choices, a series of these debates will foster the informed electorate essential for a thriving democracy.
Sign our petition to send a message to the Presidential candidates and the Commission on Presidential Debates. America’s voters expect REAL debates this election season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q50liF72HjA
Intelligence Squared US has started a petition at
https://www.change.org/p/hillary-clinton-and-donald-trump-fix-america-s-presidential-debates
to change the debates for the presidential election 2016
Americans deserve better than the current presidential debate format.
Today’s debates have been reduced to a string of “gotcha” questions for candidates, which result in personal attacks, uninformative sound bites, rehearsed remarks and scripted rebuttals. They tell voters almost nothing that can’t be gathered from campaign ads. There is no time for depth, no payoff for nuance, no serious discussion of policy.
That’s why it isn’t surprising that America is tuning out. The percentage of the voting-age population watching has dropped from 58% during the first Presidential debate in 1960 to 25% in 2012 -- with younger voters in particular choosing not to watch. Even so, more than 60 million Americans in 2012 watched the debates, giving them substantial influence.
With so much at stake, it’s imperative that the Presidential Candidates and the Commission on Presidential Debates fix our upcoming presidential debates.
For the 2016 general election, the candidates and the nonprofit that oversees the format, the Commission on Presidential Debates, ought to adopt Oxford-style debate, a proven format that would better demonstrate the candidates’ platforms, ideas, and interactions.
Here’s how it would work: Sharply framed resolutions — for instance, “give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship” or “the United States intervenes abroad too often” — are devised for one side to support and the other to oppose.
The Democrat and Republican each start with an opening statement that they deliver without interruption. Then the contenders address and rebut the best arguments their opponent has made. The moderator’s role is simple, but vital: to ensure that the candidates actually debate each other—that they respect the process, respond to points made, refute or concede as necessary, and honor time limits. The debate ends with two-minute closing arguments, a final opportunity to sway the audience.
In 2016, a debate like this would be a gamechanger.
Unable to rely solely on personal attacks and personality, an Oxford-style debate would force the candidates to respond to intense questions, marshal relevant facts, and expose weaknesses in their opponents’ arguments. Memorized talking points could not be disguised as answers. Anyone running for president should be able to answer tough questions with the confidence that comes from deep conviction and a lifetime spent developing his or her own political philosophy.
Best of all: we know it works.
Since 2006, Intelligence Squared U.S. has mounted some 120 debates, often to sold-out theaters in New York, Boston and Chicago. We have explored nearly every topic discussed on the presidential campaign trail, including income inequality, business regulation, immigration, guns, taxes and health care. We’ve tackled questions regarding Russia, China, the Middle East and America’s role in the world. On average, 46% of attendees change their minds during our debates.
By showing voters who the candidates are, how they think, and what they can teach us about difficult policy choices, a series of these debates will foster the informed electorate essential for a thriving democracy.
Sign our petition to send a message to the Presidential candidates and the Commission on Presidential Debates. America’s voters expect REAL debates this election season.
jantango
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Another opportunity to help change the presidential debates to include Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein -
To the Commission on Presidential Debates:
We, the undersigned, demand that the Presidential debates include all Presidential candidates who have qualified for enough state ballots to be a choice for a majority of voters.
Polls show that 50% of Americans do not identify as either Democrat or Republican. This means that the Presidential debates as currently managed are locking out the diverse voices and views of half of all Americans.
The Commission on Presidential Debates may sound like an impartial, public body, but it is actually a private organization run by the Democratic and Republican parties. When these two establishment parties took over the debates in 1989, the League of Women Voters withdrew its sponsorship, rightly observing that the “unprecedented control” demanded by the Democrats and Republicans would make the debates “campaign-trail charades” that would “perpetrate fraud on the American voter”.
The need for “more voices and choices” can be met by including all candidates who are on the ballots for a majority of voters, a number that has typically ranged from 4 to 6 candidates in total.
Voters have a right to hear directly from their possible choices for the highest office in the land. These choices should reflect the diversity of American political opinion, and not be restricted to two candidates nominated by establishment parties awash in corporate donations and billionaire support.
Sign here: http://www.jill2016.com/openthedebatespetition?recruiter_id=1252703
Republican National convention starts Monday, July 18 in Cleveland
Democratic National convention starts Monday, July 25 in Philadelphia
Green Party convention is held August 4-7 in Houston
To the Commission on Presidential Debates:
We, the undersigned, demand that the Presidential debates include all Presidential candidates who have qualified for enough state ballots to be a choice for a majority of voters.
Polls show that 50% of Americans do not identify as either Democrat or Republican. This means that the Presidential debates as currently managed are locking out the diverse voices and views of half of all Americans.
The Commission on Presidential Debates may sound like an impartial, public body, but it is actually a private organization run by the Democratic and Republican parties. When these two establishment parties took over the debates in 1989, the League of Women Voters withdrew its sponsorship, rightly observing that the “unprecedented control” demanded by the Democrats and Republicans would make the debates “campaign-trail charades” that would “perpetrate fraud on the American voter”.
The need for “more voices and choices” can be met by including all candidates who are on the ballots for a majority of voters, a number that has typically ranged from 4 to 6 candidates in total.
Voters have a right to hear directly from their possible choices for the highest office in the land. These choices should reflect the diversity of American political opinion, and not be restricted to two candidates nominated by establishment parties awash in corporate donations and billionaire support.
Sign here: http://www.jill2016.com/openthedebatespetition?recruiter_id=1252703
Republican National convention starts Monday, July 18 in Cleveland
Democratic National convention starts Monday, July 25 in Philadelphia
Green Party convention is held August 4-7 in Houston
jantango
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Dear Janis,
Ok, now it’s official: Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for President. If you watched Trump's shamelessly unreal acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last night, you may be dazed and bewildered from being screamed at for more than an hour about the (wholly imaginary) Dystopian States of America. It's been a week of divisiveness, bigotry and crudity, projecting a vision of an uglier and crueler America. The only redeeming words spoken were when Melania Trump quoted our wonderful First Lady Michelle Obama – without attribution.
But we can’t sit around fretting about the fate of the nation - and the world - under a Trump presidency. As a party we are busy taking our campaign into communities across the country and around the world. In the coming weeks, we’ll have more to say about OUR nominee and HER vision for a better America – and the many other wonderful Democratic candidates running for office across the country.
But for now we invite you to purge the venom and take the ONE WEEK DUMP TRUMP CHALLENGE.
We challenge you to –
Register to vote and request an absentee ballot - or tell us you have already done so and “opt out” of Democrats Abroad’s first round of Phone Banking by filling in this Form.
Volunteer to help Democrats Abroad find Americans in your area, inform them about voting from abroad and motivate them to vote BLUE.
Make a donation to Democrats Abroad. Help us reach millions of Americans living overseas and get them to VOTE
Learn more about what Democrats Abroad is doing for Americans living abroad. As the voice in the Democratic Party for Americans living abroad, see how Democrats Abroad is working on behalf of all US citizens living overseas to fix the inequities in US law, regulations and the tax code.
Like the Democrats Abroad Facebook page, follow the Democrats Abroad Twitter handle and follow our Democratic National Convention delegation who will post and tweet under the hashtag #DAPhilly2016.
Look for Democrats Abroad events happening in your area. Meet Democrats in your area and enjoy the Democratic Party fellowship - guaranteed to help you overcome the sick feeling left by Trump's Republican National Convention.
Join the Hillary Clinton campaign. Work to elect Hillary Clinton and turn Congress BLUE!
Read more about Hillary’s positions on the issues that impact Americans Abroad.
We don’t expect everyone to do everything in the Dump Trump challenge – at least not in a week. But if you do, write us at [email protected] and we’ll put your name up on our website as a Super Duper Trump Dumper.
Look for our coverage of next week’s Democratic National Convention in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Aspirations – what promises to be a week of hope, inspiration, and a vision for a better America.
Katie Solon
International Chair
Democrats Abroad
Democrats Abroad
http://www.democratsabroad.org/
Ok, now it’s official: Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for President. If you watched Trump's shamelessly unreal acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last night, you may be dazed and bewildered from being screamed at for more than an hour about the (wholly imaginary) Dystopian States of America. It's been a week of divisiveness, bigotry and crudity, projecting a vision of an uglier and crueler America. The only redeeming words spoken were when Melania Trump quoted our wonderful First Lady Michelle Obama – without attribution.
But we can’t sit around fretting about the fate of the nation - and the world - under a Trump presidency. As a party we are busy taking our campaign into communities across the country and around the world. In the coming weeks, we’ll have more to say about OUR nominee and HER vision for a better America – and the many other wonderful Democratic candidates running for office across the country.
But for now we invite you to purge the venom and take the ONE WEEK DUMP TRUMP CHALLENGE.
We challenge you to –
Register to vote and request an absentee ballot - or tell us you have already done so and “opt out” of Democrats Abroad’s first round of Phone Banking by filling in this Form.
Volunteer to help Democrats Abroad find Americans in your area, inform them about voting from abroad and motivate them to vote BLUE.
Make a donation to Democrats Abroad. Help us reach millions of Americans living overseas and get them to VOTE
Learn more about what Democrats Abroad is doing for Americans living abroad. As the voice in the Democratic Party for Americans living abroad, see how Democrats Abroad is working on behalf of all US citizens living overseas to fix the inequities in US law, regulations and the tax code.
Like the Democrats Abroad Facebook page, follow the Democrats Abroad Twitter handle and follow our Democratic National Convention delegation who will post and tweet under the hashtag #DAPhilly2016.
Look for Democrats Abroad events happening in your area. Meet Democrats in your area and enjoy the Democratic Party fellowship - guaranteed to help you overcome the sick feeling left by Trump's Republican National Convention.
Join the Hillary Clinton campaign. Work to elect Hillary Clinton and turn Congress BLUE!
Read more about Hillary’s positions on the issues that impact Americans Abroad.
We don’t expect everyone to do everything in the Dump Trump challenge – at least not in a week. But if you do, write us at [email protected] and we’ll put your name up on our website as a Super Duper Trump Dumper.
Look for our coverage of next week’s Democratic National Convention in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Aspirations – what promises to be a week of hope, inspiration, and a vision for a better America.
Katie Solon
International Chair
Democrats Abroad
Democrats Abroad
http://www.democratsabroad.org/
jantango
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Dear Janis --
Did you see your Democrats Abroad delegation last night cast votes for nominee for President on the Democratic Convention floor in Philadelphia?! If not, then you missed this very special moment when we not only raised YOUR voice in the selection of the party’s nominee - but we also facilitated a deeply emotional moment when Larry Sanders, the only brother of Senator Bernie Sanders, invoked the memory of their parents and the pride they would have had in the Senator’s profound achievements in the 2016 electoral contest and on-going movement to perfect the union. What a remarkable way for Democrats Abroad to be a part of an electric event and history-making night.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/sanders-gets-a-vote-from-his-brother-732642883734
Our address to the convention included a reference to VoteFromAbroad.org – and the global television exposure brought so many users to the website that it crashed! Twice!! Our contractor has taken steps to ensure that doesn’t happen again and we look forward to seeing registrations/ballot requests hit record numbers this week.
You can follow our coverage of the Convention on Facebook and Twitter through #daphilly2016. We are posting news and updates continuously and on www.democratsabroad.org each night.
In addition to the stunning speeches being delivered at the Convention – Cory Booker, Michelle Obama and President Bill Clinton were headliners, but not the only ones giving moving, memorable and highly motivating addresses - we passed the 2016 Democratic Party Platform. It is a document in which the Clinton and Sanders campaigns came together to develop what is the most progressive platform in Democratic history - and it calls for FATCA reform!
After years of work on this issue by Democrats Abroad, the plank was introduced by our representative to the Platform Committee, Joe Smallhoover, at the July DNC Platform Committee meeting in Orlando, FL. You can see a clip of Joe’s brief presentation introducing the plank HERE.
For more about FATCA and the Democratic Party platform please see below.
You can support our advocacy work by requesting your ballot at www.votefromabroad.org – and by donating to Democrats Abroad if you can.
Best regards from the Convention,
Katie Solon
International Chair
PS. We are immensely pleased that the FATCA plank received support from and was endorsed by representatives of both the Clinton and Sanders campaigns.
In her 4th of July message Secretary Clinton reiterated her support for FATCA reform. With her backing as President, and the support of other Democrats, we believe that meaningful reform of FATCA will be achieved – and that is good news for all of us.
Let’s be clear. As noted in Joe’s introduction, our position and the position of the Democratic Party, is that we believe in the main objective of FATCA; it is right to go after tax cheats and money launderers. But it should not distress and overly burden the millions of hard-working Americans around the world who just want to use financial services that Americans in the U.S. are able to enjoy. That is why we support the Same Country Safe Harbor exception that would exempt from FATCA reporting financial accounts in the country in which you reside.
You may know the RNC’s Platform proposed a total repeal of FATCA – even though over the five years Republicans have controlled Congress, they didn’t act to repeal FATCA.
Democrats Abroad’s FATCA reform initiatives have opened the eyes of many in Congress and elsewhere to the unique issues that affect Americans overseas. I hope you agree and continue to support our advocacy work and our candidates in this crucial election year.
Democrats Abroad
http://www.democratsabroad.org/
Did you see your Democrats Abroad delegation last night cast votes for nominee for President on the Democratic Convention floor in Philadelphia?! If not, then you missed this very special moment when we not only raised YOUR voice in the selection of the party’s nominee - but we also facilitated a deeply emotional moment when Larry Sanders, the only brother of Senator Bernie Sanders, invoked the memory of their parents and the pride they would have had in the Senator’s profound achievements in the 2016 electoral contest and on-going movement to perfect the union. What a remarkable way for Democrats Abroad to be a part of an electric event and history-making night.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/sanders-gets-a-vote-from-his-brother-732642883734
Our address to the convention included a reference to VoteFromAbroad.org – and the global television exposure brought so many users to the website that it crashed! Twice!! Our contractor has taken steps to ensure that doesn’t happen again and we look forward to seeing registrations/ballot requests hit record numbers this week.
You can follow our coverage of the Convention on Facebook and Twitter through #daphilly2016. We are posting news and updates continuously and on www.democratsabroad.org each night.
In addition to the stunning speeches being delivered at the Convention – Cory Booker, Michelle Obama and President Bill Clinton were headliners, but not the only ones giving moving, memorable and highly motivating addresses - we passed the 2016 Democratic Party Platform. It is a document in which the Clinton and Sanders campaigns came together to develop what is the most progressive platform in Democratic history - and it calls for FATCA reform!
After years of work on this issue by Democrats Abroad, the plank was introduced by our representative to the Platform Committee, Joe Smallhoover, at the July DNC Platform Committee meeting in Orlando, FL. You can see a clip of Joe’s brief presentation introducing the plank HERE.
For more about FATCA and the Democratic Party platform please see below.
You can support our advocacy work by requesting your ballot at www.votefromabroad.org – and by donating to Democrats Abroad if you can.
Best regards from the Convention,
Katie Solon
International Chair
PS. We are immensely pleased that the FATCA plank received support from and was endorsed by representatives of both the Clinton and Sanders campaigns.
In her 4th of July message Secretary Clinton reiterated her support for FATCA reform. With her backing as President, and the support of other Democrats, we believe that meaningful reform of FATCA will be achieved – and that is good news for all of us.
Let’s be clear. As noted in Joe’s introduction, our position and the position of the Democratic Party, is that we believe in the main objective of FATCA; it is right to go after tax cheats and money launderers. But it should not distress and overly burden the millions of hard-working Americans around the world who just want to use financial services that Americans in the U.S. are able to enjoy. That is why we support the Same Country Safe Harbor exception that would exempt from FATCA reporting financial accounts in the country in which you reside.
You may know the RNC’s Platform proposed a total repeal of FATCA – even though over the five years Republicans have controlled Congress, they didn’t act to repeal FATCA.
Democrats Abroad’s FATCA reform initiatives have opened the eyes of many in Congress and elsewhere to the unique issues that affect Americans overseas. I hope you agree and continue to support our advocacy work and our candidates in this crucial election year.
Democrats Abroad
http://www.democratsabroad.org/
camberiu
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For those who think the majority of American voters see Hillary as the "lesser evil".
For First Time, Trump's Image on Par With Clinton's
For First Time, Trump's Image on Par With Clinton's
el_expatriado
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It is time for America to finally hit bottom and vote for Donald Trump.
The two candidates this year are the epitome of the worst of American politics. On one hand the perfect Democrat insider who had the entire party machine working for her from day 1. She'll say or do anything to get elected and has no core beliefs, just a desire for power. And on the Republican side they have the perfect candidate for the racist crazies who have taken over their party.
This is the first year abroad that I have no desire to vote at all. There is nothing right and so much wrong with both of these candidates that I won't waste a single minute of my time voting for either one. I do hope Trump wins though so the US can get a lesson in what happens when you vote for these crazy populist candidates. I think the country needs to hit bottom and see what happens after they start deporting people, pulling out of every trade agreement, and starting who knows how many new wars.
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