View Poll Results: are elections Popularity contests ?

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Thread: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

  1. #31
    Old School Misfit Array title="silver & black has a reputation beyond repute"> silver & black's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by FrancoLambert View Post
    How about his support of the Proud Boys. Remember how reluctant he was to distance himself from them...remember?
    How about some of his comments witnessed by Trump insiders, who quickly became Trump outsiders, when they didn’t support him unequivocally.
    Look, google Trump’s ties to white supremacy, you’ll find more...or, just listen to him.

    It won’t matter, your acceptance of his narcissism, braggadocio, and crude behavior says it all about the hold he has over his die-hard supporters.
    https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ite-supremaci/

  2. #32
    ® Array title="Steeldude "> Steeldude's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    I think most elections are a mix of a lot of different factors.

    Very young voters are idealistic and emotional.... they have a rainbows and unicorns outlook on life and how it should be. They will not vote Republican/Conservative.

    Older voters that have been in the world and have experience with how it works... or doesn't work, usually are a mix. They don't vote primarily on emotions. They vote both ways based on their personal experience, opinions, values and facts.

    2016 was the year of a big percentage of people fed up with the status quo and a general dislike of Hilary, across the board.

    2020 was the year of I hate Trump. This was definitely an emotional vote based soley on hate. No one that voted for Biden honestly believes he is capable of the job. Screw the country, the people, the economy..... screw everything, as long as Trump is out. As they say.... be careful what you wish for... you just may get it.

    So.... popular might be the wrong term.
    As we have seen, no Biden supporters voted for Biden based on his policies or anything that would benefit the US. Liberals were told to vote for Biden so they did so.
    Hater = Realist

  3. #33
    Senior Member Array title="steelreserve has a reputation beyond repute"> steelreserve's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steeldude View Post
    As we have seen, no Biden supporters voted for Biden based on his policies or anything that would benefit the US. Liberals were told to vote for Biden so they did so.
    That's where you're wrong, buddy. Most of them still didn't vote for Biden, which is why they had to make up all those pretend votes.
    See you Space Cowboy ...

  4. #34
    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    The leaps in logic here are staggering.

    If you want to equate social media likes to votes in a straight(ish) line you have to show that the two distinct variables are correlated in some manner. For instance, how does social media breakdown along "party lines"? Judging by the political posts on this board -- it appears the American Right is super into Facebook and Twitter. While the American Left is less so? Look at who on this board is linking to social media postings and who does not. How about along various demographic lines? For instance, Facebook is now the social media platform of choice for older and white folks. But young people and minorities have largely abandoned it in favor of instagram and who knows what else.

    Long story short, I can count (without even trying) a dozen people in my personal circles that voted for Biden that either have zero social media presence or are not following or liking anyone, much less politicians, on social media. I can likely push that number up into the several dozens if I surveyed people. Now, my personal circles is going to be predominantly left leaning and voting. While not exclusively, it is skewed enough that I can not speak to the right/Trump side of all this. But I can say that it certainly appears that there are a ton of votes on the Left/Biden side that go nowhere near Facebook, Twitter, Insta, etc.

  5. #35
    Old School Misfit Array title="silver & black has a reputation beyond repute"> silver & black's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    I have no social media accounts of any kind. I have zero use for any of it.

  6. #36
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    I have no social media accounts of any kind. I have zero use for any of it.
    There you go. Social media "likes" or "followers" does not directly correlate with voting in any consistent or predictable manner. Or at least that is the hypothesis that has to be disproved before we can start using Facebook to seat Senators or something.

  7. #37
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    Oh, the Proud Boys say they aren't white supremacists. Must be true.


  8. #38
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tom444 View Post
    Oh, the Proud Boys say they aren't white supremacists. Must be true.

    Oh, Liberals say Trump is a white supremacist. Must be true.

    See how easy this is?

  9. #39
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    Oh, Liberals say Trump is a white supremacist. Must be true
    Exactly. He is. See how easy that was?

  10. #40
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tom444 View Post
    Exactly. He is. See how easy that was?
    He isn't..... easy.

  11. #41
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    He isn't..... easy.
    Of course he is. Easy............

    An Oral History of Trump’s Bigotry

    His racism and intolerance have always been in evidence; only slowly did he begin to understand how to use them to his advantage.

    Story by David A. Graham, Adrienne Green, Cullen Murphy, and Parker Richards



    The first quotation from Donald Trump ever to appear in The New York Timescame on October 16, 1973. Trump was responding to charges filed by the Justice Department alleging racial bias at his family’s real-estate company. “They are absolutely ridiculous,” Trump said of the charges. “We have never discriminated, and we never would.”

    In the years since then, Trump has assembled a long record of comment on issues involving African Americans as well as Mexicans, Hispanics more broadly, Native Americans, Muslims, Jews, immigrants, women, and people with disabilities. His statements have been reflected in his behavior—from public acts (placing ads calling for the execution of five young black and Latino men accused of rape, who were later shown to be innocent) to private preferences (“When Donald and Ivana came to the casino, the bosses would order all the black people off the floor,” a former employee of Trump’s Castle, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, told a writer for The New Yorker).

    Trump emerged as a political force owing to his full-throated embrace of “birtherism,” the false charge that the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama, was not born in the United States. His presidential campaign was fueled by nativist sentiment directed at nonwhite immigrants, and he proposed barring Muslims from entering the country. In 2016, Trump described himself to The Washington Post as “the least racist person that you’ve ever encountered.”
    https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine...mments/588067/

  12. #42
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Ok.... you convinced me. Now what? It's a good thing Biden has never said controversial, racial things over the decades.

  13. #43
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    Ok.... you convinced me. Now what? It's a good thing Biden has never said controversial, racial things over the decades.
    We're not talking about saying controversial/racial things over the years. We've all done that. We're talking about being a racist.

  14. #44
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tom444 View Post
    We're not talking about saying controversial/racial things over the years. We've all done that. We're talking about being a racist.
    Well, then, you're wrong... as usual. Trump isn't any more racist than you or I. Believe what you like. I'll do the same. I doubt either one of us will lose any sleep over it. See how useless all this arguing is?

  15. #45
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    Well, then, you're wrong... as usual. Trump isn't any more racist than you or I. Believe what you like. I'll do the same. I doubt either one of us will lose any sleep over it. See how useless all this arguing is?
    You're lost.


  16. #46
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tom444 View Post
    You're lost.

    That's because you gave me a plastic compas.

  17. #47
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by silver & black View Post
    That's because you gave me a plastic compas.
    Shows what you know about compasses. Nothing.

    Haha, jesus.

  18. #48
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tom444 View Post
    Shows what you know about compasses. Nothing.

    Haha, jesus.
    So..... it was lost on you?

  19. #49
    Quest For Seven Array title="Mach1 has a reputation beyond repute"> Mach1's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tom444 View Post
    We're not talking about saying controversial/racial things over the years. We've all done that. We're talking about being a racist.
    You voted for a racist!


    Give a lib a fish--he eats for a day

    Teach a lib to fish--he is back the next day asking for more free fish.

    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

  20. #50
    Senior Member Array title="Fire Goodell has a reputation beyond repute"> Fire Goodell's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    It is a popularity contest. Celebrity status certainly helped Schwartzennegar, Ventura, and Trump. I'm certain any widely popular celebrity could run for president or governor of any state and have a good chance of winning, even with no experience or totally unqualified (and not a total nutcase like Kanye West)

  21. #51
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fire Goodell View Post
    It is a popularity contest. Celebrity status certainly helped Schwartzennegar, Ventura, and Trump. I'm certain any widely popular celebrity could run for president or governor of any state and have a good chance of winning, even with no experience or totally unqualified (and not a total nutcase like Kanye West)

    Schwarzenegger is also a BSer extraordinaire. I don't think I've ever seen anyone better.

  22. #52
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fire Goodell View Post
    It is a popularity contest. Celebrity status certainly helped Schwartzennegar, Ventura, and Trump. I'm certain any widely popular celebrity could run for president or governor of any state and have a good chance of winning, even with no experience or totally unqualified (and not a total nutcase like Kanye West)
    Given the amount of support for Biden, it's actually pretty likely that Kanye got more votes than him too.
    See you Space Cowboy ...

  23. #53
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by steelreserve View Post
    Given the amount of support for Biden, it's actually pretty likely that Kanye got more votes than him too.
    Are you basing that off the US population or people inside your own personal bubble? There's a big world outside of your own.

  24. #54
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fire Goodell View Post
    Are you basing that off the US population or people inside your own personal bubble? There's a big world outside of your own.
    US population.
    See you Space Cowboy ...

  25. #55
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by steelreserve View Post
    US population.
    well to say Biden got less votes than Kanye is highly inaccurate. Granted Biden doesn't have a passionate fanbase like Trump, but Trump managed to make himself so disliked by the general population that Biden was basically a protest vote for a lot of people. Of course these aren't people who are gonna create Biden caravans, but probably people who stayed in their homes and for the most part have been quiet.

  26. #56
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fire Goodell View Post
    well to say Biden got less votes than Kanye is highly inaccurate
    I don't know ... Biden's addresses after being "elected" are routinely racking up 1K, 2K, 4K total viewers.

    I mean, these are issues of grave importance, the very soul of the nation, that are being discussed, and the man discussing them is far and away the most popular candidate in history.

    That's totally believable, right? That there was this huge outpouring of grassroots support that got record numbers of people involved like never before, and this guy was more popular than Reagan - and then by a couple of weeks later, everyone had just sorta forgotten and wandered away, and nobody gives a shit what he has to say?

    Or maybe it was that hardly anyone supported him in the first place, and it was all manufactured - a Blue Mirage. Remember, always accuse your opponent of that which you are doing yourself.
    See you Space Cowboy ...

  27. #57
    Senior Member Array title="Fire Goodell has a reputation beyond repute"> Fire Goodell's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by steelreserve View Post
    I don't know ... Biden's addresses after being "elected" are routinely racking up 1K, 2K, 4K total viewers.

    I mean, these are issues of grave importance, the very soul of the nation, that are being discussed, and the man discussing them is far and away the most popular candidate in history.

    That's totally believable, right? That there was this huge outpouring of grassroots support that got record numbers of people involved like never before, and this guy was more popular than Reagan - and then by a couple of weeks later, everyone had just sorta forgotten and wandered away, and nobody gives a shit what he has to say?

    Or maybe it was that hardly anyone supported him in the first place, and it was all manufactured - a Blue Mirage. Remember, always accuse your opponent of that which you are doing yourself.
    Like I said, it's not so much that Biden is popular, it's that Trump is that hated. For people who just want Trump gone, Biden was the only logical choice. America doesn't vote for 3rd party candidates because we're all sheep.

    I historically voted for 3rd party candidates in most elections but I guess you can say I officially lost hope on that and it'll never happen barring a major revolution. The parties in power are content to keep the status quo and honestly I believe both parties are in bed together. Of course they keep themselves in power by creating a socialist / fascist bogeyman and getting the voters to believe that the other candidate will spell the end of America so they're too afraid to 'throw away' their vote on a 3rd party. Keep the people fighting eachother and it makes it that much easier for the ones in power to keep it

  28. #58
    Senior Member Array title="steelreserve has a reputation beyond repute"> steelreserve's Avatar

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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fire Goodell View Post
    Like I said, it's not so much that Biden is popular, it's that Trump is that hated. For people who just want Trump gone, Biden was the only logical choice. America doesn't vote for 3rd party candidates because we're all sheep.

    I historically voted for 3rd party candidates in most elections but I guess you can say I officially lost hope on that and it'll never happen barring a major revolution. The parties in power are content to keep the status quo and honestly I believe both parties are in bed together. Of course they keep themselves in power by creating a socialist / fascist bogeyman and getting the voters to believe that the other candidate will spell the end of America so they're too afraid to 'throw away' their vote on a 3rd party. Keep the people fighting eachother and it makes it that much easier for the ones in power to keep it
    That makes more sense, although it is still a huge reach to say the reason that happened is because most people hated Trump, when the evidence says otherwise. That was another manufactured narrative to sell the steal to their voter base, just like the idea that the whole country is slowly trending blue.

    I didn't actually think Kanye got more votes, that was a joke. But the level of support for Biden was just laughable.
    See you Space Cowboy ...

  29. #59
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by steelreserve View Post
    That makes more sense, although it is still a huge reach to say the reason that happened is because most people hated Trump, when the evidence says otherwise. That was another manufactured narrative to sell the steal to their voter base, just like the idea that the whole country is slowly trending blue.

    I didn't actually think Kanye got more votes, that was a joke. But the level of support for Biden was just laughable.
    Trump is extremely hated by a lot of people. Do you know a lot of people in minority groups? A lot of my friends are black and Asian and they pretty much all hate trump to an extreme except for just a couple

    People tend to vote for the candidate they feel represents them or understands them, so I can see how Trump would appeal to working class or wealthy White people. However the U.S. is becoming more racially diverse and a lot of minorities don’t feel represented by either party but much less from the party of Trump

  30. #60
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    Re: are elections glorified Popularity contests ?

    Quote Originally Posted by steelreserve View Post
    Given the amount of support for Biden, it's actually pretty likely that Kanye got more votes than him too.
    To be honest I'd rather have Kanye than senile Joe.

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