# Politics & Elections **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/politics-elections/22.md?page=257 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 258 --- ## [Who Did Well last Night?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-well-last-night/716698)
**Author:** [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-well-last-night/716698 "2015-04-03T18:18:02Z")
I think it’s very difficult to say ‘who won’ without letting personal political preferences get in the way of rational thoughts on which party leader came across better on a tv program that has not a lot to do with leadi… --- ## [Oregon introduces automatic voter registration](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oregon-introduces-automatic-voter-registration/715186)
**Author:** [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oregon-introduces-automatic-voter-registration/715186 "2015-04-03T04:45:21Z")
http://www.whig.com/story/28531855/oregon-is-first-state-to-adopt-automatic-voter-registration A lot of Republicans are having hissy fits, but to me this seems like a great idea. Not because I care about convenience. I’… --- ## [As a liberal Obama voter I won't support an anti-trade, anti-TPP "progressive"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-liberal-obama-voter-i-wont-support-an-anti-trade-anti-tpp-progressive/716313)
**Author:** [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-liberal-obama-voter-i-wont-support-an-anti-trade-anti-tpp-progressive/716313 "2015-04-02T16:48:55Z")
The TPP has suddenly become a hot topic in the progressive/left circles and there is a groundswell of anti-Obama activism from his own party on it. The TPP is the Trans-Pacific Partnership - a free trade agreement for … --- ## [US Senate voting in pretty diagrams.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-voting-in-pretty-diagrams/715841)
**Author:** [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [March 31, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-voting-in-pretty-diagrams/715841 "2015-03-31T22:23:08Z")
Found this via Reddit. It’s series of diagrams showing US Senate voting patterns 1989-2013. The growth in partisanship is quite stark (and disturbing). One comment compared it to cell division. Album. Here is the expla… --- ## [SCOTUS declines voter ID challenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-declines-voter-id-challenge/715811)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 176\ **Last updated:** [March 31, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-declines-voter-id-challenge/715811 "2015-03-31T13:58:29Z")
Supreme Court Won’t Consider Challenge To Wisconsin Voter ID Law Of all the issues dear to the left, I find this one of the most ridiculous. The idea that getting a form of ID is an extreme hardship is completely absurd… --- ## [Will the 2015 Election be the last under First Past the Post?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2015-election-be-the-last-under-first-past-the-post/715040)
**Author:** [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Replies:** 89\ **Last updated:** [March 30, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-2015-election-be-the-last-under-first-past-the-post/715040 "2015-03-30T18:38:26Z")
The likely outcome of the May election is a hung parliament decided by minority parties. FPTP is intended to encourage strong government by rewarding national pluralities under a two party system. Its side effect is to … --- ## [NSW state election Saturday 28 March](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsw-state-election-saturday-28-march/715739)
**Author:** [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [March 29, 2015, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsw-state-election-saturday-28-march/715739 "2015-03-29T12:12:21Z")
It’s in five days’ time and I haven’t had a single flyer or how-to-vote card through the postbox yet. The government’s re-election campaign wasn’t officially launched until yesterday. Is this the lowest profile state el… --- ## [I'm thinking of running for President in 2016. What do I need to know?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-of-running-for-president-in-2016-what-do-i-need-to-know/716160)
**Author:** [@JohnSnape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnSnape)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [March 28, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-thinking-of-running-for-president-in-2016-what-do-i-need-to-know/716160 "2015-03-28T03:25:18Z")
With the Presidential election already starting, I was thinking of running for the office. I would probably get two votes (me and my mom!) but then I could put on my resume “2016 Presidential Candidate” truthfully. Wha… --- ## [Will Obama and the democrats do anything to make voting easier](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-and-the-democrats-do-anything-to-make-voting-easier/715633)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [March 27, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-and-the-democrats-do-anything-to-make-voting-easier/715633 "2015-03-27T02:47:07Z")
Obama is out talking about mandatory voting. From a purely partisan POV, the harder it is to vote the better republicans do. The easier it is to vote the better democrats do. So Republicans have declared war on votin… --- ## [Was Ross Perot really an advantage for Clinton in 1992?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-ross-perot-really-an-advantage-for-clinton-in-1992/714815)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 27, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-ross-perot-really-an-advantage-for-clinton-in-1992/714815 "2015-03-27T00:23:31Z")
Was Ross Perot really a big advantage for Clinton in 1992 against Bush Sr., or is it possible that Perot really took a roughly equal chunk of votes away from Clinton and Bush alike, and that Bush would have lost to Clint… --- ## [90 year anniversary thread: The REAL Mt. Rushmore, Phase 2:](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/90-year-anniversary-thread-the-real-mt-rushmore-phase-2/715462)
**Author:** [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 26, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/90-year-anniversary-thread-the-real-mt-rushmore-phase-2/715462 "2015-03-26T03:55:59Z")
No, this is not one of THOSE “Mount Rushmore” threads. Its the 90th anniversary of the commemoration of the Mount Rushmore Monument so I have a legit reason to bring this up! http://www.philly.com/philly/living/travel/2… --- ## [Difference between Mondale, Dukakis (1980s) and Obama, Hillary](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-mondale-dukakis-1980s-and-obama-hillary/715816)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 91\ **Last updated:** [March 26, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-mondale-dukakis-1980s-and-obama-hillary/715816 "2015-03-26T03:35:35Z")
What’s the main difference between Democrats of the 1980s and the Obama, Hillary Democrats of today? The voting electorate doesn’t seem that different from the 1980s, so were Mondale and Dukakis simply phenomenally bad … --- ## [Economic vs. Sociocultural Issues-Which Are More Important?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-vs-sociocultural-issues-which-are-more-important/715828)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-vs-sociocultural-issues-which-are-more-important/715828 "2015-03-24T21:26:13Z")
Economic here means “bread and butter” issues-employment, inflation, social insurance programs, health care, infrastructure, unionization, and the like while sociocultural means the issues associated with the Culture War… --- ## [The Dems held the House for 40 years, how did that happen?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dems-held-the-house-for-40-years-how-did-that-happen/699786)
**Author:** [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Replies:** 80\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dems-held-the-house-for-40-years-how-did-that-happen/699786 "2015-03-22T03:16:23Z")
The Democrats had an uninterrupted hold on the House from 1954ish until 1994. The next longest is about 8 years. What caused this anomaly? --- ## [Israeli Knesset election 03/17/15](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israeli-knesset-election-03-17-15/712965)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 160\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israeli-knesset-election-03-17-15/712965 "2015-03-22T00:59:27Z")
Wiki article. And some scandals about Bibi just broke. Will that hurt the whole Likud Party’s chances, I wonder? --- ## [UK General Election 2015: Housing Policy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-housing-policy/714910)
**Author:** [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2015, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-housing-policy/714910 "2015-03-21T11:15:33Z")
To continue the strand of UK general election threads, I thought one on housing could go next. The Liberal Democrats have proposed a ‘rent to own’ scheme whereby first-time owners can pay monthly installments akin to re… --- ## [Would it be advantageous for a major political party to scrap the primaries?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-advantageous-for-a-major-political-party-to-scrap-the-primaries/715327)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 18, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-advantageous-for-a-major-political-party-to-scrap-the-primaries/715327 "2015-03-18T21:58:19Z")
The presidential primaries have three big disadvantages for any political party using the primary system: They cause the candidates to have to say extreme things, in order to prove their liberal or conservative creden… --- ## [What would a Democratic Contract With America look like?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-democratic-contract-with-america-look-like/714644)
**Author:** [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Replies:** 275\ **Last updated:** [March 18, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-democratic-contract-with-america-look-like/714644 "2015-03-18T02:41:48Z")
(Please read before responding.) There’s not much I like about Newt Gingrich, but I have to admit that his Contract With America was a bit of marketing genius for the Republican Party. The Contract With America, if you … --- ## [UK General Election 2015: Education Policy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598)
**Author:** [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [March 16, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598 "2015-03-16T13:25:48Z")
In the wake of the crashing, burning, and burial of the previous UK Politics Thread, for reasons I don’t think need be stated, I thought a better way of discussing the upcoming election would be to have a number of threa… --- ## [Hosting a debate: What's in it for the city?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-debate-whats-in-it-for-the-city/710537)
**Author:** [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 13, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-debate-whats-in-it-for-the-city/710537 "2015-03-13T16:10:29Z")
So, Cleveland is set to host the Republican National Convention in 2016. Thousands of political somebodies, or nobodies wanting to be somebody, will be coming here. They’ll be renting a big convention center, and stayi… --- ## [What's the absolute minimum experience a Presidential candidate must have?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [March 10, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835 "2015-03-10T18:01:35Z")
Almost every President in the modern era was a military general, Vice President, Senator or governor prior to being elected to the Presidency. Assuming that the following candidates matched your political views/platform… --- ## [UK General Election 2015 predictions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-predictions/702637)
**Author:** [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Replies:** 596\ **Last updated:** [March 9, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-predictions/702637 "2015-03-09T01:02:53Z")
UK General Election 2015 looks set to be the most unpredictable British general election in recent times. Labour are currently tied with the Tories at 33% according to surveys released this week, a terrible result for L… --- ## [Koch Brothers to Spend $900 Million on 2016 Elections](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/koch-brothers-to-spend-900-million-on-2016-elections/710967)
**Author:** [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Replies:** 431\ **Last updated:** [March 5, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/koch-brothers-to-spend-900-million-on-2016-elections/710967 "2015-03-05T22:16:57Z")
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/27/us/politics/kochs-plan-to-spend-900-million-on-2016-campaign.html Isn’t democracy wonderful!!! --- ## [Log Cabin Republicans recognized in California](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/log-cabin-republicans-recognized-in-california/714201)
**Author:** [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 4, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/log-cabin-republicans-recognized-in-california/714201 "2015-03-04T18:44:06Z")
The California GOP will recognize the Log Cabin Republicans and allow them to participate in state various activities. The vote was pretty lopsided for recognition and got me wondering if there are other states whose GOP… --- ## [If a Republican wins the presidency in 2016.......](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-republican-wins-the-presidency-in-2016/714143)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 4, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-republican-wins-the-presidency-in-2016/714143 "2015-03-04T16:48:03Z")
…should the Democrats obstruct such a Republican president’s agenda, beginning in January 2017, or cooperate and compromise? For further analysis, if desired, there are three Congressional scenarios: Republicans contr… --- ## [Are presidential candidates allowed to boycott the televised debates?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-presidential-candidates-allowed-to-boycott-the-televised-debates/708104)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [March 3, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-presidential-candidates-allowed-to-boycott-the-televised-debates/708104 "2015-03-03T12:33:41Z")
Obviously, this would be a politically foolish thing to do, but could one of the two main presidential candidates in a presidential election boycott the televised debates and refuse to participate - “My opponent’s ideas … --- ## [Hypothetical question about recounts in the 2000 presidential election](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-question-about-recounts-in-the-2000-presidential-election/713452)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [March 2, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-question-about-recounts-in-the-2000-presidential-election/713452 "2015-03-02T20:12:03Z")
Imagine that the 2000 election had indeed advanced to the stage of being decided by recounts and more recounts. If there had been multiple machine recounts - half of them showing Bush winning and half of them showing Go… --- ## [Middle class leaning Pub for economic interests -- even though data show that's wrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-class-leaning-pub-for-economic-interests-even-though-data-show-thats-wrong/712827)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 109\ **Last updated:** [March 1, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-class-leaning-pub-for-economic-interests-even-though-data-show-thats-wrong/712827 "2015-03-01T12:10:44Z")
John Judis, co-author of The Emerging Democratic Majority (2004), now writes about “The Emerging Republican Advantage.” Interview here. In Judis’ view, the main reason is that the Dems are losing the middle-class vote… --- ## [Blood In The Water: Rand Paul Calls Out King Jeb-Dee-Dee](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-in-the-water-rand-paul-calls-out-king-jeb-dee-dee/713741)
**Author:** [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-in-the-water-rand-paul-calls-out-king-jeb-dee-dee/713741 "2015-02-27T03:55:06Z")
Little man, Nobody calls out King Jeb-Dee-Dee in Public… Son of the Dynasty & Heir to the Rogue Black OPs Troops, Cousin of the Hitman who put Reagan down in Philly… Prediction: Rand Paul, First major player voted off t… --- ## [Why I Don't Vote](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote/712664)
**Author:** [@BlindTyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlindTyger)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [February 26, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote/712664 "2015-02-26T00:36:43Z")
DISCLAIMER: If you have any strongly held religious beliefs or political loyalties, don’t read this. I don’t want to invoke anyone’s wrath. This is just venting. Who can determine the lesser of two evils? Either way, t… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/politics-elections/22.md?page=256) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/politics-elections/22.md?page=258)