# The Dream Ticket for 2016 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 23, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699 "2013-06-23T11:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_H\_Singanas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@David\_H\_Singanas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_H_Singanas)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/1 "2013-06-23T11:48:13Z")
[Dreamticket2016~62313.rtf] Now that the 2008 Herald of Change has brought us a giant step closer to ACA national health care and one baby step closer to Big Brother government, let’s catch our breath and take stock of some of the “second termer” epigrams that have filled the air waves: “Washington’s number one lame duck” “Drone warrior with an American hit list” “America’s Neville Chamberlain at the Taliban Emirates conference” “The Man without a Plan for Guantanamo” But the Senate’s Lindsey Graham is on a roll to break through his party’s isolationist bloc by pushing his “ Border Control Surge” bill into the House. Senator Graham of South Carolina has the support of Arizona’s John McCain and the Gang of Eight… both democrats and republicans. If the Immigration Reform bill passes the House, Graham is on his way to presidential aspirations In 2016. A Lindsey Graham/Chris Christy ticket in 2016 may be unbeatable. [source: Matthew Kaminski, WALL STREET JOURNAL. June 22-23, 2013] ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/2 "2013-06-23T11:57:39Z")
I will bet you anything you care to lose that Lindsay Graham (one of my own Senators, by the way) is NOT only not the 2016 presidential nominee, but not even a serious contender for the job. This is just idle nattering by a writer looking to fill column-inches. God knows I’ve done that from time-to-time. In all honesty, with the roiling of the republican party, it’s difficult to predict who will be the nominee. The party has a history of going with the candidate who is ‘next in line’, but I think that’s blowing up these days. Rubio’s having trouble with the Tea Party, Christie’s seen as too friendly with Obama, and so forth. Best bet is some governor. But who? That’s an unknown right now. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/3 "2013-06-23T12:45:24Z")
As a Democrat I pray that Lindsay Graham runs and is the “moderate” contrast to Bachmann and Ted Cruz. On the issues Graham isn’t crazy- but his personal weirdness factor is so high that he’d get steamrolled. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/4 "2013-06-23T15:54:29Z")
Having Lindsay Graham run would be a great way to follow-up the historic election of a black president. What better way to bring in the the left than by having the GOP nominate a gay candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/5 "2013-06-23T16:04:34Z")
Well holy shit, I hadn’t heard that. A conservative PAC labels Graham as gay? Man, the entertainment never ceases down here. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/6 "2013-06-23T16:22:53Z")
Graham’s not gay! She’s a just an effeminate southern belle. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/7 "2013-06-23T16:27:05Z")
In order to win Graham is going to have to widen his stance on issues. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/8 "2013-06-23T18:21:53Z")
> [@David\_H\_Singanas](#): > > [Dreamticket2016~62313.rtf] > “Washington’s number one lame duck” > “Drone warrior with an American hit list” > “America’s Neville Chamberlain at the Taliban Emirates conference” > “The Man without a Plan for Guantanamo” Has anyone, anywhere, _ever_, used these terms to describe Obama? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/9 "2013-06-23T18:32:53Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Has anyone, anywhere, _ever_, used these terms to describe Obama? I have seen the references to Chamberlain and Obama with the Taliban negotiations at Newsmax [http://www.newsmax.com/WalidPhares/taliban-shariah-afghanistan-Taqiyya/2011/07/02/id/402288](http://www.newsmax.com/WalidPhares/taliban-shariah-afghanistan-Taqiyya/2011/07/02/id/402288) And who are they? > **[Newsmax](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Newsmax)** > > Newsmax is a conservative Republican-oriented global news portal. It is run by wingnut hack and conspiracy theorist\[1\] Christopher Ruddy (1965–),\[2\] and principally lives on the Internet on news site sidebars. It was formed on 16 September 1998, and... > [@](#): > > Newsmax principally lives on the Internet. Its website is dominated by shock news,[2] moral outrage,[3] conspiracies,[4] and trashy advertising for dubious “get rich quick” schemes, quack medicines/workout programmes, and publications that feature ads for similar products.[5] Some of this is regurgitated monthly in print form, though is seldom seen at news stands. > > Newsmax is popular with the type of people who read WorldNetDaily; both outlets feature similar world views of a idealised conservative God-fearing America besieged by godless libruls, filthy sodomites, evil terrorists, and diseased illegal aliens. However, they managed to even outwingnut WND when one of their contributors called on the military to overthrow Obama in a coup,[6] saying that it would “restore and defend the Constitution.” Yes, removing a President elected by the largest margin in decades would restore the Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/10 "2013-06-23T20:20:40Z")
> [@David\_H\_Singanas](#): > > [Dreamticket2016~62313.rtf] > > Now that the 2008 Herald of Change has brought us a giant step closer to ACA national health care > and one baby step closer to Big Brother government, let’s catch our breath and take stock of some > of the “second termer” epigrams that have filled the air waves: > > “Washington’s number one lame duck” > “Drone warrior with an American hit list” > “America’s Neville Chamberlain at the Taliban Emirates conference” > “The Man without a Plan for Guantanamo” > > But the Senate’s Lindsey Graham is on a roll to break through his party’s isolationist bloc by pushing his “ Border Control Surge” bill into the House. Senator Graham of South Carolina has the support of Arizona’s John McCain and the Gang of Eight… both democrats and republicans. If the Immigration Reform bill passes the House, Graham is on his way to presidential aspirations > In 2016. A Lindsey Graham/Chris Christy ticket in 2016 may be unbeatable. > > [source: Matthew Kaminski, WALL STREET JOURNAL. June 22-23, 2013] Is this your opinion also…or are you “just saying”? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/11 "2013-06-23T20:24:35Z")
**David H Singanas** , we expect people starting threads to provide their own commentary and questions, not just cut and paste a quote from elsewhere. Please do so in the future. **twickster** , Elections moderator ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/12 "2013-06-24T03:11:08Z")
Well, I for one think Lindsey Graham is awesome and the heir to John McCain’s reformist mantle. But he’s also hated by the base for compromising too much and criticizing the base, so to REpublicans he’s Joe Lieberman. So he’ll be staying in the Senate, although you can’t rule him out as a VP if a Tea Party candidate needs some moderate cred. So maybe Paul/Graham? Still very unlikely though. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that the 2016 ticket for the GOP will be Jindal/Rubio. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/13 "2013-06-24T03:19:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I’ll go out on a limb and predict that the 2016 ticket for the GOP will be Jindal/Rubio. Great, both of them deny Evolution and the human causes of the current global warming. > **[Rubio: 'The Government Can't Change The Weather'](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marco-rubio-climate-change_n_2679810)** > > Rubio: 'The Government Can't Change The Weather' [http://www.policymic.com/articles/19382/marco-rubio-2016-leading-gop-contender-does-not-believe-in-evolution](http://www.policymic.com/articles/19382/marco-rubio-2016-leading-gop-contender-does-not-believe-in-evolution) > **[Bobby Jindal (a Biology Major!) Pushes Creationism in School](https://slate.com/technology/2012/07/bobby-jindal-possible-vice-presidential-pick-but-has-a-creationism-problem.html)** > > It’s an election year, and plenty of things seem to matter to voters, including health care, the budget, unemployment, and women’s rights. But this... ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/14 "2013-06-24T04:05:21Z")
And the Democratic ticket will also have their science deniers who will oppose fracking, which is far more consequential for our economy. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/15 "2013-06-24T04:24:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > And the Democratic ticket will also have their science deniers who will oppose fracking, which is far more consequential for our economy. Bull crap, cites or shut up. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/16 "2013-06-24T05:03:19Z")
BTW, the “bull” is mostly directed to the “far more consequential” the reality is that fracking has not stopped, it is one of the main reason why coal is falling off, and serious groups point that the problems have to be taken care of and Natural gas can be a plus, not a minus regarding the environment. > **[Methane](https://www.edf.org/issue/methane)** > > Natural gas could create environmental and health risks, and wastes energy resource. We're working to make sure these are produced as safely as possible. > [@](#): > > Natural gas is an important and growing part of our nation’s energy portfolio. It emits less greenhouse gases than coal when combusted and avoids mercury and other dangerous air pollutants that come from coal. It could be a win-win if — and this is a big if — we do it the right way. I have seen some possible democratic moves to make a moratorium on all fracking but most democrats are not in favor of that as even California can tell you. Most indeed do look at the Environmental Defense Fund and the criticism is concentrated on the incidental pollution around fracking. Something that the evidence shows is still an issue with fracking. As for the consequential part: anyone that ignores the costs that we will have for not controlling global warming or preparing properly for the effects are the ones that are doing more harm to the economy of America and the world. > **[Climate change is already damaging global economy, report finds](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/sep/26/climate-change-damaging-global-economy)** > > Economic impact of global warming is costing the world more than $1.2 trillion a year, wiping 1.6% annually from global GDP > [@](#): > > By 2030, the researchers estimate, the cost of climate change and air pollution combined will rise to 3.2% of global GDP, with the world’s least developed countries forecast to bear the brunt, suffering losses of up to 11% of their GDP. > > Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh, said: “A 1C rise in temperature [temperatures have already risen by 0.7C globally since the end of the 19th century] is associated with 10% productivity loss in farming. For us, it means losing about 4m tonnes of food grain, amounting to about $2.5bn. That is about 2% of our GDP. Adding up the damages to property and other losses, we are faced with a total loss of about 3-4% of GDP. Without these losses, we could have easily secured much higher growth.” > > But major economies will also take a hit, as extremes of weather and the associated damage – droughts, floods and more severe storms – could wipe 2% of the GDP of the US by 2030, while similar effects could cost China $1.2tr by the same date. > > While many governments have taken the view that climate change is a long-term problem, there is a growing body of opinion that the effects are already being felt. Scientists have been alarmed by the increasingly rapid melting of Arctic sea ice, which reached a new record minimum this year and, if melting continues at similar rates, could be ice free in summer by the end of the decade. Some research suggests that this melting could be linked to cold, dull and rainy summers in parts of Europe – such as has been the predominant summer weather in the UK for the last six years. In the US, this year’s severe drought has raised food prices and in India the disruption to the monsoon has caused widespread damage to farmers. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/17 "2013-06-24T07:05:48Z")
I have trouble taking someone seriously whose post complains about drones and Gitmo and then suggests the person they’d want to vote for for the next Prez is…Lindsey Graham? I’m not sure the OP knows who Lindsey Graham is aside from his stance on immigration reform. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/18 "2013-06-24T11:01:31Z")
If we’re just talking about the Republican ticket, the dream ticket is basically Christie headlining and anyone not completely Palin-level terrible as the running mate. Despite my serious reservations about his extreme obesity, Christie’s national numbers have polled strongly for a long time now and he has broad cross-party appeal. Hardcore Democrats will never vote for him because of his anti-union activity, but of the full Republican slate I don’t know who else will put moderate voters back in play. I guess some think Rubio will recapture the Hispanic vote just by virtue of being Hispanic, but there is a very long article in the New Yorker about Tejanos running for office in Texas and what makes a successful/unsuccessful Tejanos politician. While Texas doesn’t extrapolate to the rest of the country, when talking about Hispanics they have a large population of basically all Hispanic groups aside from Cuban-Americans. A key thing from the New Yorker article is Tejanos Republicans in Texas sometimes win a majority of the Hispanic vote in their district, but only when they are specifically addressing issues that earn those votes. They don’t win them just by “being Hispanic.” In fact, unlike the African American community, the 13% of the country that is Hispanic come from many different countries, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. A Cuban American would feel no innate love for a Mexican American candidate or a Panamanian or a Puerto Rican. Given his present behavior, if Rubio was nominated he would probably win Florida due to being popular there and because I think he’d be embraced by the Cuban-Americans as their favorite son. But he can’t even commit to immigration reform or other important Hispanic issues and thus he’d probably do a bit better than Romney outside of Florida with Hispanic voters. Whoever runs in 2016 for the GOP will almost certainly do better with minorities than Romney regardless, though, simply because the Romney campaign ran almost entirely focused on middle class whites, and won that demographic, but foolishly did very little outreach with anyone else. I don’t think he could have won, but he could have had a much less embarrassing showing among Asian Americans and Hispanics if they had actually tried for those votes. ---
**Author:** ![David\_H\_Singanas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@David\_H\_Singanas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_H_Singanas)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/19 "2013-06-24T12:03:03Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > **David H Singanas** , we expect people starting threads to provide their own commentary and questions, not just cut and paste a quote from elsewhere. Please do so in the future. > > **twickster** , Elections moderator Sir: If you check the “source” you will find that my post is about 70% my own material and 30% from the WSJ. Also I like to paraphrase statements from the “source”. The point of my posts is not to expose the “truth” and the “lies” but to generate discussion. If I generate 30 to 50 comments, then I usually leave the thread. I hope this posting policy will not exclude me from starting threads in your bailiwick. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699/20 "2013-06-24T12:25:39Z")
> [@David\_H\_Singanas](#): > > The point of my posts is not to expose the “truth” and the “lies” but to > generate discussion. If I generate 30 to 50 comments, then I usually leave the > thread. I can’t speak for the mods, but most _posters_ do not appreciate OPs that just type something provocative and run away without bothering to clarify their position or answer questions. Especially if the poster’s own views on the topic are not clear: in that case, how do the posters know if the thread was started in good faith or in a Just Asking Questions mode? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dream-ticket-for-2016/661699.md?page=2)