51 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 1-29-16”

  3. I totally understand (and resonate with) the temptation to not vote or to vote for a write-in if Trump ends up being the GOP candidate. But beyond making a “statement” (that no one but you, yourself, will notice or appreciate), isn’t that doing more harm than good? If he’s running against Hilliary, then you KNOW that one of them is going to end up being president. One of them will. End of discussion. Do you really want it to be her? Or Sanders, if it comes to that?

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  4. It’s FRIDAY!
    You know what that means.
    Back to whatever is normal around here.
    Been to the Y, going to Lions.
    Still snow on the ground, but not on the roads.

    I didn’t see the debates. Did somebody win?

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  5. Good Morning….the men are being a tad bit noisy this morning at Panera!!
    I didn’t watch the debates….I never have watched them….trying to keep the blood pressure down don’t ya know!
    I am torn between whether or not I would vote if Trump is the candidate…Paul says he absolutely will not….but I feel like Linda….a absent vote being a vote for Clinton….ugh!
    Chas we have had snow on the ground since October…and we’ll be getting another foot this weekend….accompanied by a blizzard …. or so says the weather gal….

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  6. Linda, that is always the question asked. And as I said, I myself have never sat out a presidential election or voted third party. (Though I came pretty close with Romney.) But if Gore had run against Hillary Clinton, I would have sat out the election, or voted third party, because I could not vote for either.

    If Trump is the nominee (which I can’t see happening), there will not be a Republican candidate, or a good candidate. I won’t vow that I won’t vote, but I cannot foresee the circumstances under which I would vote for him.

    The Republicans have fielded a string of candidates that are barely Republican; Trump isn’t even barely.

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  7. Linda, in the past few days I have been frustrated and declared that I won’t vote for Trump or Hillary. I even hate the fact that we call her Hillary and she has the name recognition of Cher, Prince, or any other one name super star. I have even stated that I may sit this election out. That was frustration talking. When it gets right down to it I will vote for someone but I won’t like it. Politics are a nasty business and getting nastier every year. Combine that with lack of trusting the media and what have you got.

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  9. I have that box, but a different cat.

    I think you vote your conscience. You enter the voting booth and it’s you and God. Only He knows what you do with your vote. I’m pretty I sure I know what I would do if the choice was between the two front runners.

    And God knows, too.

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  10. Ultimately, I don’t know what I’ll do if it’s Trump vs. Clinton. I agree in principle with Linda and have often (and will still) argue that point here when it comes up.

    But Trump seems to me a big exception, someone whom I don’t really trust — along with someone who simply does not truly share conservative philosophy or values. He’s a loose canon and voting for him would be a risky roll of the dice.

    So much really is at stake in this election, however — not the least of which is probably 2-3 Supreme Court appointments. 😦

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  11. Meanwhile, it’s Friday at last. Trash and recycles are at the curb.

    I’m dropping the Jeep off for regular service before heading in to work, will use a loaner for the day.

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  12. It just got much quieter in here…and in my spirit I am so grieved….sometimes I wish I couldn’t over hear conversations….have you ever heard the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt” ? I really really never ever want to attend this church the “pastor” I overheard attends….my human self wanted to go over and shake him….instead I listened to the Lord and quietly prayed for him……

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  13. Last night on CNN they were interviewing Hillary Clinton and she said she would consider appointing Obama to the Supreme Court, because he is a Constitutional Scholar. She really will sell her soul for a vote. I don’t know what someone has on her but she sure is pandering to Obama

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  16. Protest voting (or not voting) is a dangerous thing. I just need to look next door to Alberta – they wanted anybody but ‘those guys’… and they got a left wing government that is destroying the resource sector and has now introduced gender policies for schools that make one sick, despite the majority not wanting any of it. This is what happens with a protest vote.

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  18. What is protest voting? If I truly believe Ben Carson is the best candidate, and I vote for him, is that protest voting? If a few million people vote for him as a write in, is that protest voting? If I truly do not believe the two options offered are any good for the country, is voting otherwise protest voting or throw away voting? Or is it voting my conscience?

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  19. Nine year old made himself pancakes this morning. Eight and fourteen made each made themselves French toast. It takes a long time for each of them to make their own breakfast but I just figure it is part of their school and worth it.

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  20. I actually watched the debate last night. It was interesting. But nothing has changed in my viewpoint. I appreciate that Carson sticks to the policies and does not attack the others. He seems to know what he believes and will stand for it. He could be trusted standing up to Putin. Rubio would be my second choice. He is young and idealist in many ways, but that is not a bad thing. Cruz seems to be a popular guy, but he is a loud mouth and I have heard enough loud mouths. But he would be third. The others seemed nice enough. I liked that Christie said it is okay to change your mind as a politician. We all should be willing to do that if we see were standing wrong. I was glad Trump opted out so we could actually see and hear the others interact.

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  21. At last, it is indeed Friday!

    I listened to the debates and would say it was a draw. Overall we all won because Trump was not there to hog the stage. I am disappointed in the whining Cruz was doing at the beginning.

    As for protest voting: It’s when you don’t like either of the main party candidates, so you vote for another person not a D or R. This year, if it comes down to Trump vs either Sanders or Clinton, it looks like a strong Conservative running as an independent or as a 3rd party candidate, could actually win. I say this because Trump would take votes away from the Dems, since there seems to be some discontent with the two choices in that party.

    It’s going to be a wild ride. Hang on to your hats (or whatever accessory you might lose)!

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  22. Again, I would have to say, vote your conscience and pray for whatever elected officials God puts in place. If He wants my candidate, He can certainly sway the vote that way. If not, I will have been comfortable with my vote, will still think the country is going down the tubes, and will still pray for whoever is put there, trusting God in His wisdom. But to vote for somebody I truly believe is not going to help the country, I think, would be sinning for me.

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  23. Art loved Carson ‘ s humbling closing statement. Usually we cancel each other out with our votes in the primaries, but I believe we are aligned this time.

    There are a lot of surprises happening, like the Cruz whine, the Huckabee and Santorum going to the Trump event, the Liberty College president endorsing Trump, Palin endorsing Trump, etc. I am not talking about sitting out the vote because I think we are still in for more surprises. At one point somebody mentioned Biden might run. Is that still possible? Not sure what that would do.

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  27. Finally caught up on the last few days of WV. Chas, womanite!!!! 🙂

    Nancyjill, a camp type degree would be something like outdoor leadership/recreation or Biblical studies/youth ministry degree

    My childhood church was conservative, but quite similar to other denominations like Baptist, but with a slight leaning towards pacifism. I don’t see much difference in the overall church as we have attended a few different denominations over the years as we have moved – just in little details that don’t really matter in the big picture.

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  28. My niece has recreation leadership and would love the place and opportunity, but I am not sure I would recommend her. I have not talked with her in years, she has probably grown up some.

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  29. We should always vote our conscience.

    I’d say that’s especially freeing in the primary, where I will pick the candidate I like the most, even if it’s unlikely he/she will win the field.

    When it comes to the general election — and the choice is between, say, the horrible vs. the so-so, knowing that one of them WILL be elected president — my conscience says to vote for the “so-so.”

    If it’s horrible vs. another-kind-of horrible, well …. 🙄

    So far that’s not been the choice in my lifetime, though anything is possible.

    I agree with mumsee, Cruz is too ‘loud” and pushy for my tastes, he makes me uneasy (I just heard a radio commercial of his this morning and he was really yelling, he’s obviously going after Trump’s angry, disaffected bunch).

    Between Clinton or Sanders and him, he’d be the “so-so” with regrets, but I’d vote for him from where things stand now and based on what I know at this stage.

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  31. Trump is can’t stand because of the misogynistic way he acts towards women.
    Cruz I don’t like because he reminds of a smarmy televangist. I would hold my nose and vote for him though.

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  35. Restful Saturday morning here. Friday is so busy that I rejoice in a quiet Saturday.
    Went back to the weight room yesterday after several months of just doing a lot of walking. I am sore, but I was careful to not do too much. The soreness reminds me of why I need to go. So.. something else to fit into my schedule. Okay I realize I have a very empty schedule, but when school goes to 3 an then it is dark by 6:30 and of course I need a nap, makes for a short afternoon.

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  36. Cruz is too ‘loud” and pushy for my tastes

    Most of that is his vocal quality. He has one of those sharp edged voices that gets annoying when he speaks loudly. But if you listen to what he says, you’ll find him not the “hold you nose” candidate the GOP has foisted on us since George H. W. Bush. He is the most solidly Conservative candidate this time around, in my opinion. The reason people don’t like him is because he won’t go along with the establishment belt-way politicians who run the party.

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  37. I don’t have a yuge (Trump-speak) problem with his positions, though he’s more hawkish than I am and “carpet bombing” gives me pause.

    Is there a middle road between Obama and that?

    I get the fact that it’s not cool to be with “the establishment,” but there is something to the idea (reality) that to get things done there needs to be a give and take. Obama never tried, in my view, to work with anyone who didn’t agree with him. Not sure that’s what we want to continue to perpetuate.

    I’d like to see a much stronger leader, of course, but also someone who had the skills to find or built consensus if and when it’s appropriate.

    A Republican friend of mine (not overly political) simply wrinkles her nose when Cruz is brought up and I’ve seen that kind of reaction from others. My sense is that it might serve us better to have someone who has better “people” skills, if you will, someone who might be able to take down a notch or two some of this heated anger we’re seeing on both sides of the aisle (and that has been around for some time now).

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  41. Karen, that’s my sense, too.

    Hillary still has the backing of major party powerbroker, she’s been the presumptive nominee since she lost in 2008, just waiting in the wings.

    But all the enthusiasm I hear among my liberal friends is for Bernie. Our local Democratic Club endorsed him several weeks ago. I think he has a momentum that could make a difference, especially if Clinton’s email mess gets messier.

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  42. I like Carson, but I’ve been disappointed in some of his answers (in terms of not being very well prepared).

    He’s very low in all the polls, so his prospects aren’t good for winning or even placing highly in any of these upcoming primaries. But politics is volatile and this race is sure to have a few more big twists and turns to come.

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  43. Just want to say that I am enjoying all these political discussions. At this point you folks are about my only source of information. scary, huh!!
    okay I will go download some World magazines and do some reading. I can’t listen to video as it is far too expensive.

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  45. Seems like silent Cal was a pretty good President. He did not talk a lot, either.

    Again, who do you want to be President, that is who you should vote for. And because everybody would want Carson for President, they would all vote for him and he would be in.

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  46. As to not knowing everything, he is kind of smart and knows how to allow the people around him to do their part. Called “using one’s resources” around here. I would think that would be a tremendous asset for a President.

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  47. Mumsee, my in-laws are strongly for Carson. I lean toward him, but our primary is so late I haven’t really investigated anyone in detail, nor watched any debates. If there was just one I’d watch it, but a whole series of them makes each individual one not worth very much, and I haven’t bothered. My husband isn’t interested in the debates or any political news, at this point, since most of them will be eliminated before we vote. If he watched the debates, I’d watch some with him, but I’m not inclined to turn them on (if we even get the channel(s) they’re on) to watch by myself, not when it really doesn’t matter much who’s still in at this point. If the primaries all took place on the same day, our vote would count and we’d follow it more.

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  48. Our primary also is late, kind of at the tail end in June, so a lot will already have been decided by then.

    I guess I wished Carson had really hunkered down more on the issues, it seems like he’s almost not all that interested in really winning. Coupled with his lack of any public office experience (preparing and being really more up on many of the issues would have canceled the prior concern for me), I kind of lost interest in him I’m afraid.

    I do think he’d be a good cabinet member perhaps?

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