The Humour Club discussion

Here's the spot to comment on politically related shenanigans. I know this can be a charged topic, but please keep it civil. Fisticuffs should be taken outside where we can all place bets and cheer without fear of spilling our drinks.

Over a year from now, the US will elect a new President, so of course, the mud-slinging has already begun. I guess the really big question is who will Donald Trump insult next?

P T Barnum, inventer of US politics. :-)

Barnum actually served two terms in the Connecticut legislature, but I assume you mean the sucker thing.

At least someone is happy with Trump's rise in the polls.

Ah yes, she IS quite happy (and smart!) to stay in the background and not talk too much to the media...But Bernie is catching up little by little. Hey, the guy's old and leans too far left, give him a break!

This is how they handled the media in Vermont;

I'm just glad I never gave my phone number to Trump. I actually feel kind of sorry for Lindsey Graham.

CartoonistAndre wrote: "This is how they handled the media in Vermont;"

Well done, Andre. It's just like watching the news.

Melki wrote: "Barnum actually served two terms in the Connecticut legislature, but I assume you mean the sucker thing."

Actually the Circus thing :-)

Joseph wrote: "Actually the Circus thing :-)"

Ooo - touche!

Our politics is quite interesting at the moment. Our Labour Party is electing a new leader.

The first selection of candidates could easily have been members of any of the number of parties available to the electorate, so to preserve the fiction that there was a genuine contest, a veteran politician of the genuine left wing, noted for having principles and standing by them was allowed to participate.

The establishment is now having kittens because so many people like the idea of a principles politician running the party... and he might win!

Will wrote: "...a politician...noted for having principles and standing by them..."

Sounds like some sort of mythical creature. Do you live in Narnia, perhaps?

Sounds like some sort of mythical creature. Do you live in Narnia, perhaps?"

Well, we definitely have lamp-posts, so the answer is probably yes.

Will - to be fair he is a man of principles who hasn't actually run anything in his life. And whilst some of his principles are laudable, most would push the Labour party into Michael Foot levels of unelectability.

The "establishment" view? The conservative establishment are as pleased as punch because it would consign Labour to the political wilderness for ten years or more. The Labour establishment are petrified for exactly the same reason.

Will, again mate you fall for rhetoric rather than fact... did you know his view on renationalising the railways (Yep, picked that deliberately) is shared by 65% of those using the transport system?

It's about principle for me. I'm getting all the candidates election material. All the others are risible versions without any conviction in anything but themselves. Time for some passion to oppose the naked greed of the lot in power.

And that is the point.

You shouldn't make policy decisions based solely on rhetoric, public opinion or blind principles. There are some policy points, like re-nationalising the railways, which might seem attractive to the layman, but which actually wouldn't work. It would be hugely expensive to create a monolithic public sector organisation which would be far less efficient than the competition between several private sector organisations.

Credible, serious politicians listen to the experts telling them that it's a bad idea, and they don't go there. That's why the Labour party has given up on outdated ideas like these. They might sound attractive, but they don't work. The principled approach is to be honest with the electorate and admit that.

The less credible politicians make claims that they can't deliver, champion causes that don't work and pander to public opinion rather than focusing on what works.

I am all for principled politicians, but those principles have to be sound. After all, the most principled politician of the last century was arguably one Adolf Hitler. He had very strong views about his principles and no shortage of passion.

But hey this is the humour club. Corbyn's policies fit right in.

Bring your outdated and discredited tosh back to the take it outside thread, Will, where we can fight about it happily...

(And of course the Conservatives deliver. It's easy to deliver pain and hardship and misery, they've had so much practise... Hope is harder isn't it?)

Well, it looks like the politically incorrect thread is off with a bang, on both sides of the pond! Back on this side, Donald's making more friends down on the border today, so let us all 'pray' he comes back alive and well. I think he adds a little spark to a, frankly, vanilla group of candidates, and has definitely re-energized the previous lackluster conservative presidential campaigns.

Lisa, you have to admire Mr. Graham's video response!

Red Ed tried to prove he was more of a man than Nicola. He never had a chance.

If Nicola would make her party available to the whole of the UK, (pauses to let Will froth for a bit, as he hates her) Labour would wither on the vine in months - without Corbyn.

What? The Whigs/Tories at it again! Liberals/Conservatives warming up.

Mexicans LOVE Trump! He has "-employed hundreds-eh-thousands of mexicans! They all loved me!" he said, and crowds cheered in the background.

I think he was invited by a friend of a friend of someone in the border patrol. He was summarily dis-invited when certain senior officials were made aware of DT's media event. The Border Patrol cannot, by law of course, show favor towards any political party. But, heck, Donald made good use of the snafu, and topped the networks' lead stories once again.

I'm actually finding this all very amusing, and can't wait for the Americans to be ruled by his Trumpiness. Admittedly the death-toll could be horrendous, especially if you count all those who die laughing.

And just wait til President Trump meets President Putin.

And whatever will he make of Reichchancellor Merkel, and her new empire?

Will wrote: "And whatever will he make of Reichchancellor Merkel, and her new empire?"

That might be amusing, if someone would set that up now.

Melki wrote: "And just wait til President Trump meets President Putin."

'I ride bare-chested on horses and annexed the Ukraine!'

'I have a multi-billion business empire!'

'I own Russia!'

'I'll own America!'

'I have approval ratings you can only dream of!'

'I have hair!'

'No you don't!'

Joseph wrote: "Melki wrote: "And just wait til President Trump meets President Putin."

'I ride bare-chested on horses and annexed the Ukraine!'

'I have a multi-billion business empire!'

'I own Russia!'

'I'll ..."

And blood will flow. Unfortunately, it won't be the blood of either of those bozos.

The blood will flow no matter who's elected. Russia, China, and Iran will see to it. Korea might be nipping at our heels soon as well. Nothing to be done about it, except to elect someone with brass balls (or pudendum, as the case may be) balanced with a sharp mind. And a great sense of humor!!!

CartoonistAndre wrote: "...except to elect someone with brass balls (or pudendum, as the case may be)..."

Good one - and also great job on getting the anatomical name correct. (Not everything down there is called a vagina.)

We are the bull. Bush is the matador. Trump is the rodeo clown.

The moment when Woody Allen regretted filming Sleeper on the set of Planet of the Apes.

Waddya mean this isn't the Fine Art thread?

It's NOT the Fine Arts thread dammit, Will!

It is, however, one of my favorite subjects; Shtumping the pc crowd (nothing to do with computers!) with politically incorrect satire, raucous graphics, heated debate and, of course, humor .

My first impression is I'm surprised these threads aren't visited more often, but how can I go into a new experience with preformed expectations?

CartoonistAndre wrote: "It's NOT the Fine Arts thread dammit, Will!

It is, however, one of my favorite subjects; Shtumping the pc crowd (nothing to do with computers!) with politically incorrect satire, raucous graphics..."

Good one, Andre. I must admit to waking every morning with the anticipation of discovering what fresh hell what new group/individual Trump has insulted during my slumbering hours. It'll never replace coffee, but it gets me out of bed.

CartoonistAndre wrote: "It's NOT the Fine Arts thread dammit, Will!

It is, however, one of my favorite subjects; Shtumping the pc crowd (nothing to do with computers!) with politically incorrect satire, raucous graphics..."

I think you about nailed it. As, indeed, did the Donald.

Scott wrote: "My first impression is I'm surprised these threads aren't visited more often, but how can I go into a new experience with preformed expectations?"

I agree wholeheartedly, Scott. What is wrong with people? It does make me appreciate your taking the time to comment all the more, though.

Trump's 'thing' is being politically incorrect, so we should all vote for him.

I've been away. Then I came back, and everything was so backed up I was afraid to come onto GR and even start. Flawed logic.

I am fed up with idiot voters to the point of thinking maybe an IQ test should be required before anyone can submit a ballot. Of course, an IQ test for candidates would thin the field a fair bit, too. The real problem with American politics is that anyone who actually wants to run is automatically either crazy or corrupt (for those who know and are wondering: I am crazy. And I didn't want to run).

People (so the major polls say) admire the man's chutzpah, his brashness, to say whatever comes to mind, which many (23%-27% of those surveyed) feel is quite refreshing, not like your typical bureaucrat dancing around the edges of questions spouting canned answers. A little over-the-top? Yes, but, everyone makes mistakes.

It seems that lately the US has become more apologetic and indecisive, something the Donald never found acceptable. His attraction is the "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" attitude. But, as in the movie, Network, it will also be his undoing.

I'm also impressed with his plan to negotiate with China for their wall, which he would then have rebuilt on our border by negotiating Mexico to supply the labor, and turn it into a profitable tourist site.

Sinaloa! The wall of Fortune- The tunnels off Terror! Bit parts played by El Chappo, popping out of a hole here and there.

I find it interesting that in both politics AND religion, the truth doesn't matter. All that matters is what people BELIEVE.

Rebecca wrote: "I've been away. Then I came back, and everything was so backed up I was afraid to come onto GR and even start. Flawed logic.

I am fed up with idiot voters to the point of thinking maybe an IQ test..."

The founding fathers weren't quite as crazy as they looked.

Rebecca wrote: "I've been away. Then I came back, and everything was so backed up I was afraid to come onto GR and even start. Flawed logic.

I am fed up with idiot voters to the point of thinking maybe an IQ test..."

Rebecca, you're right. Many voters sadly aren't voters until Election day at about 5:00 pm, weather permitting, and as long as we're home in time for The Kardashians, we're good- we voted. I use to love Leno's people in the street segments. Many couldn't name the VP or where Canada was located.

Some comedians set up a kiosk on a California beach gathering signatures to end women's suffrage. Folks were lining up to sign, believing women had suffered enough.

Melki wrote: "I find it interesting that in both politics AND religion, the truth doesn't matter. All that matters is what people BELIEVE."

And the folks who produce the "news" in this country seem to to be the manufacturers of the Kool Aid. If we ever had real news, you know impartial information that actually impacts our lives, perhaps more people would actually stop and think before getting behind a candidate.

Perhaps. But maybe I'm thinking like god again, as Oscar Wilde says: "I think that God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability."

Notice he didn't mention women.

https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/V5q...


(not sure how to make gif show up)

Scott wrote: "https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/V5q..."

Even a broken clock is right at least twice a day, so why not the Trumpster?

Lisa wrote: "And the folks who produce the "news" in this country seem to to be the manufacturers of the Kool Aid."

It's interesting that you bring up the media's role in all this. I read a good article (which of course, I cannot find right now) about how the current crop of Republican candidates, Trump included, have been shaped by the horror that is Fox News.

They have taken politicians who may have once been able to think for themselves (I'm talking Marco Rubio here, not Ted Cruz) and turned them into mindless zombies who tow the party line of tax-relief-for-the-rich, no-abortions-whatsoever, science-is-evil, global-warming-is-a-myth, bomb-bomb-Iran, drill-baby-drill and evolution-ain't-a-thing.

Their viewers, who all believe they will get rich someday by playing the lottery, buy it hook, line and sinker, and end up voting time and again against their own best interests.

Whew! Sorry for speechifying.