I agree. And I think most European allies will not be as willing to follow the US into war as they are now if Trump were elected.

Which is why I'm not voting for Trump. I don't see him as a "leader", more of a loose canon and an annoying public figure.

Can you imagine Trump getting elected in November? There will be protests and riots everywhere; it will be chaos instead of celebration.

I don't think that ISIS has EVER needed any justification whatsoever to attack the US or Europeans. I don't think it matters to them who our president is. They will attack us again, no matter who the POTUS is.

Sadly, I agree.

Thanks NWguy- I guess that would be an issue that could go either way, so that makes sense to me.

I disagree. Saber-rattling, carpet-bombing talk only adds fuel to the fire and creates a recruiting tool for them. Our administration right now is quietly taking out Isis primary leaders and disrupting plans without a single collateral victim. How would you feel if your parents or children were killed by US weapons? I doubt you would have much love for them. And find it very hard not to want to get back in some way.

Our misguided War in Iraq created a whole generation of Isis members and destabilized the entire Middle East, as many of us both lay and professional predicted. We are reaping the bitter harvest of that now. Will Isis be able to slip through our defenses and attack us or our allies again? Quite possibly. IMO we need to look at the big picture. We have already been spared many attacks. And as someone up-thread said, we have the collaboration of our allies. A POTUS who is not respected on the international stage will destabilize what is now in place.

Just to correct and clarify a smidge, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Jordan and to a lesser extend Lebanon and Bahrain are stable. Yemen is stable but not in a way we like. Iran is stable but not in a way that American media like to discuss because it's easier to call them an evil empire than accept that they just don't run their government the same way we do. But their people are educated, fed and clothed, and I don't think there is any immediate threat of a coup.

Saudi Arabia continues to be a mess but that's internal and has little to do with us (except for us being complicit). Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and Israel are unstable and fully the US' making. If you want to call Egypt Middle East, it is reasonably stable, but I wouldn't place bets on long term viability of any government. Maybe, maybe not.

Did I miss any? And please don't think of THE MIDDLE EAST as Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a big and peaceful place with minimal crime, great education, great food, great people and (mostly) fair governments. And any arguments against fairness needs to be compared to the atrocities the US government commits against its people.

^^^ Thanks for your insight, DubaiSis. Yes, I know that Middle Easterners as a culture are well known for their hospitality and generosity. Members of these violent, radical fringe groups are not at all representative of their larger cultures, either here in the US or in the Middle East. We certainly need mainstream and peace-loving Middle Easterners as our allies.

Are you still in Dubai? I have found that actually living in a foreign culture varies tremendously from what we are told about it. And the ideas I had about them before I got there!

So you don't think that Obama is respected on the international stage, or at lest within the Middle East? I don't see how we will ever have a president more sympathetic toward the Middle East & Muslims in general than Obama.

Unless you addressed Syria in a different post, that one is missing. And that's a big one, because so much activity in recent years and months has taken place in Syria.

No, I'm in Kansas City. Cuz you know. Same/same. LOL.
And as far as how Arabs (and the entire rest of the world frankly) see president Obama, they ADORE him. And when you live outside the US you get to spend a great deal of time trying to explain why American government is they way it is. "You mean your people would seriously let a person die as opposed to providing good healthcare?" "Well, yes." And try to explain the candidacy of the candidate who shall go unnamed to a German. Good luck with that.

^^^ Thetalady, Oh, no, Obama is respected internationally. For several years running he has been named the Most Admired Man internationally. DubaiSis likely has a better take on that than I for that part of the world.

I get first hand reports from friends in Colombia, specifically the northern Caribbean coast. This includes Colombians as well as a former country director. I also read the online papers in Colombia, both the two national newspapers as well as those on the coast. The Cartagena newspaper called Obama "The Best Mayor Cartagena Has Ever Had!", this for Obama's successful plan to put into place personal security measures to attract travelers to their World Heritage city. It worked. The last time I was there (2010) there were tourists from literally all over the world. The drug violence there has been greatly diminished. Not entirely gone, but substantially diminished. The current president has continued this progress.

But I digress. I'm not sure I understand what you are suggesting. It was Obama who tracked down and eliminated Osama Bin Laden as well as other Al Queda and ISIS/ISIL kingpins. He doesn't paint all Muslims/Middle Easterners with the same brush. Nor should he or anyone else IMO.

DubaiSis posted:

"No, I'm in Kansas City. Cuz you know. Same/same. LOL.
And as far as how Arabs (and the entire rest of the world frankly) see president Obama, they ADORE him. And when you live outside the US you get to spend a great deal of time trying to explain why American government is they way it is. "You mean your people would seriously let a person die as opposed to providing good healthcare?" "Well, yes." And try to explain the candidacy of the candidate who shall go unnamed to a German. Good luck with that."

Oh, yes, I experienced that all the time in my site during my two years in Colombia. One thing that we Peace Corps volunteers were very, very good at was presenting and creating another view of Americans. I was initially surprised and how closely they followed what goes on here in the US. Going back to my old stomping grounds on the northern coast, people in Cartagena thought I was Colombian, then Venezuelan, then Chilean, then Spanish, LOL! (My Spanish is pretty darn fluent!) So I heard many a candid thought about the USA.

Europeans are also very candid with me as for better or worse they don't peg me as an American. It's a real eye-opener to see our country through other eyes. And why they see us that way.

"You mean your people would seriously let a person die as opposed to providing good healthcare?"

My response wouldn't been: "Yeah, you mean your people slice someone's head off in public for having an affair, opposing Islam and listening to Western pop music?"

I think that I'd rather have no healthcare.

I was 7th in line this morning to vote. I didn' vote for who I want on the November ballot but voted against who I don't want to see. It's entirely strategic and I hope my plan works out.

Looks like Kasich won his home state convincingly.

A lot of Democrats that plan to vote for HRC in November crossed the aisle today to make sure Trump wouldn't take the state. I know a lot of my friends did; even my 84 year old father said he would do anything to block a Trump vote. The hashtag I am seeing all over Facebook is #NotInMyState

I wish I could remember the exact statistic but the last time a Republican won the Presidency without taking Ohio in the Primary was in 19xx (xx = a very long time ago)

First, as long as the US continues to commit capital punishment we don't have a leg to stand on. And at least beheadings are instant. Secondly, please refer above to the Middle East is not Saudi Arabia. Beheadings are legal in Saudi Arabia (our ally), Qatar (our ally), Iran and Yemen. And I believe only in Saudi and Iran are they public spectacle. And of course in the US they are very much public spectacle. Most of the spectators just don't get to be inside watching the mayhem.

I would rather have no capital punishment and treat our citizens with dignity. Until then I'd rather have the ones who we choose not to slaughter be treated with dignity. And that means healthcare and education.

President Obama's Supreme Court nomination...basically y'all take this 63-year-old highly qualified moderate jurist or wait for Hillary to nominate a 40-year-old liberal who will give y'all the bizness end for 30+ years. ....assuming y'all don't want to bet on Trump.

I see what you did, Mr. President.

this (major +1, again)

And this.

As for voting: it is a civic duty and responsibility. My feelings have nothing to do with it. It's on me to be informed, and act accordingly.

News flash, ISIS and many others are already trying to attack us repeatedly.

1968, at the beginning of the modern concept of primary elections. (Jim Rhodes, who was Governor of Ohio at the time, so equally a favorite son)

But the fact is that the universe of (Republican elected, but doesn't win the nomination in a 35+ state walk) is pretty small. (prior to the 1960s things were fairly different).

What about the Senate and House races? Is anyone keeping a close eye on any races?

I'm interested to see if Nevada switches to GOP with Harry Reid's retirement. I think the GOP will still control the Senate. I'm thinking Loretta Sanchez will be elected to Barbara Boxer's seat in California.

I really hope Grassley from Iowa gets kicked to the curb. He's been a nightmare ever since the Clarence Thomas hearings. He sold out eons ago but Iowans are not big on change (in my entire lifetime there have been 4 governors - and I'm 50). So I'm hoping they suck it up and get him out of there this go round. I'd also like to see Roy Blunt of Missouri ousted but I personally despise the guy running against him so it's a choice between which sleazy gets it. But the new guy would at least be despicable on the left side of the aisle.

I think not acting at all on the new Supreme Court nominee is going to have repercussions down the ballot.

I agree. also hearing there are subtle signs, that GOP-led Senate might consider President Obama's nominee in a lame-duck session.

I know Ohio's Rob Portman, already in a tough race, will feel more pressure. As the nominee gains broader exposure through media, GOP position to not hold hearings will become more untenable, IMO.

The senator who said he'd vote for the guy when it's not President Obama doing the nominating really shot all of them in the foot because it makes it black and white that it's childish behavior. I mean, we all KNEW that, but to verbalize it really makes them sound like a collective group of 4 year olds.

I like Rob Portman. He isn't one of those GOP senators who goes off the rails when he doesn't get his way (i.e. McConnell). And he focuses a lot of his time on what's happening in his own state, like helping Amazon open a new fulfillment center there.

I get the feeling there were always more collaborators in the GOP than that particular senator thought.

I will vote when it comes right down to it, but right now I don't really care for anyone who is running.

I live in Maryland...
I'm a Dem, my wife is Independent. Our comment about Presidential elections is that if the Vote in the Nation is close, it isn't in Maryland and if it is close in Maryland it isn't nationally....

I understand why people are protesting Trump's rallies, but I don't agree in preventing people from going to them. If that's how folks want to spend 2 or 3 hours of their time, let them. He's likely going to win Arizona anyway, so it's not like it's effectively going to stop people from voting for him.

Or any parent with children in the Ohio public schools during the same time. I could never in good conscience vote for him.

If I decide to vote, and it wouldn't feel right if I don't, then I'll be voting against a candidate and not for a candidate.

Don't forget, too, that Congressional and state/local races are likely FAR, FAR more important than the presidential race.

Sit out the presidential if you must, but please don't sit out the election. Though remember, those who do vote then have the say, and as George Carlin put it 'Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.'

I miss George Carlin.

I've decided to vote for Johnson. This is the first election I will vote for neither a Republican or Democrat.