Breaking Down the 2016 POTUS Race Contenders & Issues

[bballwaterboy]

Who are the top contenders for 2016 POTUS and what are the major issues (and each contenders' stance on them)?

Discuss, discuss, discuss...

All I know is that Hillary and Trump look like the most popular at the moment.

 

[Bystander]

"Major issues?" The contenders themselves and their specific lacks of character, appeal, and qualifications appear to be emerging as the major issues. The stances of each are that all of the others belong in jail.

 

[bballwaterboy]

"Major issues?" The contenders themselves and their specific lacks of character, appeal, and qualifications appear to be emerging as the major issues. The stances of each are that all of the others belong in jail.

Oh? Examples?

 

[Astronuc]

94 Presidential Candidates, with about another 7 or so potential candidates

http://2016.republican-candidates.org/
36 declared, 1 potental - republican
• Skip Andrews - DECLARED
• George Bailey - DECLARED
• Michael Bickelmeyer - DECLARED
• Kerry Bowers - DECLARED
• Jeb Bush - DECLARED
• Dr. Ben Carson - DECLARED
• Eric Cavanagh - DECLARED
• Dale Christensen - DECLARED
• Chris Christie - DECLARED
• Ted Cruz - DECLARED
• Brooks Cullison - DECLARED
• John Dummett, Jr. - DECLARED
• Bob Ehrlich - potential
• Mark Everson - DECLARED
• Jack Fellure - DECLARED
• Carly Fiorina - DECLARED
• Jim Gilmore - DECLARED
• Lindsey Graham - DECLARED
• Jim Hayden - DECLARED
• Chris Hill - DECLARED
• Mike Huckabee - DECLARED
• Bobby Jindal - DECLARED
• John Kasich - DECLARED
• Bartholomew James Lower - DECLARED
• Andy Martin - DECLARED
• James C. Mitchell, Jr. - DECLARED
• K. Ross Newland - DECLARED
• Esteban Oliverez - DECLARED
• George Pataki - DECLARED
• Rand Paul - DECLARED
• Michael Petyo - DECLARED
• Marco Rubio - DECLARED
• Brian Russell - DECLARED
• Rick Santorum - DECLARED
• Jefferson Sherman - DECLARED
• Donald Trump - DECLARED
• Scott Walker - DECLARED

Rick Perry, former governor of Texas suspended his campaign.

http://2016.democratic-candidates.org/
19 declared, 2 potential democrat candidates
• Howell Astor - DECLARED
• Joe Biden - potential, but places in the polls.
• Morrison Bonpasse - DECLARED
• Jeff Boss - DECLARED
• Harry Braun - DECLARED
• Andy Caffrey - DECLARED
• Willie Carter - DECLARED
• Lincoln Chafee - DECLARED
• Hillary Clinton - DECLARED
• Cody Robert Judy - DECLARED
• Lloyd Kelso - DECLARED
• Larry Lessig - DECLARED
• Martin O'Malley - DECLARED
• Bernie Sanders - DECLARED
• Doug Shreffler - DECLARED
• Michael Steinberg - DECLARED
• Elizabeth Warren - potential
• Jim Webb - DECLARED
• Robby Wells - DECLARED
• Willie Wilson - DECLARED
• Brad Winslow - DECLARED

http://2016.presidential-candidates.org/?other=other
39 declared, 4 potential third-party, green or otherwise independent candidates
• Ed Baker - DECLARED
• Chuck Baldwin - potential
• David Boarman - DECLARED
• Brian Briggs - DECLARED
• Dean Capone - DECLARED
• Paul Chehade - DECLARED
• Scott Copeland - DECLARED
• James "JD" Criveau - DECLARED
• Ken Cross - DECLARED
• Robert Dionisio - DECLARED
• Art Drew - DECLARED
• Mark Dutter - DECLARED
• Marc Feldman - DECLARED
• Martin Hahn - DECLARED
• David Holcomb - DECLARED
• Cecil Ince - DECLARED
• Zoltan Istvan - DECLARED
• Gary Johnson - potential
• Lynn Sandra Kahn - DECLARED
• Chris Keniston - DECLARED
• Steve Kerbel - DECLARED
• Chad Koppie - DECLARED
• Bishop Julian Lewis, Jr. - DECLARED
• John McAfee - DECLARED
• Cynthia McKinney - potential
• Perry Morcom - DECLARED
• J.R. Myers - DECLARED
• Mark Pendleton - DECLARED
• Jeremiah Pent - DECLARED
• Darryl Perry - DECLARED
• Derrick Michael Reid - DECLARED
• Ryan Shepard - DECLARED
• Scott Smith - DECLARED
• David Jon Sponheim - DECLARED
• Tami Stainfield - DECLARED
• Robert Steele - DECLARED
• Jill Stein - DECLARED
• Shawna Sterling - DECLARED
• Samm Tittle - DECLARED
• Joy Waymire - DECLARED
• Benjamin Weigel - DECLARED
• R. Lee Wrights - potential
• Daniel Zutler - DECLARED

 

[bballwaterboy]

Great. Let's start the analysis.

 

[Evo]

94 Presidential Candidates, with about another 7 or so potential candidates

http://2016.republican-candidates.org/
36 declared, 1 potental - republican
• Skip Andrews - DECLARED
• George Bailey - DECLARED
• Michael Bickelmeyer - DECLARED
• Kerry Bowers - DECLARED
• Jeb Bush - DECLARED
• Dr. Ben Carson - DECLARED
• Eric Cavanagh - DECLARED
• Dale Christensen - DECLARED
• Chris Christie - DECLARED
• Ted Cruz - DECLARED
• Brooks Cullison - DECLARED
• John Dummett, Jr. - DECLARED
• Bob Ehrlich - potential
• Mark Everson - DECLARED
• Jack Fellure - DECLARED
• Carly Fiorina - DECLARED
• Jim Gilmore - DECLARED
• Lindsey Graham - DECLARED
• Jim Hayden - DECLARED
• Chris Hill - DECLARED
• Mike Huckabee - DECLARED
• Bobby Jindal - DECLARED
• John Kasich - DECLARED
• Bartholomew James Lower - DECLARED
• Andy Martin - DECLARED
• James C. Mitchell, Jr. - DECLARED
• K. Ross Newland - DECLARED
• Esteban Oliverez - DECLARED
• George Pataki - DECLARED
• Rand Paul - DECLARED
• Michael Petyo - DECLARED
• Marco Rubio - DECLARED
• Brian Russell - DECLARED
• Rick Santorum - DECLARED
• Jefferson Sherman - DECLARED
• Donald Trump - DECLARED
• Scott Walker - DECLARED

Rick Perry, former governor of Texas suspended his campaign.

http://2016.democratic-candidates.org/
19 declared, 2 potential democrat candidates
• Howell Astor - DECLARED
• Joe Biden - potential, but places in the polls.
• Morrison Bonpasse - DECLARED
• Jeff Boss - DECLARED
• Harry Braun - DECLARED
• Andy Caffrey - DECLARED
• Willie Carter - DECLARED
• Lincoln Chafee - DECLARED
• Hillary Clinton - DECLARED
• Cody Robert Judy - DECLARED
• Lloyd Kelso - DECLARED
• Larry Lessig - DECLARED
• Martin O'Malley - DECLARED
• Bernie Sanders - DECLARED
• Doug Shreffler - DECLARED
• Michael Steinberg - DECLARED
• Elizabeth Warren - potential
• Jim Webb - DECLARED
• Robby Wells - DECLARED
• Willie Wilson - DECLARED
• Brad Winslow - DECLARED

http://2016.presidential-candidates.org/?other=other
39 declared, 4 potential third-party, green or otherwise independent candidates
• Ed Baker - DECLARED
• Chuck Baldwin - potential
• David Boarman - DECLARED
• Brian Briggs - DECLARED
• Dean Capone - DECLARED
• Paul Chehade - DECLARED
• Scott Copeland - DECLARED
• James "JD" Criveau - DECLARED
• Ken Cross - DECLARED
• Robert Dionisio - DECLARED
• Art Drew - DECLARED
• Mark Dutter - DECLARED
• Marc Feldman - DECLARED
• Martin Hahn - DECLARED
• David Holcomb - DECLARED
• Cecil Ince - DECLARED
• Zoltan Istvan - DECLARED
• Gary Johnson - potential
• Lynn Sandra Kahn - DECLARED
• Chris Keniston - DECLARED
• Steve Kerbel - DECLARED
• Chad Koppie - DECLARED
• Bishop Julian Lewis, Jr. - DECLARED
• John McAfee - DECLARED
• Cynthia McKinney - potential
• Perry Morcom - DECLARED
• J.R. Myers - DECLARED
• Mark Pendleton - DECLARED
• Jeremiah Pent - DECLARED
• Darryl Perry - DECLARED
• Derrick Michael Reid - DECLARED
• Ryan Shepard - DECLARED
• Scott Smith - DECLARED
• David Jon Sponheim - DECLARED
• Tami Stainfield - DECLARED
• Robert Steele - DECLARED
• Jill Stein - DECLARED
• Shawna Sterling - DECLARED
• Samm Tittle - DECLARED
• Joy Waymire - DECLARED
• Benjamin Weigel - DECLARED
• R. Lee Wrights - potential
• Daniel Zutler - DECLARED

Astro, every year hundreds of people run for president. Please let's wait until we get down to a reasonable number of SERIOUS candidates. we cannot follow every person that wants to run on some platform.

 

[Astronuc]

Astro, every year hundreds of people run for president. Please let's wait until we get down to a reasonable number of SERIOUS candidates. we cannot follow every person that wants to run on some platform.

I just provided the list for completeness. One can look at any candidate of interest. Apparently all those folks are serious, but perhaps the top 6 GOP and top 6 Dems should be considered as having some probability. I was surprised by the numbers. I knew the GOP field was crowded (but I thought it was about 18 or so, rather than 36), but I wasn't aware of the number of democrats (I knew of 6) or third party candidates (I figure there would be a bunch, and some I've heard about before).

 

[Evo]

I just provided the list for completeness. One can look at any candidate of interest. Apparently all those folks are serious, but perhaps the top 6 GOP and top 6 Dems should be considered as having some probability. I was surprised by the numbers. I knew the GOP field was crowded (but I thought it was about 18 or so, rather than 36), but I wasn't aware of the number of democrats (I knew of 6) or third party candidates (I figure there would be a bunch, and some I've heard about before).

By serious, I meant those the American public take seriously. We really need to wait until the chaff is sorted out before we start making threads.

 

[phinds]

By serious, I meant those the American public take seriously. We really need to wait until the chaff is sorted out before we start making threads.

Hey, are you disparaging The Donald's hair again? He HATES having it called chaff.

 

[Astronuc]

How Bernie Sanders and Ben Carson explain the crazy 2016 election.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/forget-trump-how-bernie-sanders-and-ben-carson-129070072541.html

This is not a normal election cycle.

 

[Dotini]

Here are some major issues which I and maybe other voting US citizens are grappling with, and I think the candidates are also:

- Nationalism/patriotism vs internationalism/open-borders. Which is more likely to lead to peace and prosperity for US citizens? Is there something more important than peace and prosperity?

- Stability of the present sovereign nation-state/voting citizen system vs more global systems of governance based on interest groups/lobbies such as wealth, class, religion. Is the future to be continuous regime changes, failed states, wars and revolutions until the nation-state system is superseded?

 

[Astronuc]

Jeb leaves a vacuum. Who fills it?
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/jeb-leaves-a-vacuum-who-fills-it-if-you-were-in-129274994226.html

Interesting thoughts on the GOP candiates.That's Entertainment! GOP debate most-watched show in CNN's history
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/gop-debate-most-watched-show-in-cnns-history-129301344896.html

 

[Astronuc]

Some up, some down
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/20/politics/carly-fiorina-donald-trump-republican-2016-poll/index.html

Washington (CNN) Carly Fiorina shot into second place in the Republican presidential field on the heels of another strong debate performance, and Donald Trump has lost some support, . . . .

In a recent CNN/ORC poll, conducted in the three days after 23 million people tuned into Wednesday night's GOP debate on CNN, results show that Trump is still the party's front-runner with 24% support. That, though, is an 8 percentage point decrease from earlier in the month when a similar poll had him at 32%.

Fiorina ranks second with 15% support -- up from 3% in early September. She's just ahead of Ben Carson's 14%, though Carson's support has also declined from 19% in the previous poll.

Driving Trump's drop and Fiorina's rise: a debate in which 31% of Republicans who watched said Trump was the loser, and 52% identified Fiorina as the winner.

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/trump-falls-fiorina-jumps-in-gop-race-cnnorc-129495944546.html

 

[Astronuc]

Scott Walker ends presidential campaign, calls on other Republicans to do the same
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-dropped-out-of-the-129589793111.html

Interesting speech by Walker.

Walker said. “I encourage other Republican presidential candidates to do the same so that voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current frontrunner. This is fundamentally important to the future of the party — more importantly, to the future of our country.”

 

[Astronuc]

A thrifty Marco Rubio is poised to capitalize on Walker’s exit
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/a-thrifty-marco-rubio-is-poised-to-capitalize-on-129618229986.html

Thrifty would be good for a change.

 

[bballwaterboy]

A thrifty Marco Rubio is poised to capitalize on Walker’s exit
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/a-thrifty-marco-rubio-is-poised-to-capitalize-on-129618229986.html

Thrifty would be good for a change.

I like Rubio's strength on certain issues, but I worry that he's too dogmatic - not open to seeking the truth - and possibly a bit stubborn on issues. Just general impressions I get. I could be wrong.

Much is often made of candidates flip-flopping, but if it's a result of enlightened understanding, then that ought to be a good thing. I like candidates who are strong/passionate, yet not so dogmatically tied to a particular ideology or political orientation that they cannot make the best decision if it's different from their preconceived notions of things.

I sometimes get the sense that Rubio is too stubbornly rigid in his thinking. Obama, on the other hand, seems open to finding the best and correct solution to things. I disagree with him on many issues, but I, nevertheless, feel it's a thinker constantly looking for truth and the best solutions.

 

[Astronuc]

Speaking of circuses.

Trump courts Christian right - he showed up with a Bible in his hand and a black and white photo of his confirmation.
http://news.yahoo.com/playboy-no-more-trump-courts-christian-074522507--election.html

Meanwhile, Bobby Jindal criticizes Trumps religiosity.
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/fir...-jindal-questions-donald-trumps-christianity/

Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz refused to criticize Trump or say whether they believe Obama is a Christian, instead slamming reporters for asking about the incident. Jindal said it wasn't a candidate's "role" to correct a questioner -- but also said he would have pointed out the U.S.'s anti-discrimination values.

And Chris Christie, Lindsey Graham and Jeb Bush emphatically said they believe Obama was born in the U.S. and criticized Trump for not standing up to the questioner.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/18/polit...-barack-obama-2016-candidates-chris-christie/

And down the street -

Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee are making Religious Liberty a campaign issue.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/religious-liberty-ted-cruz-s-conservative-129941620471.html

 

[Astronuc]

http://news.yahoo.com/six-cash-strapped-republican-white-house-hopefuls-face-225408376.html

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Six longshot Republican presidential candidates: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, former New York Governor George Pataki, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, are edging toward financial crisis, raising the specter that some may be forced to drop out of the sprawling field of contenders. They have apparently failed to gain traction and popular support.

 

[Astronuc]

Some other presidential candidates likely to drop out soon
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/some-...dates-likely-to-drop-out-soon-150817079.html#

Joe Biden is staying on the sidelines but will comment occasionally.

 

[Astronuc]

Trump: We’d be better off if Hussein and Gadhafi were still in power - and claims is all blew up around Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/trump-wed-be-better-off-if-hussein-and-gaddafi-194807268.html

Donald Trump believes the world would be better off if Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi were still in power.

“One hundred percent,” Trump said when asked by Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union” if the Middle East was safer under the ruthless dictators’ rule than it is now.

 

[russ_watters]

Trump: We’d be better off if Hussein and Gadhafi were still in power - and claims is all blew up around Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/trump-wed-be-better-off-if-hussein-and-gaddafi-194807268.html

Poor spin attempt and misquote by CNN aside, basically everything Trump said there is factually accurate - it's not even opinion.

[edit] For clarity, the misquote is the title of the article:

Trump: World would be '100%' better with Husseini, Gadhaffi in power

 

[bballwaterboy]

Poor spin attempt and misquote by CNN aside, basically everything Trump said there is factually accurate - it's not even opinion.

[edit] For clarity, the misquote is the title of the article:

Don't know anything about Gadhafi, but I think it's a sort of pick your poison kind of scenario with preferring Hussein over the post-Hussein chaos of Iraq. ISIS moved right in from the vacuum left by Hussein and the U.S. pulling forces out of Iraq.

I think we have the same dynamic in Syria. You have Bashar al-Assad, a brutal dictator of the same ilk as Hussein (using chemical weapons on his own people and squashing political free speech), repressing the democratic aspirations of his people, yet also holding off/fighting ISIS. Who's worse for Syria - Assad or ISIS?

I tend to think ISIS is worse than these ruthless dictators are for Middle East nations, but I can see how people might argue the other side. Neither scenario is really good, so it's a pick your poison kind of thing.

 

[Astronuc]

New Poll results: https://www.yahoo.com/politics/clinton-carson-lead-rubio-and-cruz-on-the-rise-160535301.html

Democratic presidential race
• Clinton: 62%
• Sanders: 31%
• O’Malley: 3%

Republican presidential race
• Carson: 29%
• Trump: 23%
• Rubio: 11%
• Cruz: 10%
• Bush: 8%

Meanwhile, Trump is using his campaign as a book tour for "Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again."

 

[Evo]

Ben Carson, he's in first place? That's really scary.

Ben Carson's unusual theory about pyramids

Ben Carson stood by his long-held belief about ancient pyramids in Egypt, that they were used to store grain, rather than to inter pharaohs.

Asked about this Wednesday, Carson told CBS News, "It's still my belief, yes."

The subject came up when Buzzfeed published a 1998 commencement speech delivered by Carson at Andrews University, a college founded by Seventh-day Adventists.

"My own personal theory is that Joseph built the pyramids to store grain," Carson said. "Now all the archeologists think that they were made for the pharaohs' graves. But, you know, it would have to be something awfully big if you stop and think about it. And I don't think it'd just disappear over the course of time to store that much grain."

In the same speech, he went on to say, "When you look at the way that the pyramids are made, with many chambers that are hermetically sealed, they'd have to be that way for various reasons. And various of scientists have said, 'Well, you know there were alien beings that came down and they have special knowledge and that's how--' you know, it doesn't require an alien being when God is with you."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ben-carsons-unusual-theory-about-pyramids/

 

[phinds]

Ben Carson, he's in first place? That's really scary.

Hell, they're ALL really scary. Well, OK, maybe not Jeb. Nobody's afraid of Jeb this time around

 

[Evo]

Hell, they're ALL really scary. Well, OK, maybe not Jeb. Nobody's afraid of Jeb this time around

I read Jeb's website, he's VERY scary, he goes against everything I believe in.

 

[phinds]

I read Jeb's website, he's VERY scary, he goes against everything I believe in.

I know. I was referring to the fact that he is coming across as such a wimp this time.

 

[mheslep]

I read Jeb's website, he's VERY scary, he goes against everything I believe in.

Yep, I feel the same way about the Bosnian war hero Clinton. Cage match!

 

[mheslep]

Poor spin attempt and misquote by CNN aside, basically everything Trump said there is factually accurate - it's not even opinion.

[edit] For clarity, the misquote is the title of the article:

I'm not sure how you get to factually accurate. Gadhafi and Libya, maybe so. But Hussein? So ISIS holds some northern parts of Iraq, and one weighs that against a revisionist future in which Iraq is better off with Hussein? I think you'd have to cherry pick a point in time in which Hussein happened to be sitting quietly in the palace, a time he was not invading Kuwait, gassing 4000 Kurds, invading Iran, running a nuclear weapons program, financing Palestinian suicide bombers, firing daily at US and allied no-fly-zone aircraft, or trying to kill a former US President. None of this addresses the cost in US and Iraqi lives and treasure required to remove Hussein and the Ba'athists, but Trump didn't go there with CNN.

 

[Student100]

Yep, I feel the same way about the Bosnian war hero Clinton. Cage match!

I still like Paul, Sanders, Rubio, or Christie, I like how Rubio defended Sanders recently:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/04/politics/marco-rubio-socialism-bernie-sanders/

Those three seem very principled, and you get the feeling that their positions are really their own. Whereas, with say Hillary, you get the feeling that she is saying whatever she needs to say to get elected. Of course, that's the smart thing to do in the current system, but I don't particularly care for it.