oldmanfan

Just a point of fact correction. Payne never won the Masters. He won I believe 2 PGAs and 2 US Opens; the Open he win at Pinehurst with the 15 foot putt on 18 was just months before his death.

Certainly unique in the golf world. NFL gear and knickers! And one of the smoothest swings ever.

It depends if the Republican party runs candidates like Greene. Since apparently you will have to get Trump’s blessing and he wants nut cases like that, such candidates will only win ruby red districts.

If he did something criminal he should be charged.

If true he should resign and be arrested.

Republicans will win when and if they decide to be Republicans again. Democrats will win if they don’t overreach into overly progressive stuff. I am Independent, voted for plenty of Republicans in my life. And Democrats. You keep trying to label anyone who doesn’t fall in line with Trump as a liberal Democrat. It’s precisely that approach that dooms Republicans for the near future.

No problem. I admit to being sensitive on that issue; it’s something I cannot stand.

Don’t call me a liar.

I disagree with your last sentence. He gives them the worst chance of winning. He just lost the Presidency, and the Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate during his presidency (well, the Senate shortly after because of the Georgia special runoff, which occurred under his tenure). His "base" may love him, but traditional Republicans are starting to change registration to Independent, if he runs again he will lose the suburban voters once again, and as with the last election it will drive higher Democrat turnout. Why Republicans have this slavish obsession with this guy is a mystery. You can get things like immigration and tax policies, Supreme Court, etc. with an actual conservative Republican candidate instead of a failed, not really republican, not really conservative candidate. If you keep Trump, you lose the presidency again, and if he gets more candidates like Greene to run for Congress, you'll widen the Democratic majority in both the House and Senate. When the Tea Party came to the forefront, they got people like Murdoch in Indiana and Akin in Missouri put up as Senate candidates, and they got killed because rational people realized there was no way they could vote for such people. You'll get the same thing if a preponderance of Q Anon types get put up in 2022.

It does. I'm a scientist; I believe in things like facts and data. It is astounding how many people in this country cannot separate fact from opinion, and you rightfully target social media as a main cause. During the pandemic I have participated in my town's local social media site, primarily to stand up for science. And the number of people who make ridiculous claims that the virus is a hoax, or that vaccines have little green men in them or other such nonsense, and then refuse to acknowledge actual scientific facts about how viruses replicate and such, is beyond ridiculous. Historians may very well look back at this time and conclude social media almost destroyed society, if it does not actually do so.

He’s gone. I don’t see interest from either side in staying.

Shakespeare would say: me thinks you protest too much. I do not ever see our country devolving into the extreme, either on the left or the right. I agree with a healthy exchange of ideas. But ideas and opinions have to be based on a shared group of facts. When you have people sharing incendiary threatening views based on fantasies and not reality that is not healthy.

I would disagree with your view of the left as much as I disagree with Trump followers being truly the right. It is no small coincidence that the Democrats took back the House in 2018 because they had more moderate House candidates going up against Trump supporters. And that they won back the Presidency with Biden. There are some loud very left wing folks in the Democratic Party but they do not control the party. Peloton is left wing but not radically so; she is a pragmatist. And if it were a far left wing candidate like AOC running against a rational Republican no question who I vote for. But referring again to recent data, supposedly over 70% of Republicans want Trump. I presume they will back whomever he backs in Congressional and Senate races, and presuming they would spew the same craziness Trump does they will lose. I hope Republicans heed your word and don’t let Trump run again. But how many people have to run to Florida to kiss his ring to suggest that won’t happen?

Open your eyes. Supposedly over 70% of so-called Republicans say they are for Trump. Jim Jordan says Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Romney says if he decides to run again he’ll be the nominee. I’m independent, lean conservative on certain things especially fiscal issues. The infatuation with Trump has nothing to do with being conservative or right wing. It is worshipping a guy who lost the legislative and executive branches for Republicans, and who will never pull enough votes from Independents, moderate Republicans, and conservatives (who understand what the word means) to win another election. This continued worship basically assures the Republicans loss.

I say the same. Get people that know about investigations, a few people from both sides of the aisle that are not currently in office and have good reputations, and investigate. I think we can all agree this should never happen again, so let’s find out what we can do to prevent it. You are making a prediction. As one trained in science I want data.

We don't know what will be uncovered until you do the investigation.

This is a no brainer. Put together a panel of experts in law enforcement, add a few retired Congressmen from both sides of the aisle, and figure out what happened and why, and what needs to be done to stop this from ever happening again. Everything doesn't have to be about political arguing.

Is there any free agent not looking for top dollar?

For Trump supporters, you must realize he will never be elected president again. The reason he won in 2016 is because the Democrats ran the one person against him who created more negative emotions in the public than he did. If they had run anyone else he would have lost. And why would you want to support him again? During his 4 years in office he succeeded in losing control of the House, Senate, and the Oval Office to the Democratic Party. Save your arguments about fraud and such because those arguments are disproven. There are plenty of Republicans to support for President in 2024 that would support policies that should be attractive to Trump supporters, actual conservatives. Yet there are many who want to split off from the GOP and follow Trump? Why? You must realize that in doing so the vast majority of folks like me, independents who look at the person and not party per se in voting, will never be able to support Trump or the type of candidate he’d support. You must realize that if you put people up for office like this Greene woman, the Q Anon supporter, you will never get back Congress or the White House. Rational moderate voters, of which there are many, will never vote for such individuals. You saw this a decade ago with folks like Murdoch and Akin running for Senate, absolute kooks who got trounced. Why would you want to make that mistake again? Your slavish devotion to this guy is impossible for me to understand. You will lose; he’s proven that. Throw the hand In now before you lose even bigger.

I think we have to act in a manner that promotes equality, and call out inequality when we see it. I walked in the peaceful protests this past summer in my town; was proud to do so as I have friends of color that have been mistreated. I have a lot of faith in the younger generation. I have two daughters ages 25 and 19, and they and their friends truly do not see race. I hope their generation can do what mine has not. Agree completely. My wife is a college counselor at a high school where 90% of the kids go on to college. The other day she had a bright kid in her office who wants to be an electrician, and they found some great associate's programs with internships for him. He'll wind up doing great. Directing more kids towards the trades is a very worthwhile undertaking.

Here, here.

I think we should all be able to agree that in the United States no one should have to freeze to death in their own home, or that no one should have to go without basic supplies such as water.

I think all but the most twisted-minded would agree that slavery is a horrific stain on the history of the country. That said, I'm not sure how giving descendants trillions of dollars somehow would take away that stain. What we need to do is end any kind of racism once and for all in the country, and create a country where all citizens have truly equal rights and equal access to the American dream.

When I posted I specifically indicated the exception of the pandemic. And people were complaining about there freedoms being taken away before it hit. Small businesses need help and in the deal under the previous administration too much of the $$ went to big business instead. I faithfully go to church every week but during the pandemic have done so virtually. Or when I go in person do so masked and keep socially distanced. And I don’t know where you live but where I live other groups had to follow the same rules. You misunderstand the first amendment and freedom of speech as many do. You have the right to say anything against anyone, but you have to accept the consequences of such. I am all for free exchange of ideas but they have to have some basis in reality. So if one spreads false information on things like Covid treatments that needs to be checked because it can kill people. I think you have the right to defend your property and I have said repeatedly that protest is fine but violence is not and that those doing such should go to jail. Social media sites need to be looked at to determine if they are monopolies and need to be regulated more strictly, but they are businesses that can set their way an rules. Would you want someone from outside setting your business’s rules? Everyone in this country has the same rights under the Constitution. No more, no less.

Interesting. Fits some needs but I’m surprised you didn’t try to get an edge or OLB.