KiwiJohn
George Takei 
🏳️🌈🖖🏽The GOP is in a bind. If Trump doesn’t win the nomination, he will likely run as a third party candidate.
You can’t ride the tiger, Republicans. It will always turn back and eat you.
Studio 8502 
@georgetakei Turnip splitting the fascist vote is the best case scenario.
QCATOPR 
@mos_8502 @georgetakei I take back everything bad I ever said about autocorrect
gavinisdie 
@mos_8502 @georgetakei Turnip, Never heard that one
@mos_8502 'Turnip' 😂
BoRIStheWiZARD@georgetakei he will win the nomination.
AccordionBruce@BoRIStheWiZARD @georgetakei
Imagining that Trump will not win the nomination sounds like the denialism that led to him winning the presidency in 2016
Imagining that Trump will not win the nomination sounds like the denialism that led to him winning the presidency in 2016
@AccordionBruce @georgetakei hes polling 30% among conservatives which is the same polling he did in 2016. For some odd reason people think the other 70% are reasonable. That 70% just have issue how to deliver their message.
Sören@AccordionBruce @BoRIStheWiZARD @georgetakei maybe. If you look at the rallies so far, he isn’t doing so hot. And it’s much harder to brand yourself as the drain the swamp outsider when you’ve already *had* a term. I think there’s a decent chance people will go with DeSantis instead — and *if* Trump then runs as third party, he’ll spoil that vote and hand Dems a win.
@chucker @AccordionBruce @georgetakei Like I said trump was polling 30% in 2016 among conservatives. still polling 30% now. DeSantis is a moron that copies anything Trump does. There is a possible way for him to win but I doubt it.
Shofs@BoRIStheWiZARD @chucker @AccordionBruce @georgetakei DeSantis is evil but not a moron. He just won a second term by a huge margin in popular vote, Trump didn’t even win popular vote when he won and he lost his re-election bid. DeSantis went to Yale and Harvard Law, he’s no dummy. He’s a total douche, but that’s not a negative for Republicans.
Wyre@georgetakei Trump as a third party candidate is the best outcome. it would make him very weak. his base isn't quite as big as everyone thinks it is. it would effectively put him into a spot of having to save face by burning what is probably his last chance at office on a propaganda campaign. let's hope they don't choose Ron, fortunately Ron hasn't declared himself yet so it will most likely be Nikki Haley. This means we are probably looking at a democratic win tbh.
Patricia Lavatai@wyre @georgetakei
Even if Santis is nominated, he is not all that strong.
Trump has pretty much destroyed the Republican Party, and has made it unrecognizable. The party used to have, and deserve, a certain amount of respect, because they at least had clear values. Now, they have nothing. They embrace the worst of humanity.
Even if Santis is nominated, he is not all that strong.
Trump has pretty much destroyed the Republican Party, and has made it unrecognizable. The party used to have, and deserve, a certain amount of respect, because they at least had clear values. Now, they have nothing. They embrace the worst of humanity.
🎓 Doc Freemo 
🇳🇱@georgetakei The idea of another trump is depressing. More so than another Biden, but biden for another term is oretty scary too. One day hope ill see a decent candidate from either side, or even better a third party win.
BeckyMSM@freemo Biden has done a great job. I do wish we could get a younger Dem to run. Pete Buttigieg , Josh Shapiro but our bigoted country would never elect a gay man or a Jewish man.
@beckymsm i disagree, bidens career has been an absolute disgrace (and his very low approval rating reflects that).
That said Pete Buttigeg was my top choice for dems, so we agree on that point.
@freemo We will have to agree to disagree. He has done something no President has done in years. the infrastructure bill is huge. Dems don't message well and do not reach those that need to hear. You are part of the crowd they need to talk to, you would not be so down on him .
@beckymsm I actually know him personally, he has been over for dinner and spent thr night. So im a bit of an unusual case when it comes to Biden haters ;)
saul b 
🎡@atompunkray @freemo I stand by my stance on messaging. I also agree the railroad thing was horrible! I was/am totally disgusted by that action.
@beckymsm @freemo you’re free to do so. Just don’t be surprised when you have trouble convincing ppl to vote Democrat. Maybe the Dems should focus less on how they can spin “business as usual” to appeal to millennials and zoomers, and focus more on actually sticking up for working people and marginalized people.
@atompunkray @freemo So vote GOP, because they are doing a great job solving issues. Keeping women's rights, Oops, no. Keeping voting rights, oops, No. Encouraging learning, oops, no they banned the books. Protecting LGBT, oops, no.
@freemo @atompunkray tell me how the DNC is banning books, taking away healthcare, taking away education and implementing voter suppression.
The ways the dnc is doing harm is different than the ways the gop harm. Plus ive made it clear im no fan of the gop. So listing a bunch of ways the gop sucks, which i mostly agree with, is doing nothing to progress your argument.
Its always very telling when the overwhelming majority of people who support the dnc spend all their time arguing how much the gop sucks, a sure sign they have nothing to offer themselves.. Its almost like they dont realize we have several other options besides the two parties destroying peoples lives.
"Join the DNC, where we destroy lives marginally less then the GOP. Oh and remember if you dont vote for us ya ain't black" ::eye roll::
@freemo @atompunkray Generalizing is really a bad way to think you are winning an argument. Tell me what "other" options? A 3rd party? A dictator?
Just look on the ballot every election, you get more than two choices to pick from, some people on the ballot are from other parties, some on the ballot have no party affiliation at all. Christ you can write in a name if your in a pinch.
@freemo @atompunkray Yes, you can. I know how to read. If that is your only solution to affect change, I fear that is also a losing argument. I guess I could just move out the Country too.
I dont recall saying it was my only solution. I am pointing out how silly the argument is that the dnc being evil is somehow ok and a good choice simply because of a bunch of reasons the gop is evil... the decision isnt between two choices so the existence of an even more (maybe) evil party is no excuse to promote your marginally less evil one.
@freemo @atompunkray Evil to me is allowing the GOP to continue to do what they do. That is evil. Is the DNC perfect, NOPE. Neither are any of the other choices. I don't see the Dems as "evil". Not sure what you see as evil.
Letting the GOP continue what it is does would indeed be evil, so would letting the DNC. There you go again focusing on the GOP like it is remotely relevant.
@freemo @atompunkray I don''t think dems are evil. You haven't told me why you think they are. To say it doesn't make it so.
Lets start with the fact that they elected a man who is on record as saying he doesnt want "Racial jungles" and started his entire career trying to **stop** desegregation.. .Then once he realized how unpopular that was he pandered to minorities to a disgusting and disingenuous degree simply because its popular... Yes they elected the first man in my life time who literally got his start trying to keep segregation alive.
I could spend hours writing you a long list, but if I even need to list a single thing past this point and you dont think the dems are evil, then any other points I list are going to fall on deaf ears anyway.
@freemo @georgetakei
I would love to see Pete B.
If they would start grooming Jaime Harris, he would make a great President in a few years.
We have far too many career politicians. Candidates need to understand the game, but not yet be jaded by it.
I would love to see Pete B.
If they would start grooming Jaime Harris, he would make a great President in a few years.
We have far too many career politicians. Candidates need to understand the game, but not yet be jaded by it.
Pete B really woukd have been a great choice. I think his las name, as silly as it seems, and the fact that he is gay cost him the vote. That is depressing for the future.
Elliot@freemo @georgetakei Elizabeth Warren was right there.
Im not sure she woukd have been any better... Warren, Biden, and Bearnie were the tbree choices that would have all been horrible dem choices. The others were pretty tolerable and some even good decent choices imo.
JohnW@freemo @georgetakei As long as the DNC is around to market and elevate establishment Democrats, we're pretty much stuck in the same cycle of choices that have been forced down our throats time and time again.
@freemo @georgetakei Me too. And it really grates that we're paying (through taxes), the DNC/RNC to limit our options.
WestTexasJesus@freemo @georgetakei just take a closer look at how the system is constructed and have no fear as the ruling class will be able to handle a third party and any potential candidate you can possibly think of. They own you political system.
HelicopterDogMom@freemo This is my dream.
@georgetakei One can only hope the Scorpion they wanted help from stings them half way across the fast and deep River...
Mathias@georgetakei The more they focus on him and balloons, the more I smile.
𝐿𝒶𝓃𝒶 
@georgetakei so the guy who promised to commit trans genocide might run as a third party spoiler to the guy who fantasizes about committing trans genocide.
Best. Case. Scenario.
Faye Loves Godzilla
VAWeisman@georgetakei I bet he’ll wait to see how Nimrata “Nikki” (née Randhawa) Haley’s campaign goes. If she doesn’t get enough traction, I’d bet he’ll tap her as VP.
Kudra 
@georgetakei they are screwed either way unless he loses the nomination and then doesn't run, because otherwise he's going to split the vote and it will cause enough damage under the FPTP system to make the further right parties lose. The possible side benefit may be attempts from the right to rehabilitate the US voting system, but honestly I think that's unlikely because anything that make the system more honest and equal is anathema to people who's world view is based on inequality and hierarchy.
Cwnidog@georgetakei: Well, you can ride the tiger - the trick is getting off.
Jaime Robertson@georgetakei I kind of hope he does, and takes a good portion of Republican votes with him, ensuring Dem wins.
Like Perot did to Bush Sr.
Like Perot did to Bush Sr.
SISTRchi@georgetakei
we can only hope! let it be so!
we can only hope! let it be so!
Kellum Dander@georgetakei Lindsey Graham was right: he really will destroy the GOP, it's just taking longer than hoped
Gambit (he/him)@georgetakei don't tip then off! 😂😂😂
GaryRLundbergHope so! I can’t shake the feeling, in the end, Trump will get behind DeSantis (in exchange for a blanket Federal pardon; plus any states he can roll-in), and deliver his ‘base’ to “dominate”.
@bloombergbusiness has an article today saying Democrats worry DeSantis could take votes away from Biden. Because he’s “young” and “can govern”. We are talking in more danger then ever.
ARC@georgetakei if that is the potential outcome then I say let it happen. Imagine Trump splitting the GOP vote like that. Even if only 1/10 of voters were dumb enough to break away and vote for Trump it would wreck any chance of the GOP winning.
KingOfHearts@ARC01 @georgetakei Sounds good to me