CR AMA

[Schiff for Senate]

I did one of the these some time ago, and tried to do another recently when I broke the 3,000 post mark, but the latter failed and the former's buried in this board. Given that I'm quite the controversial poster, and that my 'Opinion of _____?' thread is currently raging with responses, I have a feeling that this AMA will be more successful, though I also fear a lot of the questions will be negative/accusatory/hostile. Go ahead, though, even if your questions are. My goal is to clarify my views.

[Schiff for Senate]

What are all the languages you can speak?

The only language I 100% speak is English, but I know a good amount of Hindi, and am in the process of learning Spanish.

[Schiff for Senate]

If you had to live in Upstate NY (not including Putnam, Westchester, or Rockland), where would you live?

Maybe Clinton or St Lawrence Counties

EDIT: Those two are in the context of far upstate NY... I looked at a map of NY, and upon further research, Monroe, Albany and Erie would probably be better.

[Schiff for Senate]

North or South Carolina?

I like SC's name better but NC seems better in terms of politics, cities, people and more generally. If I had to chooe which one to live in, certainly NC.

Do you follow sports? If so, what are your favorite teams?

Basically none, though I watched some cricket in 2019 and, believe it or not, the teams I was supporting (no lie!) were 1. England and 2. NZ, because I wanted to be a devil's advocate (the rest of my family obviously backed India). It was glorious NZ and England made it to the finals and even better when, against all odds, England eked out the narrowest win possible.

What party will you register with when you are old enough to vote, or will you register with No Party Preference?

In reality, probably Independent / No Party Preference.

[Schiff for Senate]

How old are you?

Sorry but not going to answer this one.

[Schiff for Senate]

Where are you planning to study for college? Do you have any safety, reach, and match schools in mind yet?

Favorite food or cuisine?

If you had to live in a state apart from CA, which one would it be?

What is your favorite part of CA?

Is the U.S. the best country in the world? If so/if not, why?

1. Hopefully Stanford, Berkeley or an Ivey League college. Wanted to do politics/government or law, I think.
2. I like enough, including Mexican and Indian.
3. I honestly am not at all sure, though every state has decent places. Maybe VT?
4. NorCal / the Bay Area, I think, though I haven't explored SoCal yet.
5. Certainly not, and there are a myriad of reasons why. West Europe has way better countries.

[Schiff for Senate]

How old are you?

Sorry but not going to answer this one.

At least give me an age range of 10 years

All I'll say is I'm somewhat younger than the average forum user, according to the How old are You? thread.

EDIT: I just want to make clear, not trying to be rude, just trying to avoid giving too many personal details online.

[Schiff for Senate]

Out of the Republicans who ran in 2016, who would you have voted for in the primary?

Kasich, of course.

What is your opinion of:

Ronald Reagan
Newt Gingrich
Ron Paul
Henry Kissinger
Samuel Alito
Joe Lieberman
Al Gore

Feel free to explain your answers, or just do FF/HP for each, it's up to you.

I'll keep it brief:

R. Reagan: FF on the balance because he helped end the USSR
N. Gingrich: HP for polarizing politics (read The Red And The Blue if you don't believe me)
R. Paul: DKETC (Don't Know Enough to Comment)
H. Kissinger: DKETC
S. Alito: DKETC
J. Lieberman: Neutral or so
A. Gore: FF (if for nothing else, then for being an environmentalist)

[Schiff for Senate]

In your opinion, do you think Trump's grasp on the Republican Party is weaker now compared to a year ago around this time?

Mmm...I would say it's probably a little weaker. When Trump was president, even then Republicans had to praise him to hold on to office, and he was naturally an extremely important leader, being POTUS. Now he may be a tad less so - the GOP has sacrificed more for him (their lies about the election sacrificed whatever integrity they had), and MAGAns are madder, but it seems like slowly, some are actually starting to get a tad tired of Trump (establishment figures because he cost them the Senate and 2020, and then lied about it; the far right because Trump has said he's taken the vaccine and that it works).

[Schiff for Senate]

Do you plan on staying in the Bay Area after college?

Don't know. I kind of want to move to NH, believe it or not, because I badly want to be a politican and have figured my chances are best there, in a pretty moderate state that elects moderate (particularly 'fiscally centre-right, socially centre-left') politicians (including Republicans).

[Schiff for Senate]

Do you plan on staying in the Bay Area after college?

Don't know. I kind of want to move to NH, believe it or not, because I badly want to be a politican and have figured my chances are best there, in a pretty moderate state that elects moderate (particularly 'fiscally centre-right, socially centre-left') politicians (including Republicans).

Yeah, the northeast (NH/VT) is probably where you'd best have a chance at that.

Exactly, and I consider myself a Phil Scott - ish Republican. The reason I'd pick NH over VT, though, is that despite Scott winning in a landslide, it's otherwise a solidly Democratic state, and since I do want to be a US representative / senator, NH makes more sense (particularly NH01 as it currently stands pre-redistricting). I'd have a very tough time winning either office in VT since like in every state, national elecions are polarized and VT is solidly blue (the bluest state nationally in 2020).

[Schiff for Senate]

Exactly, and I consider myself a Phil Scott - ish Republican.

So, a liberal Democrat with an R next to your name?

Scott is centrist on the whole, just like me. He's far from actually being liberal.

Something interesting I've considered is that if everything else was exactly the same - all his views and everything - and he was only just a Democrat instead of a Republican, he would be loved by the GOP for being so 'conservative' (this despite his views being exactly the same) and such a 'maverick' and would be hated by the Democrats for being a DINO. Because people would all inherently focus much more on his conservative policy positions, rather than his liberal policy positions - which makes sense, because you have expectations of liberalness from Democrats and conservatism from the GOP, and he'd be known more as a economically centre-right Democrat rather than a socially centre-left Republican. So at the end of the day, it's actually kind of ironic: Scott should be a GOPer if he prioritizes economic issues, but when he is, it's the social issues he's liberal on that get much more talked about and become what defines him, but if he conversely cared more about social issues and thus identified as a Democrat, it would be the economic issues he is right-wing on that would be emphasized, and which would largely shape people's opinion of him. It also explains why I'm an R avatar when I think I have more in common with the Democratic Party: because if I was a Democrat, I'd be known as that anti-welfare, (perceivedly) anti-trans Democrat (views which, while I'm not ashamed of, I don't hold too strongly or have much conviction in), rather than an anti-gun, anti-election-lie, pro-environment, pro-mask-and vaccination (views which I hold much more proudly and firmly; issues which I prioritize) Republican.

[Schiff for Senate]

Exactly, and I consider myself a Phil Scott - ish Republican.

So, a liberal Democrat with an R next to your name?

Yep. Phil Scott is basically a communist considering he supports budget cuts, private prisons, right-to-work, and opposes raising the minimum wage on paid leave.

Disappointing to learn, though he's still a mega FF in my book.

[Schiff for Senate]

Why did you change your avatar to independent?

See these:

https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=481659
https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=481734
and

Like Averroes Nix, I've come to the conclusion that enough is enough and that I can no longer in good conscience, even on this forum, continue to sport the avatar of this despicable cult that calls itself a political party. If Abraham Lincoln, Thaddeus Stevens or other greats saw today's GOP, they would be sickened, replused, shocked and ashamed that this is what their creation has become, that this is how far low this party has sunk. I will now have an I-India avatar, at least for the moment, though I will reain my username - but know that I am disgusted by this party and what it has become, and no longer identify with it. I knew they were terrible but for them to sink this low and actually defend January 6 is several bridges too far - until know I've been a Republican In Name Only but now I feel I cannot in good conscience even be a Republican In Name Only and am now officially an Independent. I urge all good Republicans, centrists like flyingmongoose, even conservatives like GregTheGreat, to at least temporarily cease using the R avatar to demonstrate that this rhetoric should not be tolerated.

I urge you too to join me and at least for a little bit become an I, to show that you don't think January 6 was 'legitimate political discourse.'

[Schiff for Senate]

Why did you change your avatar to independent?

See these:

https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=481659
https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=481734
and

Like Averroes Nix, I've come to the conclusion that enough is enough and that I can no longer in good conscience, even on this forum, continue to sport the avatar of this despicable cult that calls itself a political party. If Abraham Lincoln, Thaddeus Stevens or other greats saw today's GOP, they would be sickened, replused, shocked and ashamed that this is what their creation has become, that this is how far low this party has sunk. I will now have an I-India avatar, at least for the moment, though I will reain my username - but know that I am disgusted by this party and what it has become, and no longer identify with it. I knew they were terrible but for them to sink this low and actually defend January 6 is several bridges too far - until know I've been a Republican In Name Only but now I feel I cannot in good conscience even be a Republican In Name Only and am now officially an Independent. I urge all good Republicans, centrists like flyingmongoose, even conservatives like GregTheGreat, to at least temporarily cease using the R avatar to demonstrate that this rhetoric should not be tolerated.

I urge you too to join me and at least for a little bit become an I, to show that you don't think January 6 was 'legitimate political discourse.'

Just did. Violence and rioting are not legitimate political discourse.

Happy to see it (also I like your new screen name).