Hot, Bad & Unpopular Takes

[Bidenworth2020]

Intellectuals are morons who sound smart about being wrong

TBF though, there are tons of intellectuals on any side of an issue. They can't all be wrong.

[parochial boy]

"Freedom" and "private property" are mutually incompatible.

[Vespucci]

One should always support the lesser of two evils if you think said evil wouldn't actually do anything you disagree with (I mean come on, Hillary wasn't perfect but it's not like she would have made the country any worse).

[The Free North]

Humans institutionalizing and industrializing the extermination of fetuses is one of the worst things to ever happen to the the species.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

any body predicting elections two or more years in advance are wasting their time if they aren't talking about the relative results. So many wasted arguments on the 2020 board because the thread opener will be "will Trump win Wisconsin/will Peters be safe in Michigan etc" because people reiterate the same arguments about what they think the national race will look like, without thinking of the far more interesting questions: that of what the state results will be relative to the national vote.

[Politician]

College education is an extremely overrated factor in determining how people vote, and is not that important overall.

[Skunk]

College education is an extremely overrated factor in determining how people vote, and is not that important overall.

Factually incorrect statements aren't hot takes.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Our countries obsession with “change” and “new” when it comes to the presidency might be one of our worst traits. It feels like everyone wants to change to the point we’re forgetting the president is still a job that one should be qualified for.

[Xing]

Our countries obsession with “change” and “new” when it comes to the presidency might be one of our worst traits. It feels like everyone wants to change to the point we’re forgetting the president is still a job that one should be qualified for.

I agree, though I think this problem (the obsession with "something different/new") goes far beyond just the presidency.

[DC Al Fine]

"Aging, dying off base" is an extremely overrated problem for the GOP.

[RINO Tom]

"Aging, dying off base" is an extremely overrated problem for the GOP.

I agree because of how I believe the GOP will change in the next 30-40 years, but I am curious how you think they'll get around this.

[Xing]

People labeled "coastal elites" are just as misrepresented and misunderstood (if not more) than "rural whites."

[DC Al Fine]

"Aging, dying off base" is an extremely overrated problem for the GOP.

I agree because of how I believe the GOP will change in the next 30-40 years, but I am curious how you think they'll get around this.

1) The power of "generational lock in" is overstated on Atlas. It's partially true but a cursory review of exit polls from 2016 vs 2012 shows that demographics can and do change their minds on a dime. To use a non-American example, I saw an Ontario poll from 1999 with near identical overall results and age splits to the 2018 election for the PC's. The Tories, like the GOP are the old party, which implies that they managed to convince some then 45-64 year old 1999 Liberals that they are the best bet, which generational lock would not predict.

2) Path of least resistance theory*. When a voting coalition gets too big, it will eventually alienate one of its constituent members. The easiest way for the minority party to gain voters is to appeal to that alienated bloc. We saw this with Southerners for the GOP, and educated whites for the Dems in the past 50 years or so.

Our political scene has given the impression that the Democratic coalition is more unified than it actually is. Obama's skills, and then hatred for Trump have papered over the cracks in their coalition. As the 2020 primaries get underway those cracks will become more visible. Now don't get me wrong, I think the Dems have a very bright future in the short and medium term, but long term, they will get some group mad at them, making them available to the GOP.

My guess is that group will be middle class Hispanics, but who knows, there are lots of potential candidates.


*h/t NC Yankee

[here2view]

Biden is by far and away the Democrats best candidate for 2020, and Atlas underrates him significantly when compared to the general public.

[Virginiá]

A "permanent" lock on a generation is an exaggeration imo. It's just a bond built during a person's formative years, and the strength of the bond isn't always the same. A bond can be broken down the line, but most people do indeed get set in their ways as they age. This isn't even a political thing (hence why it's practically a stereotype). The older people get, the less apt they are to change certain behaviors or beliefs. It takes bigger and more meaningful events to shift those attributes. Not impossible, but not easy either. It's probably why it doesn't happen that often.

There are also other factors, and what erosion of support there is over time may have a multitude of smaller causes. For instance, African Americans have seen little change in their demographic's overall voting behavior, despite major changes in the parties and the country at large.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

The attack on Jussie Smollett was horrific and completely unacceptable, but I still am not a fan of his.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

The attack on Jussie Smollett was horrific and completely unacceptable, but I still am not a fan of his.

I f@cking knew it, something about that jack@$$ always rubbed me the wrong way.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/02/16/entertainment/jussie-smollett-attack/index.html

[Big Abraham]

The "generation war" between millennials and boomers is stupid as hell and based on entirely incorrect assumptions.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The "generation war" between millennials and boomers is stupid as hell and based on entirely incorrect assumptions.

I thrive on it.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Vic Mingonga is guilty, but I'm open to the idea of there being a conspiracy against him. After all, he is a white Christian male that worked with SJWs, feminists, and other far-leftists.

[Lord Admirale]

2018 was not a blue wave. The Democrats claimed a victory far too early (late 2017) and it caused Republicans to turn out in droves.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Anyone who wants to start a war should be forced to fight in it - and if they're too old or unfit, any relatives of theirs who are eligible should be forced to go.

[Intell]

Affirmitve action programs are classist and racist in nature. They help enrich a black elite and allow black students to try less and discriminate against the Asian population, even if the Asian child might have been a first generation immigrant from a working-class background.

Admission based on interviews/holistic education are also all about favouring people that go to anglo- private school to go into their universities.

[Southern Delegate matthew27]

I think the 1965 immigration act was the worst mistake this country ever made. Why change our culture and fundamentally change the make up of a country that is successful?

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

The lack of legal protections of the rights of children to live independently from the religion of their parents is a one of the most serious moral shortcomings of society as it currently exists.