Trump

[(o)(o)]

...the state-by-state part of the campaign that can win or lose and election. Clinton has been focussed on these states for months, spending money, time and resources on advertising, telephone campaigns, mailshots, voter registration efforts. And it’s showing.

A bit like the EXTREMELY SERIOUS criminal investigations into Tory campaigning fraud which has been kept been kept out of the public eye, and did you read about courts granting a 12 month extension to investigate? Disturbing, given the gravity of the matter..

[(o)(o)]

...the state-by-state part of the campaign that can win or lose and election. Clinton has been focussed on these states for months, spending money, time and resources on advertising, telephone campaigns, mailshots, voter registration efforts. And it’s showing.

A bit like the EXTREMELY SERIOUS criminal investigations into Tory campaigning fraud which has been kept been kept out of the public eye, and did you read about courts granting a 12 month extension to investigate? Disturbing, given the gravity of the matter..

[pogo]

The US system is nothing like ours. There they can basically spend what they want. The candidates are limited in how much they can raise from each voter, but can spend how much they want, however they want. But even that is not a limit as political action committees (PACs) can raise unlimited funds to spend supporting a candidate, as long as they do not coordinate with the candidate’s campaign. This lets large donors bypass the donation limits. The total raised will top a billion dollars, across the campaign.

Here? We have very strict limits, and the thing being investigated is a possible overspend of a few thousand pounds, because the parties (not just the Tories) recorded spending as national spending when it should have been recorded as spending on local campaigns. Extremely serious? I don’t think so. The press has given up on it and I’ve not read anything on it for months.

There‘s certainly a case for reform. Now investigating it is a matter for individual constituencies, while the problem if any was in decisions made at national levels. There seems little interest in reform, as the politicians of various parties are happy with how it works now. And again, the sums involved are minuscule, the possible misreporting of few thousand pounds. Not the sort of thing that influences election results.

[Darkflame]

The amount spent of elections in the US constantly disgusts me. Its almost as its its all a ploy by advertising and leaflet firms or something.

[gumboot]

They spend too much on everything, here. Even children's birthday parties.

[Little stoned kiwi]

...and weapons of mass destruction. Lots of those, even more if you count the regular destruction ones.

[gumboot]

Such a waste. They should send the children to the places they want mass-destroyed for their birthdays.

[Little stoned kiwi]

Isn't that what they do for poor people, when they become old enough to join the army?

[(o)(o)]

The US system is nothing like ours.results.

Right so you acknowledge campaign spending = votes, but you can't see the problem with the Tories very flagrant breaches on our strict limits that have extremely onerous implications. Transgressing these laws are no minor offence in the courts view- grave actions with possible consequences including custodial sentences and parliament being dissolved.

Extremely serious? I don’t think so. The press has given up on it and I’ve not read anything on it for months.

That you use "the press" as a some kind of barometer is just incredible.

Don't do that. Or if you do - at least read "press" that informs you why there's a virtual blackout of this in MSM.

You'll likely learn it's a due to the extent of it's seriousness, rather than a lack of the stuff..

edit: map bonus

[pogo]

[Little stoned kiwi]

Gold

[pogo]

“Absolutely” of course being a Trump quote. This is targeted at Republican voters as much as Democrats I think. It‘s a big deal, releasing his tax returns. Every presidential candidate has for 40 years, even when it’s been highly embarrassing. If Trump isn’t it’s reasonable to assume they hide something so bad they would make even him look worse.

Worth mentioning something I read the other day, highlighted by the video before this one. One odd thing Trump is doing is flying home to New York every day, to sleep in his own bed. Easy to do if you are rich but it means he misses out on all the stuff between rallies. The smaller events, the meetings with voters, party members and politicians, the appearances on local TV. Normally politicians spend several days on the road, planning their time and route to maximise their exposure in each swing state. It’s part of the ground game which is important in elections, which Trump seems entirely uninterested in.

[Darkflame]

well, its smart tactics. If he gets too close to people they might get to know him

[Little stoned kiwi]

It's a creative solution to the traveling salesman problem; "Fuck it, I'm going home."

[pogo]

If you’ve not seen this before it‘s well worth five minutes of your time. Obama roasting (telling jokes at the expense of) Donald Trump and he holds nothing back, covering every aspect of Trump’s then reputation:

Some think this inspired, or provoked, Trump into running for president. E.g.

Donald Trump’s disastrous rise to Republican nominee explained brilliantly

Very plausible from what we know about Trump: he does not react well when provoked or challenged.