Yep, I know, outrageous. They just say they have to put a limit somewhere, and that’s where they’re putting it.

Both my parents were born in New Zealand as well. One of my paternal grandparents was born in Scotland, which gives me the right to work in Britain (has to be a paternal one to be eligible!!!) but that’s the best I can do in terms of other countries. 🙂

Turnout is the final big unknown of this election. In a delicious irony, Republican leaders are now countering Trump’s claim that the whole election is rigged, because they are becoming afraid that his rhetoric is discouraging the Republican turnout that is critical to hold onto Congress. As an example, the North Carolina Election Board publishes stats twice a week on early voting and they show that while Dems and Indies are early voting at roughly the same rate as in 2012 (both are slightly up), Rep early voting is down nearly 50%. Really, you couldn’t make this stuff up.

I assumed as much….And I guess none of your parents were US citizens. Your chances at the US presidency are as good as mine (0).

I just hope the US electorate does not get complacent: Hillary defeating Donald so comprehensively in these debates, that people might think it is a forgone conclusion and have no need to go out and vote. That is precisely the (only) scenario that might see Donald win.

I was born in New Zealand.

They will doubt she’s born in the USA, and will deny her citizenship (which in her case might be correct?).

Note, almost anybody with 4 neurons in their brains would be a better candidate than a Trump, with the exception of would be ayatollahs like Cruz or Pence and their ilk.

I’d vote Clinton, without even pinching my nose.

‘nickies’ are me and comparable deplorable mortals.

Deplorable because they want to be billionaires, but have difficulties to make ends meet by the end of the month, despite having a ‘good’ income.
Deplorable because they had some great research projects, but little came from it.
Deplorable because they wanted to make the world a better place, but could only partly achieve that in their own district.
Deplorable because they had some great inventions, but did not know how, or were too busy, to get it going.
I hope that answers your question about ‘nickies’. If you hadn’t asked -forcing some introspection- I would not even have known myself what ‘nickies’ actually are ?

As for the Second Amendment, maybe a Hillary nominated/dominated SCOTUS could possibly get it right: it is *explicitly* about well organised militias, there is no reason at all to allow *any* private citizen to bear arms outside a well structured militia (such as National Guard, Police, etc). I completely fail to comprehend it can be read otherwise.

[Now I do not say that e.g. hunters (many of whom have become some kind of conservationist, c.f. Teddy Rooseveldt) should not have hunting rifles, just that the second amendment has nothing to with that]

No, it’s not mindless to oppose Putin and I’m no fan at all, but as we’ve discussed before, the west isn’t helping the situation by threatening Russian boarders with NATO and this is part of Putin’s motivation, both externally with land grabs and general destabilisation activity, and internally where he can appeal to Russian nationalism to distract from their terrible economy and strengthen his position. It also gives Putin an excuse to crackdown on internal dissent. It’s a dumb and dangerous strategy and one that Clinton the hawk is likely to exacerbate.

😀