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Dilbert Creator Scott Adams Endorses Gary Johnson For President (dilbert.com)

Long-time Slashdot reader SonicSpike writes: Scott Adams, creator of the popular comic, Dilbert, has decided to endorse Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson for President. He writes at his blog: "Clinton supporters have been telling me for a few days that any visible support for Trump makes you a supporter of sex abuse. From a persuasion standpoint, that actually makes sense. If people see it that way, that's the reality you have to deal with. I choose to not be part of that reality so I moved my endorsement to Gary Johnson. I encourage all Clinton supporters to do the same, and for the same reason...

"To be fair, Gary Johnson is a pot head who didn't know what Allepo was. I call that relatable. A President Johnson administration might bring with it some operational risks, and policy risks, but at least he won't slime you by association and turn you into some sort of cheerleader for sex abuse in the way you would if you voted for the Clintons or Trump."

The essay concludes, "You might enjoy my book because you're not sure if I'm really endorsing Gary Johnson or just saying so to protect my brand."

80 of 523 comments (clear)

  1. Is this real life? by the_skywise · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is a new low for a slashdot post...

    1. Re:Is this real life? by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 4, Funny

      By now maybe Adams should outsource his political analysis to Elbonia.

    2. Re: Is this real life? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      Because Nadar worked out real well.....

      Nadar was only a problem in Florida. If you live in a swing state, you should vote for the lesser evil. Anywhere else, you should vote for what you actually want.

      I live in California, where Hillary has a double digit lead. So I will vote for Gary. If he gets over about 3% of the vote, it will send a message to the duopoly (especially the Republicans) that there is a significant constituency for less government and more personal freedom.

    3. Re: Is this real life? by Gavagai80 · · Score: 2

      If a third party gets 5% of the vote, they get funding for the next election. That's certainly important, beyond sending the immediate message.

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
    4. Re: Is this real life? by Gavagai80 · · Score: 2

      From Nader's point of view, thanking democrats for starting smaller unjust wars and sending slightly fewer innocent people to prison and being owned by slightly less evil corporations is like thanking Hitler for not being as extreme as Pol Pot. Why would he do that?

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
  2. He also endorsed Trump by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Interesting

    He doesn't seem to be able to make up his mind. First he did the world's fakest endorsement for Clinton:

    http://blog.dilbert.com/post/1...

    Then he switched over to trump:

    http://blog.dilbert.com/post/1...

    There are some brutally funny and plain brutal Dilbert comics out there, but he seems to have gone a but nuts in his old age. He seems to have forgotten that DNRC was all a big joke and has started to actually take it seriously.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
    1. Re:He also endorsed Trump by serviscope_minor · · Score: 2

      Maybe you should learn what satire is jackass

      I know what satire is. Saying stupid stuff and then claiming it's satire when you get called on it isn't actually satire.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
  3. flip flops by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 3, Informative

    The man has endorsed all three candidates at one point or another. I would not take this matter with any seriousness (which is probably what he hopes for anyways.)

    --
    ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
    1. Re:flip flops by tripleevenfall · · Score: 2

      I am not taking any of the four candidates I could name with any seriousness. (Which is probably what they hope for anyways.)

    2. Re:flip flops by ColdWetDog · · Score: 3, Interesting

      New information? What new information. We've known pretty much all of this nonsense on all sides since the beginning.

      Perhaps filling in an occasional sordid detail, but this isn't new or news.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    3. Re:flip flops by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Interesting

      As a professional comedian/cartoonist. There is a seriousness inside his joke.
      He may or may not be really endorsing any candidate. But using absurdness of endorsing to point out problems.
      Over the past generation or so. We have been equating a person's personal ethics and their stance as a human being based on their political and who they vote for.

      Studies show that a person's political stance is based on what they grew up with. So if you lived in a republican family with republican friends you will be republican or vice versa. Growing up in such an environment the opposing political party is seen as evil, stupid, or part of some grand conspiracy. So attacks on that candidate of your choosing are usually ignored or considered exaggerated for political reasons. While what they do well, is strongly weighed. Thus making your choice seem perfectly rational.

      Now if you are actually a person in the middle, and you observe all these families and lives you find that they are quite similar, have the same problems and often think of the same solution, until the party of their choice states it is different.

      While I personally will be voting for Clinton,it isn't because Trump voters are all racists. Nor do I expect the democratic party turn the US into a communist nation.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    4. Re:flip flops by magarity · · Score: 2

      What's wrong with being malleable?

      In this particular case, being malleable at this point shows one hasn't been paying attention. Any individual candidate's fluffiness or scruffiness is much less important than their backing party, and the party agendas are slow to change. Slow as in measured in decades.

    5. Re:flip flops by AchilleTalon · · Score: 2

      Alice Cooper for President!

      --
      Achille Talon
      Hop!
    6. Re:flip flops by plover · · Score: 2

      I removed Dilbert from my bookmarks a few months ago when Scott began bringing up politics constantly. If I want to hear more opinions about either candidate's lies or incompetence, I'll bash my head into the wall until the feeling goes away.

      I was thinking I'd add it back after the election, but I haven't missed it enough to worry about it.

      --
      John
    7. Re:flip flops by kylemonger · · Score: 2

      He's a snake oil salesman. He's been saying Trump will win for over a year because Trump is a "master persuader" and could sell water to a drowning man. Facts have no bearing on people's choices, only "linguistic kill shots" matter, etc. Now that Trump is losing badly and Adams is being proved wrong, it turns out that neither he nor Trump is "fueled by criticism" after all, they just duck it like everyone else.

    8. Re:flip flops by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I will personally be voting for Clinton because she's the only thing standing between Trump and the nuclear launch codes.

      I don't understand how anybody can still vote to put nuclear armaments under the control of somebody who would go on a 3am Twitter rampage after being besmirched about his 20-year-old public shaming of a teenage beauty queen.

      Ignoring the fact that he's never heard of the term "nuclear triad", this is a man who wouldn't rule out nuking Europe, doesn't understand why we can't use nukes, and thinks more countries (like Saudi Arabia and Japan) should have them!

      All politics aside, a world with Trump as POTUS is materially less safe for all inhabitants.

      dom

    9. Re:flip flops by Darinbob · · Score: 2

      I'm a decline-to-state voter. I'm not a member of any organized or disorganized political party. And this stance is based upon growing up with very partisan friends, relations, neighbors, towns, universities. I do not care for watching competitive sports, I don't have any favorite sports teams, and that's the same feeling I have for politics - it's all a bit too sweaty and smelly for me to jump in and start waving pom poms around.

    10. Re:flip flops by Pseudonym · · Score: 2

      Alice Cooper for President!

      I hear he wants to be elected.

      --
      sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
    11. Re: flip flops by bondsbw · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It is quite wrong to say that voting for third party is ineffective, even if the result is practically assured to favor a major party candidate.

      If you reside in a non-swing state, like the vast majority of Americans, your vote doesn't count in any case. It doesn't matter if you vote for the inevitable winner of your state, or the major party loser, or a third party candidate. Your vote is just as statistically insignificant in any case.

      But voting third party helps provide public campaign funding to that party in the next Presidential election. Third parties who actually make it, or come close enough to have a real platform, are more likely to lobby to reform the election systems which take choice away and always leave us with the so-called choice between the "better of two evils".

      That is why it matters. If we want to get good candidates in the future, we must start voting against the duopoly now.

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
    12. Re: flip flops by magarity · · Score: 2

      like the vast majority of Americans, your vote doesn't count in any case

      No individual raindrop is responsible for the devastating flood. But they were all needed to make it happen. Each vote does count. That is kinda the basic "what happens" during an election: counting all the votes.

    13. Re:flip flops by lsatenstein · · Score: 2

      As a professional comedian/cartoonist. There is a seriousness inside his joke.
      He may or may not be really endorsing any candidate. But using absurdness of endorsing to point out problems.
      Over the past generation or so. We have been equating a person's personal ethics and their stance as a human being based on their political and who they vote for.

      Studies show that a person's political stance is based on what they grew up with. So if you lived in a republican family with republican friends you will be republican or vice versa. Growing up in such an environment the opposing political party is seen as evil, stupid, or part of some grand conspiracy. So attacks on that candidate of your choosing are usually ignored or considered exaggerated for political reasons. While what they do well, is strongly weighed. Thus making your choice seem perfectly rational.

      Now if you are actually a person in the middle, and you observe all these families and lives you find that they are quite similar, have the same problems and often think of the same solution, until the party of their choice states it is different.

      While I personally will be voting for Clinton,it isn't because Trump voters are all racists. Nor do I expect the democratic party turn the US into a communist nation.

      If I was American, I would vote Democrat. There is a safety rule in politics -- you need checks and balances. If you get a Republican senate, a republican house, and a republican president, what is there to stop them from enacting laws detrimental to the middle or lower class. Obviously, we have already seen laws that favour the super wealthy. What would stop a stupid law of there was a Republican majority as mentioned.

      With checks and balances, the president can veto bad legislation, and he can, if he is intelligent (as opposed to clever), work with congress to set the direction for the next term. I believe that a president should be there for 8 years, and only on exception, should he be removed (voluntarily or otherwise, after 4 years).

      And with this election, please show me the plans for the next President. The democrats have posted theirs. Possibly the Republicans have also posted theirs, but what about independent Trump, All I hear from the debates is 20 seconds of I will do better, and 100 seconds of side issues, eg blasting Senator Hillary with insults. Take this note with you "She did not get to be senator because of her looks, she earned that right to represent her people". A President is there not to lead, but to represent the people. People who are giving him a mandate to carry out the people's wishes.

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
  4. Honestly... by johnsmithperson123 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The Libertarian party had a chance to go mainstream but they blew it big-time.

    1. Re:Honestly... by geek · · Score: 2

      The Libertarian party had a chance to go mainstream but they blew it big-time.

      Agreed. Johnson is about as Libertarian as Clinton is Liberal. Johnson has been their champion for the better part of a decade and they've only seen their numbers get worse. The guy is a fucking train wreck worse than Trump or Clinton.

    2. Re:Honestly... by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      So... Republicans without the religious baggage?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re:Honestly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      So... Republicans without the religious baggage?

      Not necessarily, look at their icon Ron Paul.

    4. Re:Honestly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      As a former member of the LP, I can say they've blown their chance on multiple occasions. Every election they trot out some nutty extremist who is ill equipped to hold office.

      As opposed to Trump?

    5. Re:Honestly... by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The Libertarian party had a chance to go mainstream but they blew it big-time.

      Indeed. I had high hopes a few months ago that we'd at least have the possibility of seeing a 3rd-party candidate on the debate stage. In a year when the two major parties have basically elected the most hated candidates in history, ANYONE else might have seemed like a "breath of fresh air." I sincerely doubted a 3rd-party candidate could actually win the election, but with all the squabbling and ill-will toward the major parties, it could have really started to shake stuff up in future years if a 3rd-party candidate managed to get maybe 15% or even 20+% of the vote.

      Alas, Johnson has had a few major gaffes, and most of the mainstream media will be relentless on stamping out any 3rd-party voice at any chance they can get (particularly in a year like this where everyone keeps saying "the stakes are so high"). And Johnson doesn't have the brand-recognition or the savvy to play up these gaffes in a way like Trump would -- Trump would just call everyone else idiots and say something outlandish so everyone forgot about the gaffe. So the media can feel okay in going back to just ignoring the 3rd parties.

      Frankly, the whole Aleppo thing was less disconcerting to me than the later interview where Johnson couldn't name ANY world leader he respected. I can understand someone just having a moment of confusion once around a place name on the other side of the planet. But you're asked repeatedly if you can identify ONE world leader you admire, and you can't think of anyone?? Even if you can't remember the person's name you'd really like to say, come up with something else. Or move the question to some other non-"leader" you'd admire. Or anything really. He just stammered and couldn't come up with anything... which means he either is decidely ignorant about world politics or is exceedingly bad at public debate (and unable to recover if he forgot one name). Either way, it was embarrassing.

      And thus, I'm no longer sure it would have been a good thing to have him on stage at the debates. If he were asked the wrong question, it would make 3rd parties even more fringe and unrealistic than they already seem to most people.

    6. Re:Honestly... by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 2

      I think the issue was that he considered it a "gotcha" question. He assumed (justifiably) that anyone he named would be thrown back at him... "Oh, so you admire BLANK, what about this thing that they did that's objectionable?!"

      First, the actual question was to name a foreign leader he RESPECTS. Yes, I used the word "admire" too, as did some media sources, but the actual word was "respect." When the question was repeated on the show, it was also changed to "like." But NOT "admire," nor was it, as Johnson later tried to spin it, asking for his "favorite" leader.

      So, he wasn't asking to "admire" someone -- he was just asked for the name of someone he respects or even likes. That's a pretty low bar. And whatever name he came up with, he could immediately have followed with a disclaimer saying, "I don't know any that really stand up for libertarian principles. But, well, I respect what X does, but there are also serious problems with what he/she does with Y and Z." Or anything like that.

      Sure, he's not a great public speaker, and if you want to disqualify him on that front, go ahead... but to promote the narrative that he somehow doesn't *know* the names of any foreign leaders is just absurd.

      Umm, where did I promote the narrative that he doesn't "know the names of any foreign leaders"? I said this shows either he's a poor public speaker OR he's ignorant of world politics. I'm sure he knows the names of some foreign leaders, but he should have been able to come up with a name of someone who has SOME policies Johnson could respect. Being unable to do so either means you don't know enough about world politics or you haven't really thought deeply about how you might interact with other world leaders... or both.

      Or, it means he just had a REALLY bad public speaking moment. And that's relevant since my ENTIRE post was about whether or not it would be good to have Johnson on stage as a representative of a 3rd party at the main debates. Whether he's a good speaker or good at debate is precisely the most relevant thing to what I was talking about.

  5. Are you really that stupid? by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You aren't really able to understand what he's saying at all, are you?

    Hint: He hasn't actually once changed who he is supporting or who he is saying you should support. This time is no different.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Are you really that stupid? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      This exactly. He explained it in a Stephan Molyneux interview. He was getting threats for supporting Trump so he changed it and the threats stopped. He lives in the People's Republic of the Bay Area where it is dangerous to health and property to support Trump. His fans know who he supports but it threw the stupid people off the trail.

    2. Re:Are you really that stupid? by quantaman · · Score: 2

      This exactly. He explained it in a Stephan Molyneux interview. He was getting threats for supporting Trump so he changed it and the threats stopped. He lives in the People's Republic of the Bay Area where it is dangerous to health and property to support Trump. His fans know who he supports but it threw the stupid people off the trail.

      You don't really buy this to you? Absolutely no one bought Adams' endorsements of anyone but Trump. Just look at absolute lack out outrage from the Trump supporters at his blog when he "switched" his endorsement.

      I have no idea of people actually threatened Adams, or if those threats stopped at some point, but it has nothing to do with his fake endorsements.

      --
      I stole this Sig
  6. He's not done yet! by scunc · · Score: 5, Funny

    Since he's already endorsed Clinton, Trump, and Johnson, I look forward to Scott Adams' inevitable endorsement of Jill Stein. One of the most important things about being a "Master Persuader" is saying enough conflicting bullshit that you can point back to the time you got it right!
    -------
    Pay no attention to the man behind the comic strip ...

    1. Re:He's not done yet! by Bookworm09 · · Score: 2

      Ahhh, but that's what the Certified Genius Master Persuader Scott Adams wants you to think!

      You've fallen right into his trap! While you're playing checkers he and his six pack are playing 15th dimensional Go Chess!!

      Man, I wish I had mod points for you. Reading his blog over the last few months has made it painfully clear what a narcissistic dipshit he really is. "Because I'm a hypnotist!!1", is his explanation of every stupid claim he makes. It's sad; I used to enjoy the Dilbert strip. They're mostly ruined for me now.

      Instead of being like the character Dilbert, he's more like a cross of the PHB and Dogbert.

  7. "Reality"? by sjbe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Clinton supporters have been telling me for a few days that any visible support for Trump makes you a supporter of sex abuse. From a persuasion standpoint, that actually makes sense. If people see it that way, that's the reality you have to deal with. I choose to not be part of that reality...

    Trump has a LONG and well documented history of misogynistic and racist behavior. This is merely the latest in a long line of horrifying behavior by him with regard to women and minorities. The man has been blatantly campaigning by appealing to (mostly via lies) the most base tribal instincts of scared white males. I can understand if someone dislikes Hillary or if you like some third party candidate but to pretend that Trump's behavior is some kind of made up reality by the Clinton campaign is just idiotic.

    To be fair, Gary Johnson is a pot head who didn't know what Allepo was. I call that relatable.

    One person's relatable is another person's ignorant. I don't give a shit if the president is relatable. Honestly I haven't seen a good one that was. I care if they are competent and I care that their political views don't diverge too far from my own. They don't have to be nice but they can't be an asshole like Trump. If Gary Johnson doesn't have a clue about international affairs (which accounts for about 2/3 of the job of the president) then I don't really think he's cut out for the job.

    1. Re:"Reality"? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2, Funny

      I care if they are competent

      Clearly you can't choose the candidate on the left. But you must have known this ...

      Trump has a LONG and well documented history of misogynistic and racist behavior.

      So clearly you can't choose the candidate on the right.

      ----
      Apologies to Princess Bride.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  8. Who cares? by QuietLagoon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And why has /. gotten into the business of tracking who is endorsing whom?

  9. Cynicism by bluegutang · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Scott Adams is a compulsive cynic, who seems incapable of having a sincere, non-sarcastic thought. This cynicism is what makes his comics so entertaining, but it makes him badly equipped to comment thoughtfully on the real world.

    1. Re:Cynicism by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2

      it makes him badly equipped to comment thoughtfully on the real world

      This is the same "real world" that presents us two completely deplorable choices for President.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  10. Re:Extremely ignorant by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 4, Funny

    Gary Johnson isn't aware of the world outside of the US's borders. He has repeatedly flubbed names of leaders and nations. And I'm skeptical if he could find the Middle East on a map.

    BUT he can totally nail Middle Earth!

    --
    You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  11. Oh, Good! by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 2

    I'll make note of that. But I'm really waiting to hear from the guy who draws "Garfield." I usually don't make any kind of meaningful decision until I know what he thinks about it.

  12. Now we know who pointy-haired boss is based on by JoeyRox · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Turns out it was a self caricature.

  13. A vote for Hillary validates DNC tactics by drnb · · Score: 2, Insightful

    He doesn't seem to be able to make up his mind.

    Why would one make up their mind during the silly season of the primaries where both major candidates lie to their extreme base to get the nomination?

    Why would one make up their mind prior to the debates where the candidates are not in scripted choreographed settings for the first time?

    You sound like someone who is loyal to political party, meaning you not Adams are part of the problem if that is the case. People who are loyal to a party are irrelevant, their party can ignore them since they already have their vote, the other party can ignore them since they can not obtain their vote. Party loyalty enable crap candidates like Clinton and Trump.

    Secondarily a for vote Hillary validates all the BS the DNC pulled on Bernie. The DNC and Hillary don't care if the revelations of their actions embarrass them, they only care if they win. If Hillary wins everything she and the DNC did to Bernie and his supporters become validated, successful, a good tactic. They are counting on Bernie supporters to be good little Democrats, to bitch and moan and then vote for the Democratic party. The ends justify the means to Hillary, her former DNC chair VP, the recently "fired" DNC chair working for the campaign and on a path to a White House position, etc.

    Just because Bernie sold out to protect his Senate seat doesn't mean the revolution has to die. Vote for anyone other than Hillary or you are green lighting a repeat of her tactics.

  14. Don't forget by MouseTheLuckyDog · · Score: 3, Informative

    Adams endorsed Clinoton because he didn't want to get beat up by her supporters.

    It is interesting how many posters including the submittor and EditorDavid don't have a clue.

  15. Scott Adams by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Scott... the man who uses sock puppets to brag about how he has a "certified genius IQ".
    Scott... the man who argues that facts don't matter
    Scott... who lies whenever it suits his purposes.

    Scott is an embarrassing twat of a human being. He brags about being a mater persuader yet was passed over for promotions and more recently dumped by his wife.

    When he started getting called out for his hypocrisy on his blog, he shut down comments citing "racism". But the fact is that he was getting called out left and right for his stupidity and just couldn't take it so shut down dissent.

    He is a failure of a human being who happened to get lucky with a cartoon.

  16. Re:Extremely ignorant by drnb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Gary Johnson isn't aware of the world outside of the US's borders. He has repeatedly flubbed names of leaders and nations. And I'm skeptical if he could find the Middle East on a map.

    The President is not a quiz show contestant. A President consumes facts and information from the roomful of expert advisers. A President mostly needs honesty and integrity, those traits allow for better processing of the information.

    Hillary knew lots of names, met many leaders as First Lady and visited many places. Look how terribly she performed as Secretary of State; relations with Russia, state of Iraq, Libya, Syria; Iranian nuclear deal; TPP; etc.

  17. Re:How is this news for nerds? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I work in Public Education, and saying it can't be improved by competition the reason why it is failing in so many places. You can spend all the money in the world on "Tech Toys", but it only obfuscates what some of us already know, some teachers just suck. And there are enough of them that you can't dodge all the raindrops.

    When I walk into a classroom, and the teacher has Ricki Lake on the TV for the class, and is reading a newspaper, and there is nothing I or anyone else can do (like fire the teacher), the system is already been destroyed from within. The public schools aren't educating kids, they are indoctrinating them. We are more concerned with "safe zones" and "anti-bullying" (which doesn't stop bullying, but is used to dodge lawsuits) than if the kids can read, write and do math.

    Our educational system is built on Industrial style schooling, and isn't about to change. We have one size fits all education in a world that is built on information age tools. Treating our kids like robots is the goal of our educational system, and there is almost nothing you can say to dissuade me from my view.

    We aren't building cogs for use in factories, why are we educating our kids that way? So, when you say Gary Johnson wants to destroy something that is already broken, you're not going to get any argument from me, it NEEDS to be destroyed. Fuck the Establishment Educational system. it is a dinosaur, 70 years out of date.

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  18. Adams too thick by epine · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Maybe you should learn what satire is jackass

    Satire—once the cynicism becomes too thick—is nothing more than a devious way of getting the reader to work four times as hard as normal, to ultimately decode the underlying message "look at meeeeee!"

  19. No, she's not fine by wonkavader · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really, she's not. And it's not because of all the trumped up crimes/lies/etc. They really don't matter.

    She's not fine because she's a warmonger and in the pocket of the financial industry. So in four, or ugh, EIGHT years we will emerge deeper in debt, more hated, and less financially secure. The 1% will make out like bandits under her and the economy will flounder even more, since no one but the ultra-rich have the money to spend on anything to keep the economy working. (She's the only major candidate, for example, who supports H-1Bs.)

    There are three kinds of states: Ones where Hillary will stomp Trump, ones which will vote him in just because he has an R next to his name no matter what, and ones where there's actually some sort of contest. If you're in either of the first two types of states, you need to vote for Johnson because your vote doesn't count unless you do, and it counts big time if you do.

    If you're a Republican, you need to send a message to your party that letting this kind of crap happen is unacceptable. You WILL leave if they pitch for racism and stupidity.

    If you're a Democrat, you need a to send a message to your party that you don't want a another Nixon-Republican pretending to be a Democrat. We've had one for eight years already. If they don't give you someone worth voting for, you WILL leave. (They currently think all the Bernie people will vote Clinton. Show them otherwise.)

    You might think you could do the same by voting Green or writing-in a candidate, but that won't get reported because the numbers will be too small. A 10% showing for Johnson will get him on the cover of just about all the remaining print media and scare the CRAP out of both the big parties.

    So there are a handful of states where it makes sense to vote for the Rep. or the Dem. But for all the other states, everyone who reads/thinks should vote for Johnson.

    It doesn't matter how bad Johnson is. I don't want him as president, but that doesn't matter. He is fit for purpose: to scare the parties into worrying about the electorate, which is something they generally don't give a damn about. If you want an acceptable Republican or Democrat candidate in the next election, you need to vote for Johnson.

    1. Re:No, she's not fine by danbert8 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Mod up. If you believe Gary Johnson has no shot, even better to vote for him knowing you won't have to live with him as president. But it will sure send a message to the Republican and Democratic leadership that their shit has gotten to stinky for you to continue to support. Send a message to the major parties that they don't own your vote by default.

      --
      Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
    2. Re:No, she's not fine by number6x · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Don't throw your vote away by voting for a Democrat or a Republican. They will simply ignore the voters and do whatever it is the sources of their largest campaign donors ask. Voting for a Democrat or a Republican is a wasted vote.

      Vote for third party candidates, or write in the name of a qualified person, or even a personal friend when a third party candidate is not running for a given office.

  20. Re:Extremely ignorant by meta-monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Problem is he's pro-TPP. I can't vote for anybody who supports the TPP.

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
  21. Re:Ugh. by kwerle · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I decided a long time ago not to pay too much attention to art creators' opinions on much of anything. Mostly this applies to music. Turns out a lot of metal band members are idiots and/or aholes. But I do like the music. When I go to a restaurant I don't ask who the chef is voting for. Same when I look at art (I don't really go for political art).
    Dilbert is funny as hell. The recent 'fire the bottom 10%' riff could have been taken from the company I work for. I'll continue enjoying the strip. But I won't start going to the blog for voting advice.

  22. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by FatAlb3rt · · Score: 2

    So anything not pro-Clinton is anti-Clinton?

  23. Handy List of 3rd Party Candidates by Jack9 · · Score: 3, Informative
    --

    Often wrong but never in doubt.
    I am Jack9.
    Everyone knows me.
  24. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have been posting here since back when Slashdot was Rob Malda's blog. Then, the politics of the posters, where discernible, was decidedly extremely left wing. But there were not that many posts on politics. There were, however, a lot of posts on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

    But there was also a lot of activity, period. Every day, numerous stories spawned 500, 600, 700 posts, easily. And these were stories about the latest tweaks on the linux kernel, the merits of one spreadsheet or another, the latest laptop specs, or -- of course -- Buffy.

    But now it's not Just Some Guy's Blog anymore, it's gotta make money for somebody. And that somebody who bought it got handed a bag of snakes, because operating a "community website" in this post-Facebook web world is a job for a buggy-whip manufacturer. So, yeah, the editors obviously got a mandate to do whatever they can to drive traffic/eyeballs/impressions or whatever web marketers are driving these these days, And Politics stories -- especially in this End Of Days Election Season we are going through -- do that.

    As far as an answer to the question, "Where have all the Slashdot Lefties from the 90's gone?" I suppose the answer is either [a] they're still here but they've all grown up and become Righties, [b] fled to their online safespaces and echo chambers because engaging in a level exchange of ideas is anathema to them, or [c] a little of both.

  25. Re:Extremely ignorant by ranton · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What's your point? A lot of people feel like that's exactly the kind of president we need right now. There is a lot of stuff to rebuild within our own borders so we don't need to worry about how other people around the world are living their lives. We are not the world police.

    This is one example of how poorly educated most voters are. Foreign policy is one of the few parts of our government where the President has a great deal of control. With the exception of supreme court justices, foreign policy, and the military, all other talking points are mostly irrelevant since Congress is responsible for most domestic issues.

    --
    -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
  26. and quick to engage in personal attack by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 2

    Coming from someone hiding behind Anonymous Coward, your action speaks louder than your words.
    What I said about Adams is simple observation; he started out endorsing Clinton "for personal safety reason", followed by Trump and then now Johnson.
    Each time he wrap his endorsement in humorous reasoning (good read, by the way) but ultimately my reading of his endorsement explanation isn't intended to be taken as an endorsement. I do question if you've read through his blog entries.

    --
    ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
    1. Re:and quick to engage in personal attack by jedidiah · · Score: 2

      His endorsement is still for "personal safety reasons" and that's sad. It's far more troubling than anything that Trump has said or that has been said about Trump. It's the true death of liberty. It's like living in a fascist or communist state.

      People tend to project and they see Trump as Hitler.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
  27. Re: Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by dunkelfalke · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am still here.

    --
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
  28. Re:Doesn't matter, he's "none of the above" by j-beda · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Johnson absolutely will not be elected, but a vote for him sends a message to the major parties. Maybe in the future some Libertarian presidential candidate will actually be in the running, but not this time.

    Oh to have a ranked ballot system where we could choose whoever we wanted as 1st, and then go down the list (of more and more stinkyness) until we got to the D/R choices and could select them based on whatever small differences we may seem them to have.

    I can dream.

  29. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by jcr · · Score: 2, Informative

    an inexplicable hate on for Ms. Clinton

    Inexplicable? Only if you haven't paid any attention to her crimes...

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  30. WOW... I had no idea by gosand · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I really had no idea about any of this.
    And yet, it still doesn't change the fact that I care zero about what he thinks about the presidential race.
    I don't care if he supports a re-animated Hitler for president. He makes a cartoon that I used to read and find very enjoyable. That is pretty much the end of Scott Adams' influence on my life.

    The opinions of celebrities or well-known people carry no more weight to me than if it were an average person on the street. It is unfortunate that this has turned into people's opinions of the candidates instead of talking about their positions on issues. What really makes me sad is that whoever is elected, a large portion of the country will really hate them. I just don't understand it.

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

  31. With 10% of votes, representing 30 mil americans by postmortem · · Score: 2

    ..not good enough to be on the debate?
    10% is also 5 states
    In most of "free world", between 1% and 5% of votes will bring your party to the parliament.

  32. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by Kenshin · · Score: 2, Informative

    Or Slashdot just became trite and boring and I only check it out for a few minutes once every week or two.

    Times change, websites fade.

    --

    Does it make you happy you're so strange?

  33. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by pegr · · Score: 2

    You've been here a long time. If you haven't left by now, you're not going anywhere.

  34. This is why the polls might not be accurate by Beeftopia · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Trump supporters are absolutely vilified online and in the main stream media ("deplorables"). Yet a sizable segment does support Trump. This might suggest the polls are not accurate because people don't want to be publicly state they support Trump, when in fact they actually do.

    The Brexit polling was an example. And this is just one factor. Another factor could be that with increased use of social media, people are getting their RDA of human interaction, and are less inclined to speak with anonymous callers on the telephone, thus skewing polls again.

  35. Re:Extremely ignorant by meta-monkey · · Score: 2

    You should do your own research on it. There's just too many things to list in this space. Search through Slashdot's archives for plenty of discussion.

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
  36. Re:As for me... by tripleevenfall · · Score: 5, Funny

    I agree. An immobilized government is not going to take away and additional freedoms, which is the best we can hope for.

    WALLY 2016!

  37. Re: Extremely ignorant by Billly+Gates · · Score: 2

    Sorry buddy. Would you want a surgeon who doesn't know everything and rely on experts?

    The presidency requires someone who can make instant decisions that can have a profound impact at any time. Sounds insane and unrealistic? It is!

    Look at George W Bush as an example of a president with an above average IQ but not top end? Iraq war and certain decisions were disastrous?!

    Yes if you are too dumb to know the leader of North Korea then God help us if you have the keys to the white House.

    People keep voting with their gut and not heads. An average Joe Six pack knows better than to hire another Joe Six pack for surgery. Why does he not have the same concerns for a president.

  38. Thought Experiment by tsqr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This came to mind while observing the explosion of outrage over Trump's "Grab 'em by the pussy" video.

    1. Take all the people who were outraged by Bill Clinton's sexual pecadillos and thought they made him unfit for office; make them equally outraged about Trump.

    2. Take all the people who took the position that Bill's behavior was a matter of "personal character" having no relation to his ability to perform as President; make them adopt the same attitude towards Trump.

    Now, re-draw the electoral map. What do you get?

    1. Re:Thought Experiment by HBI · · Score: 2

      If it were as simple as that, a Trump landslide. Seriously - 400+ electorals.

      It isn't that simple, and there's only a month left.

      --
      HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
    2. Re:Thought Experiment by quantaman · · Score: 2

      This came to mind while observing the explosion of outrage over Trump's "Grab 'em by the pussy" video.

      1. Take all the people who were outraged by Bill Clinton's sexual pecadillos and thought they made him unfit for office; make them equally outraged about Trump.

      Bill Clinton isn't anymore and our understanding of consent has changed significantly since the 90s, if he did run again I expect that would be a much bigger issue.

      2. Take all the people who took the position that Bill's behavior was a matter of "personal character" having no relation to his ability to perform as President; make them adopt the same attitude towards Trump.

      Now, re-draw the electoral map. What do you get?

      There are really only two convincing misdeeds by Bill Clinton. First the affairs, which were bad but not that big a deal. Second was the alleged rape, but that was over 40 years ago and not proven.

      Trump's rape allegations are much more recent, and his sexual assault allegations much more numerous and recent.

      Moreover he's completely unrepentant about any of it and his misogynist comments have never really ceased.

      With Trump there was also the possibility that the public persona was just an act and he was actually a decent rational person in private, and this decent rational person would be the one in office. The tape offer additional evidence that the decent rational Trump is the facade, and a President Trump would be just as pretty, vindictive, and abusive as he seems.

      --
      I stole this Sig
  39. Re:How is this news for nerds? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2

    Here is a thought. Replace it with vouchers which can be used by any accredited school.

    Let the parents decide if the inner city school is serving their kids well by keeping the status quo that is sucking the life out of kids who want to learn, but can't.

    Let the parents decide if they want to put their kid in a special school for "Really Smart People" that doesn't ignore the smart kids in favor of the trouble makers and idiots.

    Let the parents decide if they want to put their kid into a School for the Arts and Music.

    Let the parents decide if they want to put their kid in "Math and Sciences" based school.

    Let the parents decide if they want to put their kid in the school for Snowflakes, Emos and Wallflowers, Computer in a wall (https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves?language=en) or Green families, or Computer Nerds or .... whatever

    Oh, I don't know, let the parents decide what school their kid deserves to be in. Hell you can even give vouchers worth "extra" to those with "Special needs" where they get to spend the money the way they think their kid needs.

    Saying "Yeah, that's what I thought" shows dismissive answer to real problems that need addressing. Any and all protests against voucher or programs like that is that it might destroy public schools. Well, if they can't handle (compete) against better schools, then they should die. The most common answer by the anti Voucher people is "Yeah our schools suck, but you shouldn't have a choice because you might choose something I don't like for your kid"

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  40. Re:Extremely ignorant by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2

    You should do your own research on it. There's just too many things to list in this space. Search through Slashdot's archives for plenty of discussion.

    Code for: "I don't really know." (But now that someone's called me on it, I will do some Googling and reply with stock Trump / anti-TPP information to show that I do know what I'm talking about.)

    [ Please don't bother, your views are already clear. ]

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  41. Re:Extremely ignorant by meta-monkey · · Score: 3, Informative

    Eh? You can't be this new to slashdot. I didn't realize people on /. liked the TPP now. What do /.ers like about it? Is it the worldwide permanent copyright extensions? Yeah we love that shit here.

    Code for: "I don't really know." (But now that someone's called me on it, I will do some Googling and reply with stock Trump / anti-TPP information to show that I do know what I'm talking about.)

    Code for: "I'm a brain-dead leftist who was against the TPP and interventionist wars last year but since teh ebil Drumpf is the anti-TPP, anti-war candidate now and the bitch with the (D) next to her name is pro-TPP and pro-war fuck yeah I'm a neocon warhawk now shove corporate cocksucking permanent copyrights up my ass I love it so much madam president fuck me harder oooo yeah I love corporations suing governments for lost profits yeah yeah yeah more wars for israel yeah yeah #ImWithHer!"

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
  42. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 2

    While that seems like the conventional wisdom, it does not appear to be the case. Even the DNC is concerned about stealing votes away from Johnson.

    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  43. Re: Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 2

    And besides, neither Johnson nor Weld is a Randian wackjob. All they want to do is incrementally increase the amount of freedom available to Americans and see how far this can be taken in practice. They alone promise to do rational things like end the abomination (Johnson's term) of civil forfeiture and introduce the concept of competition into healthcare.

    Republicans and Democrats see positions like these as a threat, and this is exactly why the Johnson ticket deserves our support.

  44. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 5, Funny

    But now it's not Just Some Guy's Blog anymore

    Leave me out of this.

    --
    Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  45. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by Pentagram · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm a lefty and I've been visiting /. since '98 or so. (18 years?? Wow.)

    I only drop by occasionally because the site is a bit of a cesspool. It always attracted trolls and idiots, but there was a lot of humour and the level of intelligence and knowledge by many posters was incredible.

    The average commenter here is now more right wing, less well informed, stupider and less fun. The editors post less interesting stories, with more bias and more nastiness. Some of it is just flamebait.

    I have since migrated to other sites that have to some degree replaced the earlier incarnation of slashdot (not even going to mention where here).

  46. Re:Dice, we get it you don't like Ms. Clinton by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Funny

    You've been waiting about 17 years to say that, haven't you.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.