Poll: What happens first?

[Philsmania]

• Trump leaves office
• The Phillies have a winning season

Show results

[LoneStarPhan]

In spite of being burned two years in a row by late season Phillies' collapses, I fully expect a winning season in 2020 and even 2019 is still possible. Hopefully that will still be true this time tomorrow night.

[tom81]

I see the Fish taking one this weekend and the Phillies being over .500 next year.

I’m rooting for Pelosi to get it done in a year.

[BostonRoss]

I see the Fish taking one this weekend and the Phillies being over .500 next year.

I’m rooting for Pelosi to get it done in a year.

So you’d like to see President Pence?

[tom81]

deleted--let's avoid the name-calling, please. --pc, mod.

I’m not a Pence fan by any means but I really can’t imagine he would be worse for the World than Trump.

[Philsmania]

Post deleted--we don't do name calling here. --pc, mod

[zambonir]

The Phillies can still win 82 this year right?

[LoneStarPhan]

Yes, Phillies only have to win Saturday and Sunday to have a winning record 48 hours from now.

Of course, winning those 2 may not be easy.

[zambonir]

But not impossible. It shouldn't matter of course, but it would still be something for the current players on the roster to be mildly proud of (I say mildly because it's still the Marlins, at home, never mind our struggles against them).

This would be a great prop bet (especially if it stretches into 2021).

[julio]

I’m not a Pence fan by any means but I really can’t imagine he would be worse for the World than Trump.

I agree. Pence is distasteful in different ways than Trump. We would have a President who would in all likelihood try to impose his personal religious fervor on the nation.

But Pence will never have the kind of cult following that Trump has. Trump has a large following of people who believe that Donald Trump is the TV character that the media created, in covering his style in New York real estate circles, and on The Apprentice. That's not what Donald Trump really is, of course - but millions of Americans who don't pay regular attention to national affairs seem to retain the opinion that he's just that: a straight-talking, wildly successful businessman, whose touch turns everything to gold.

Mike Pence will never have that. He's boring, except when he's animated by his religious bigotry. With the exception of those who fervently believe in Protestant Dominionism, he'll never have a committed "base" the way Trump does. Any damage he might do would be short-term.

[zambonir]

I try to stay out of politics threads (and this is 50% one by default) but I heard an NPR interview with the author of a new book about Pence yesterday and he predicted Pence wouldn't be a theocrat at all, because he actually cares most about power, not any actual beliefs (case in point: he's Donald Trump's vice president) and would want to be as re-electable as possible.

I wouldn't begin to presume who is more electable in 2020, Trump with his negatives but strong cult of personality, Pence, or someone else, but it really doesn't matter. Especially not by the logic of impeachment. If you believe Clinton committed an impeachable offense it doesn't matter that Gore would become president, and ditto Trump. If you think either was an instance of political opportunitism (which likely depends on your political beliefs), different story.

Anyway, the poll is freaking funny, for all the obvious reasons.

[BostonRoss]

I always seem to open a can of worms whenever I mention someone named Pence.

[schillingfan]

I always seem to open a can of worms whenever I mention someone named Pence.

I didn’t want to acquire either Pence.

[tom81]

deleted--let's avoid the name-calling, please. --pc, mod.

Since Trump has now been Impeached for “crimes” is it still unacceptable in calling him names that refer to someone who commits crimes or is he considered innocent until proven guilty and it is still inappropriate now? Probably best to avoid the name calling now anyway.

I really think the Phillies are going to have a winning record this coming year so I think need a Senate conviction to win the bet.

[allentown]

There is a difference between an impeachable offense and a crime. The House laid out a good case for impeachable offense, probably not for a crime. I think President Trump is guilty of crimes, but those can't be addressed while he is in office. Whether Pence, or a Dem elected in 2020, I think better for nation to pardon Trump of criminal offenses. My preference is something like the South African approach. Trump confesses any criminal offenses, with the guarantee they will be pardoned, if he restores any ill-gotten gains. Things he doesn't confess are subject to future prosecution.

I don't like Pence, but we would be better with President Pence for the next year. He has the normal super-enlarged ego of a politician who wants to be president, and is super-conservative on social issues, but I believe him to be sane, not a narcissist, and not a criminal. Whether or not the cult of Trump supports him is immaterial. We need a sane/non-senile president.

If I were Mitch McConnell, I would be arranging a deal for President Trump to be replaced by V.P. Pence, with a guarantee of pardon for any confessed offenses and the Ds signing off on that deal in advance. The pardon of Nixon was not a bad thing. It saved the nation a lot of turmoil, division, and anguish. As much as the later partial 'rehabilitation' of Nixon often grated on me, avoiding a criminal prosecution was the proper course.

[julio]

Pardon? Maybe if we have an ironclad guarantee that Trump will disappear from public life, give up Twitter, and NEVER comment publicly about anything, ever. Failing that, we need to prosecute and imprison him - because if he’s free to continue to pour out poison, he will continue to damage our institutions, and to encourage those who share his hate. Enough already.

[zambonir]

I agree the Phillies will win before Trump leaves office. I am afraid they might win a World Series before he does!

[schillingfan]

Pardon? Maybe if we have an ironclad guarantee that Trump will disappear from public life, give up Twitter, and NEVER comment publicly about anything, ever. Failing that, we need to prosecute and imprison him - because if he’s free to continue to pour out poison, he will continue to damage our institutions, and to encourage those who share his hate. Enough already.

Nixon resigned in shame and retired from public life. The first problem with Trump is that he will never admit he was wrong about anything. He’ll forever be the persecuted, whiny victim, particularly because of his cult support and his enablers like McConnell.

The second problem with Trump is that I truly believe he has committed serious financial crimes and made agreements with world leaders that seriously threaten U.S. security. He cannot be pardoned from that. If nothing else I’m sure New York can get him for financial crimes that no New York governor will pardon him from.

[BostonRoss]

Pardon? Maybe if we have an ironclad guarantee that Trump will disappear from public life, give up Twitter, and NEVER comment publicly about anything, ever. Failing that, we need to prosecute and imprison him - because if he’s free to continue to pour out poison, he will continue to damage our institutions, and to encourage those who share his hate. Enough already.

I don’t think imprisonment would stop him (and of course it would be years before he ever served time).

[allentown]

I am only proposing pardon for crimes he confesses. That removes a lot of his ability to spin going forward and also may embarrass enough Rs in Congress that they stand up to him in self defense. Out of office, his strength is diminished. It would certainly be wise to have a sworn pledge not to run for elective office again. I think it would be good for the nation if NY went along with this.