[LinearPhilosopher]

Gorefest, on 23 January 2019 - 02:17 PM, said:

Meanwhile, day 33 of the shutdown? Wow, never seen anything like it. It seems bizarre that this is even possible. Is there any other country (non-dictatorship) in the world where the entire federal machine can just be shut down over political infighting? It seems like an insane setup. What is the rationale for such a construction? I must confess that my knowledge of American politics is fairly superficial.

To make a long answer short, The US was designed in such a way to avoid any one party or person having to much power, by spreading it out over different institutions. In the modern era, these rules have been hijacked in the interest of individual or group politics and loop holes have been found. One of these loophole is that the President can propose the budget, but congress must approve said budget.

It's kinda like how the Gracchi brothers figured out a loophole in the tribune of the plebs in the roman republic system. By the time some reforms were attempted it was already too late (Sulla) as the entire system was breaking. In this case, if those in control of congress are at odds with the white house, this is a card to be played. Now this isn't to say the US is fated to turn into a Despotic system with the government putting bounties on anyone it wants, but it's a parallel to be drawn.

This post has been edited by LinearPhilosopher: 29 January 2019 - 02:18 PM

[worry]

I dunno if you guys heard about the hate crime committed against actor Jussie Smollett (specifically for being a gay black man). It crosses a whole bunch of different topics for sure, but it still fits the broad sense of US politics imo. I think this in particular makes it fit here more than other threads. This ain't a perversion of MAGA, it's the literal interpretation of MAGA as it is meant to be taken:

[QuickTidal]

worry, on 30 January 2019 - 06:01 AM, said:

I dunno if you guys heard about the hate crime committed against actor Jussie Smollett (specifically for being a gay black man). It crosses a whole bunch of different topics for sure, but it still fits the broad sense of US politics imo. I think this in particular makes it fit here more than other threads. This ain't a perversion of MAGA, it's the literal interpretation of MAGA as it is meant to be taken:

Things like this atrocity SHOULD (in a normal world) spell the end to the MAGA thing as gear...it probably won't...but it should be seen now as the hate symbol is was intended to be.

[Primateus]

QuickTidal, on 30 January 2019 - 02:32 PM, said:

worry, on 30 January 2019 - 06:01 AM, said:

I dunno if you guys heard about the hate crime committed against actor Jussie Smollett (specifically for being a gay black man). It crosses a whole bunch of different topics for sure, but it still fits the broad sense of US politics imo. I think this in particular makes it fit here more than other threads. This ain't a perversion of MAGA, it's the literal interpretation of MAGA as it is meant to be taken:

Things like this atrocity SHOULD (in a normal world) spell the end to the MAGA thing as gear...it probably won't...but it should be seen now as the hate symbol is was intended to be.

It won't! I'm tempted to say it's because his attackers, and quite frankly a large segment of Trump's base, don't think they did anything wrong.

[worry]

What in the hell?

[Malankazooie]

Cory Booker announced. This is gonna be one crowded run for prez. Hope a lot of them drop soon so a viable candidate can build momentum to challenge Trump.

[Aptorian]

I don't really like Booker. He seems eager during those hearing videos but there's something about him that rubs me the wrong way.

[Malankazooie]

Alternative Goose, on 01 February 2019 - 07:27 PM, said:

I don't really like Booker. He seems eager during those hearing videos but there's something about him that rubs me the wrong way.

PR stunts and grandstanding are definitely a tool he's overused (see 'shoveling snow during blizzard')

[Tiste Simeon]

The problem is, literally every single candidate that will ever declare would be infinitely better than Trump and I'm worried we'll get too much choice.

[worry]

What do you mean "we'll"?? You one of those millions of undocumented voters I keep hearing about?!

[Tiste Simeon]

worry, on 01 February 2019 - 09:19 PM, said:

What do you mean "we'll"?? You one of those millions of undocumented voters I keep hearing about?!

We as in the human race. As in the gene pool that would have been much improved of none of the Trump family ever existed...

And yes. I sneak into polling booths in the US.

This post has been edited by Tiste Simeon: 01 February 2019 - 09:54 PM

[worry]

Now we're gonna need to build a wall between the US and England.

[Macros]

No its cool, Trumpalino watched a Docu the other day about this cool maritime force, led by some Fishboy. He's going to negotiate a deal with them to protect the atlantic.

the best deal

the biggliest deal

[worry]

As a more serious response, there's plenty to be scared of. I am not necessarily scared of the numbers, but of a glut of establishment Dems co-opting necessary left-ish ideas for the primary and then watering them down or abandoning them for the general -- e.g. the Green New Deal, Medicare For All, etc. Defeating Trump is necessary, but not sufficient, for the future. And besides, inspiring Dem voters is vastly more important than not turning off anti-Trump Republicans (who, again, only dislike his personality, not his positions), so I would beg Dem voters not to choose someone in that mold. I'm also a little scared that there's enough people who blame Bernie for HRC's loss instead of, you know, the actual candidate who lost to Trump, to be a spanner in the works should he run. I'm not Bernie-or-bust, and I don't think he's perfect, but policy-wise he's the genuine article. Consistent and passionate about actual progress. Choosing another centrist phony isn't gonna cut it. I wouldn't mind seeing other like-minded people in the race as well, though.

Ultimately, like I said, I don't like Kamala Harris at all, and would not vote for her in the primary, but obviously in the general she's the better choice of the binary. As would be Cory Booker. I mean, if you vote for Donald Trump in 2020, you're a white supremacist scumbag at heart -- without question, without exception, whether it's passionate vitriol or merely indifference -- and should be shunned forever. You don't even have the cover of hating political dynasties this time around. And there's clearly enough of them to make the electoral college a real threat. So to end this heartwarming message, yah, it's right to be worried.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

worry, on 01 February 2019 - 11:21 PM, said:

As a more serious response, there's plenty to be scared of. I am not necessarily scared of the numbers, but of a glut of establishment Dems co-opting necessary left-ish ideas for the primary and then watering them down or abandoning them for the general -- e.g. the Green New Deal, Medicare For All, etc. Defeating Trump is necessary, but not sufficient, for the future. And besides, inspiring Dem voters is vastly more important than not turning off anti-Trump Republicans (who, again, only dislike his personality, not his positions), so I would beg Dem voters not to choose someone in that mold. I'm also a little scared that there's enough people who blame Bernie for HRC's loss instead of, you know, the actual candidate who lost to Trump, to be a spanner in the works should he run. I'm not Bernie-or-bust, and I don't think he's perfect, but policy-wise he's the genuine article. Consistent and passionate about actual progress. Choosing another centrist phony isn't gonna cut it. I wouldn't mind seeing other like-minded people in the race as well, though.

Ultimately, like I said, I don't like Kamala Harris at all, and would not vote for her in the primary, but obviously in the general she's the better choice of the binary. As would be Cory Booker. I mean, if you vote for Donald Trump in 2020, you're a white supremacist scumbag at heart -- without question, without exception, whether it's passionate vitriol or merely indifference -- and should be shunned forever. You don't even have the cover of hating political dynasties this time around. And there's clearly enough of them to make the electoral college a real threat. So to end this heartwarming message, yah, it's right to be worried.

[worry]

To hell with racist Dems too, btw, and the party indifference to non-white people that allows them to flourish. I'm sure we'll get the "it was 30 years ago" cries from party stans (not here, but in general I mean) who will excuse anything, even though 30 years ago this dude was in his mid 20s, not a kid. And yah, obviously, it's likely he's matured over the past 30 years, and on a personal level he can sincerely apologize and be forgiven I guess. But on a political level, it's just one more sign of who gets all the chance in the world and who gets no chances, who has been left out of the political conversation for all this time. He needs to resign.

[worry]

Maybe my worry above was premature, and they're gonna out themselves as useless before the primaries even really get started.

[Silencer]

Virgin of High House Bachelor, on 01 February 2019 - 11:42 PM, said:

Won’t be the 1st time I’ve been called that here since ed 2016 *shrugs we ll see.

What, exactly, would your reasons be for voting Trump in 2020, BK?

[worry]

I didn't have anyone particular in mind when I said that, and missed that response (Azath's giant -- but funny! -- image caught all my attention). But there's a whole host of ways to avoid that truth pertaining to someone in 2020, and only one way for it to apply, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

This post has been edited by worry: 02 February 2019 - 08:05 AM

[Aptorian]

Virgin of High House Bachelor, on 02 February 2019 - 05:02 PM, said:

The economy has been mostly good to great(I know the term before contributes in the beginning) despite a little hiccup this past month its back and higher then ever. Unemployment has been in record lows iirc but going up on paper now with this last shutdown. Our veterans are atleast getting better care then the past. This still needs to improve tremendously. I’m onboard with peace through strength. Im onboard with NATO nations needing to pay their share. I’m onboard with border security. I could take or leave the wall. Fuck Maduro. Atleast some progress with NoKo has been made though I know most here will dispute that(and everything else).

We are still here breathing.

I haven’t said I would re vote. I just said we ll see. If I’m shunned for a political choice then so be it. Myself I can I get along with anyone despite who they vote for. If you can’t then at this point(I say this point because I have lost some friendships I was truly honored to have just turn around and begin jabbing which was hurtful at the time) I just say deuces.

On the face of it, I understand your reasoning. In many ways Trump has actually been very true to the promises he made and the strategies he promised. I could respect that. But even if every act Trump had accomplished had been to my favor I still would never be able to support him.


Trump is a terrible, terrible human being. I don't mean that in the sense that I don't like him. I mean he's one of the worst human beings I can think of in recorded history.

Trump lies and flatters and insults with every breath he takes. He takes credit for other people's accomplishments and blames others for his failures and short comings. That's bad enough in itself but he's a small, small man who won the seat of great men. He deceives the people who are most desperate by promising them the world.

In his role as president he's done lasting damage to the populations faith in the system and the honest people who work to make the world a better place. He's sown distrust between citizens and the journalists who protect the people from the rich and powerful. He's sown distrust between the government agencies, like the FBI, CIA and Environmental agencies, who protect the nation from internal and foreign threats.

By refusing to denounce or attack hate groups he's legitimized hate crimes not just in America but on a global scale.

He's actively worked to make the world a less unified and stable place for the simple reason that he thinks America could earn more money if others countries weren't prosperous.

He's a stupid arrogant person who thinks climate change doesn't exist because it's cold in winter time. By rejecting established science he's setting the whole worlds environment and ultimate fate back a decade at least.


He's drained the swamp by employing all the swamp monsters.


I could go on listing things that's wrong with Trump but ultimately it can all be boiled down to the fact that he's a garbage creature who makes the world a worse place every day he's still alive.

This post has been edited by Alternative Goose: 02 February 2019 - 05:43 PM