[QuickTidal]

So question for the Americans….how far does your country slide into this hyper-charged ultra religious right wing dystopia run by a cabal of disgusting old white men…before the normal people get sick of it?

Cause this shit?

https://msmagazine.c...izelle-herrera/

Is the fucking Handmaids Tale.

[Gorefest]

There is a lot of talk about repression of women in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and such, but the US is quickly going down the same route of religious fanaticism. Scary shit. Organised religion is a scourge on society.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 09 April 2022 - 10:33 PM

[Aptorian]

I think you're making the same mistake talking about the US as Fox news does when talking about Europe. Texas is a state in the US. The same way Poland is a Country in the European union.

Doesn't mean the US as a whole is backsliding. Although overall America doesn't seem to be doing well politically.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'"Our society is sick. Mothers are mutilating and murdering their babies through transgenderism and abortion. [...] How much more can America take before our civilization begins to collapse?"

[...] opened by complaining about the decision by Fox News to hire former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner as a commentator, repeatedly deadnaming her and referring to her as a man. And she ranted against "drag queens and transsexuals parading" at conservative gatherings.'

Marjorie Taylor Greene: America is being destroyed by mothers 'mutilating and murdering their babies'

So long as they can call Democrats baby-killers, and partisan loyalty (along with trolling the libs, unholy alliance between religious reactionaries and kleptocratic relative elites, states' rights combined with self-sorting, etc.) trumps rational policy making (and the wealthy can simply cross state lines to get abortions...), Republicans will keep using 'abortion makes Democrats baby-killers!' as a way to demonize 'the other side'....

OTOH Fox News did hire a transgender woman... it's complicated. Texas may be turning blue in the near future. Part of it is probably a reaction to the declining relative power of reactionary religions (and, as demographics shift, white people... or in the case of Texas, particularly white people without a college degree or experience in tech).

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 April 2022 - 07:48 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Tucker Suggests Dads Should "Thrash" Kids' Teachers'

[... Carlson] spoke with Ohio GOP Senate candidate JD Vance about how[...] Biden "wants to determine what your kids learn about the deepest and most important issues there are." Biden, he added, is therefore aiming for "control over your family, and your values, and your beliefs."

[...] while defending Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill—which is now law— [Carlson] said that teachers who discuss gender identity with students "should be arrested" and "beaten up." [...]

In response to Carlson, Vance criticized the "crazy lunatics" he deems responsible [...] "One of the things we're learning, Tucker, is that this is being forced by some of these really radical teachers and they're hiding it from the parents."'

Tucker Suggests Dads Should 'Thrash' Kids' Teachers (thedailybeast.com)

Vance certainly knows better, but he's a cynical opportunist who went from criticizing Trumpism to embracing it for power... same goes for Carlson and many Republican politicians (even---to an extent---Trump himself). Cynical use of religion and culture war by kleptocratic elites to get people to vote in favor of exploitative and environmentally disastrous economic policies.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 April 2022 - 08:04 PM

[Gorefest]

Aptorian, on 09 April 2022 - 06:23 PM, said:

I think you're making the same mistake talking about the US as Fox news does when talking about Europe. Texas is a state in the US. The same way Poland is a Country in the European union.

Doesn't mean the US as a whole is backsliding. Although overall America doesn't seem to be doing well politically.

I wish it was only Texas. This is far more wide spread. There is this seriously scary brand of uniquely American Christianity that considers the Rapture an actual event that will happen in the near future, and they are seemingly actively working towards it happening in our lifetimes so they get to go to heaven. It is fucked up beyond belief. At least with IS and the Taliban and such, you can be relatively convenienced as a priviliged westerner that it stays somewhat contained. But the religious nutters in the west are pretty much on par with their fanatical islamic counterparts these days. Just more legitimised. The sky fairies will be the death of us one day.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 09 April 2022 - 10:34 PM

[Malankazooie]

About seven months from the midterm elections. So, how are things trending? I'm not looking forward to the political ads and robocalls that will most certainty start picking up in the summer. My state picked up a congressional district, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'District Attorney drops Charges Against Texas Woman for "Illegal Abortion"

[...] district attorney[:] In reviewing applicable Texas law, it is clear that Ms. Herrera cannot and should not be prosecuted for the allegation against her."'

District Attorney DROPS Charges Against Texas Woman for 'Illegal Abortion' (thedailybeast.com)

IDK how much of this is politics/fear of backlash or reprisal and how much is 'Texas law' (or how it relates to the state or national Supreme Court...).


'West Virginian voters lead blockade of coal plant that made Manchin rich'

West Virginian voters lead blockade of coal plant that made Manchin rich - Alternet.org


'Jan. 6 Panel Has Evidence for Criminal Referral of Trump, but Splits on Sending

[...] debate centers on whether making a referral — a largely symbolic act — would backfire by politically tainting the Justice Department's expanding investigation into the Jan. 6 assault and what led up to it.'

Jan. 6 Panel Has Evidence for Criminal Referral of Trump, but Splits on Sending - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

... or backfire for the Republicans on the committee by hurting them in the upcoming elections?...


'Trumpworld Goes Into Meltdown After Trump Endorses Dr. Oz
"SABOTAGING"

"Oz is the antithesis of everything that made Trump the best president of my lifetime," one MAGA luminary said.

[...] At issue among Trump's most fervent supporters is the belief that Oz, a Turkish-American TV physician who has hobnobbed with Hollywood's elite and has flip-flopped on the issue of abortion, isn't a trustworthy "America First" Republican candidate, compared to fellow candidate Dave McCormick, who has ex-Trump administration officials Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller by his side.

infighting only intensified as more conservative commentators and politicos lined up to take shots at Trump's endorsement.

"It's like Donald Trump's staff is sabotaging Trump by convincing him to make the worst possible endorsements," conservative radio host Erick Erickson tweeted.

"This endorsement could divide MAGA in the only way that matters: he could lose America First conservatives over it," Breitbart [...]

[...] "This is happening because Trump's surrounded himself by staff who are on McConnell's payroll & hostile to the MAGA agenda. Everybody telling Trump who to endorse in primaries works for The Swamp," said Brooks, whose Trump endorsement was recently rescinded. "They played him. Again."

[...] Mitch McConnell (R-KY) didn't immediately jump in on backing Oz [...] stating, "I think we're in a good position to win that race regardless of who the nominee is."

[...]

"Wait. Is there anything conservative about Dr. Oz?"'

Trumpworld Figures Go Into Meltdown After Donald Trump Endorses Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania Senate Race (thedailybeast.com)

Heard some of the 'Oz is a RINO' tv ads have been pretty strong... can't recall having seen any personally. Only video I found on Youtube is a fact check and doesn't include the clip where they show Oz using his arm to make himself look like a rhino (or some other horned beast).

Of course Trump probably cares about cult of personality / celebrity more than (any other) ideology (at least provided they don't (seem to) threaten to eclipse or contradict or compete with him)....

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 10 April 2022 - 07:56 PM

[Malankazooie]

I see those stickers pretty regularly now.

https://twitter.com/...999018396946432

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Malankazooie, on 13 April 2022 - 05:51 PM, said:

I see those stickers pretty regularly now.

https://twitter.com/...999018396946432

'Video [...] yelling obscenities at police before running over to the gas pump, pointing, and yelling, "I did that! I did that! That's what I did!"

[...] then appears to run back toward the store, away from the pump, before a police officer tackles him to the pavement.

[...] became enraged when an attendant at a Lancaster Turkey Hill asked him to stop putting anti-Joe Biden stickers on a gas pump at the station.

[...] Glazewski had applied a substance to the stickers that made them more difficult to remove from the pumps. Court documents said the man had also been "jumping, waving his arms, and screaming profanities about the price of gas and President Joe Biden."'

Central Pa. man accused of placing anti-Biden stickers on gas pump charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest: reports - pennlive.com


'A new trend has Republicans tricking airport staffers into paging fake passengers with names that sound like right-wing memes, like "Let's go Brandon."

Sommer says the trend speaks to "the prankishness of the American right right now."

"He does it and has his little snicker at the Cinnabon," he says of one prominent airport prankster, "but these videos rack up tens of thousands of views."'

Trump Fans Found a Way to Be Even Worse at the Airport (thedailybeast.com)


'"She Needs to Be Executed": The Far-Right Is Doxxing School Officials They Think Are "Groomers"

Right-wing figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Fox News hosts [...] have spent the last month boosting the conspiracy theory that anyone opposed to anti-LGBTQ legislation is a "groomer" or a "pedophile." This has already led to real-life protests, but on far-right forums like Patriots.win and Gab, there's been a significant spike in ultra-violent rhetoric, with users posting threats against specific teachers, Disney employees, and lawmakers [...]

[...] They're doxxing school officials and calling for their execution.

[...] "Fuck a woodchipper," another wrote in response. "If some teacher did that to my kid, I'm going to go straight to them and literally beat them to an inch of their life."

But then things escalated. An account called ProudKoreanAmerican clearly felt that posting threats online was just not enough, and posted the physical address'

The Far-Right Is Doxxing School Officials They Think Are "Groomers" (vice.com)

[amphibian]

The point of these tactics over and over is to generally convince people that it is ok to use violence and intimidation tactics against their political "opponents" - who are almost all Democratic or leftist.

The January 6th Capitol Riots are going to become a more and more frequent thing across the country as this is stirred up over and over without effective pushback from opposition and without remorse by the right wing people and far right wing people.

This is scary shit and I don't think many in Democratic leadership in my state (NY) or country realize this.

[Lady Bliss]

Gorefest, on 09 April 2022 - 06:13 PM, said:

There is a lot of talk about repression of women in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and such, but the US is quickly going down the same route of religious fanaticism. Scary shit. Organised religion is a scourge on society.

Agreed. By outlawing abortion for example, the number of undereducated women, working low paying jobs increases. Throw in the fact that there will undoubtedly be an increase in children born with severe birth defects that will require round the clock care…
I’m not saying that abortion is always the right answer. But each situation needs to be weighed on the circumstances.

This post has been edited by Lady Bliss: 18 April 2022 - 03:46 PM

[Gwynn ap Nudd]

Lady Bliss, on 18 April 2022 - 03:45 PM, said:

Gorefest, on 09 April 2022 - 06:13 PM, said:

There is a lot of talk about repression of women in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and such, but the US is quickly going down the same route of religious fanaticism. Scary shit. Organised religion is a scourge on society.

Agreed. By outlawing abortion for example, the number of undereducated women, working low paying jobs increases. Throw in the fact that there will undoubtedly be an increase in children born with severe birth defects that will require round the clock care…
I’m not saying that abortion is always the right answer. But each situation needs to be weighed on the circumstances.

I find the cynical politics behind parts of the anti-abortion laws sickening. Neither Texas nor Oklahoma will allow exceptions for rape victims. Not because more than 5% of the population is in favour of making rape victims carry through a pregnancy, but because those who wrote the laws calculated that not having such an exception would be more palatable politically than having numerous women be forced to testify in court to prove they were raped and such an exception would apply.

[Cause]

Gwynn ap Nudd, on 19 April 2022 - 01:18 AM, said:

Lady Bliss, on 18 April 2022 - 03:45 PM, said:

Gorefest, on 09 April 2022 - 06:13 PM, said:

There is a lot of talk about repression of women in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and such, but the US is quickly going down the same route of religious fanaticism. Scary shit. Organised religion is a scourge on society.

Agreed. By outlawing abortion for example, the number of undereducated women, working low paying jobs increases. Throw in the fact that there will undoubtedly be an increase in children born with severe birth defects that will require round the clock care…
I’m not saying that abortion is always the right answer. But each situation needs to be weighed on the circumstances.

I find the cynical politics behind parts of the anti-abortion laws sickening. Neither Texas nor Oklahoma will allow exceptions for rape victims. Not because more than 5% of the population is in favour of making rape victims carry through a pregnancy, but because those who wrote the laws calculated that not having such an exception would be more palatable politically than having numerous women be forced to testify in court to prove they were raped and such an exception would apply.

Never considered that, but brilliant point. You either take every womens word for it, or you they would have to put women through an inquisition.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Biden Administration Won't Challenge Striking Down of Travel Mask Mandate

[...] indicated it would not seek to challenge a federal judge's ruling that a nationwide mask mandate on board public transportation was unlawful[...] United, Delta, American, and Southwest Airlines all dumped their own masking regulations'

Biden Administration Won't Challenge Striking Down of Travel Mask Mandate (thedailybeast.com)

WTF... wish I didn't have to vote for that idiot.


'Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden Admin's Travel Mask Mandate

[...] The mandate[...] enforces mask-wearing on public transportation services like airplanes and trains.

[...] Judge [...] appointed by [...] Trump, determined that the scope of the mandate was beyond the legal purview of the CDC. "The Mask Mandate is best understood not as sanitation, but as an exercise of the CDC's power to conditionally release individuals to travel despite concerns that they may spread a communicable disease (and to detain or partially quarantine those who refuse),"

"But the power to conditionally release and detain is ordinarily limited to individuals entering the United States from a foreign country." It remains unclear when Mizelle's ruling could go into effect at transportation hubs across the country.'

Trump-Appointed Judge Strikes Down Biden Admin's Travel Mask Mandate (thedailybeast.com)

'former clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, [...] the youngest person Mr. Trump had appointed to a life-tenured judgeship. The American Bar Association declared her not qualified because of her lack of experience, but Republican senators confirmed her in a party-line vote.

[...] a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, said the Biden administration would have to appeal the decision if it wanted the mandate to continue. He also defended the agency's authority to issue the mask requirement.

"If there were ever an instance where the C.D.C. has authority to act, the classic case is to prevent the interstate transmission of a dangerous infectious disease," [...]

[....] Pulling back on the travel mask requirement at this moment is "very, very concerning," [...]

[...] "[...] we may see what happened in the U.K., where they drastically pulled back restrictions and saw a significant surge, and this will contribute to rising numbers."'

Federal Judge Strikes Down Mask Mandate for Planes, Public Transit - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Biden could probably stop it with an appeal, but no, he's just going to let BA.2 and XE spread... IDK, maybe he's hoping to kill some Republicans? Render people docile with long covid---spread the brain fog and fatigue all around? 'Hey now I feel just like Joe Biden, what nonsense is coming out of my mouth now, pony soldiers'....

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 19 April 2022 - 03:55 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Finally:

'DOJ appeals federal ruling on transportation mask mandate

[...] The appeal is a risky move that could limit the government's ability to make similar mandates in the future. If the 11th Circuit -- which oversees appellate challenges from Florida, where the federal judge who struck down the mandate sits -- upholds the ruling striking down the mandate, it would be precedent for all the other federal courts in that circuit, which covers the Southeast. A Supreme Court ruling upholding the decision to strike down the mandate would make the judge's conclusions about CDC authority binding nationwide.

[...]

Pressed on why the Justice Department didn't immediately appeal the ruling or seeking an emergency stay, Psaki pointed to the CDC's need to gather more data on the BA.2 subvariant of Covid-19'

DOJ appeals federal ruling on transportation mask mandate - CNNPolitics

Oh ffs.

Maybe they were really waiting for this:

'Most U.S. travelers support mask regulations on planes, trains and public transportation, poll finds

[...] 56% of Americans favor requiring people on planes, trains and public transportation to wear masks, compared with 24% opposed[...]

[...] Among Democrats, 80% favor and just 5% oppose the requirement. Among Republicans, 45% are opposed compared with 33% in favor, with 22% saying neither.'

Most U.S. travelers support mask regulations on planes, trains and public transportation, poll finds - CBS News

... but analyzed relative to competitive districts for the midterms (or beyond)....

[Gwynn ap Nudd]

At least the judge in that case hit the ripe old age of 33 prior to being given a lifetime appointment as a federal judge. And that was way back a year and a half ago, so at this point your only looking at another 45-50 years of farcical decisions.

[Gorefest]

To be fair, mask wearing on public transport in the UK (and to the best of my knowledge most of mainland Europe) has practically evaporated. I still do it as I am used to it from work, but I often find myself alone on a crowded bus of masklessness these days.

[Maark Abbott]

Gorefest, on 21 April 2022 - 09:12 AM, said:

To be fair, mask wearing on public transport in the UK (and to the best of my knowledge most of mainland Europe) has practically evaporated. I still do it as I am used to it from work, but I often find myself alone on a crowded bus of masklessness these days.

It's evaporated pretty much everywhere. And then people wonder why the virus is running absolutely rampant...

[Aptorian]

It's running rampant the way influenza or the cold does. It's not critical any longer. Denmark dropped most restrictions in February and we're doing fine.