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On August 04 2016 20:29 Biff The Understudy wrote: This is really worth seeing, and John Oliver nails something really important : the sublime disdain of facts by Republican leaders :
I think the situation with the GOP is best summarized by this old quote from Isaac Asimov :
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."
That sums up many many things in the political discussion today.
I saw this a couple of days back and it made my brain hurt. Especially while trying to understand supporters who go "yep, he's right". Almost got an aneurysm.
GOP manual :
1- Spread fear mongering propaganda completely dismissive of facts (eg: violent crime is up, the economy is doing horribly, ISIS is everywhere, etc...) Very easy with the help of Faux News.
2- Answer that it's what people feel when you are confronted with facts (you bet, you are the one who made them feel like that in the first place you asshole). Damn experts with your stupid numbers, you know nothing about "the people" (tm).
3- Exploit a political discussion that has been put on a ground that has nothing to do with reality whatsoever. Blaming brown people is a good trick, use and abuse it!
4- Win the election and proceed to fuck in the *** the people who voted for you, making huge tax cuts for millionaires and super high incomes and destroying social programs (social security is slavery, worse than Hitler!!). Let's be clear that was your only objective in the first place. Why do you think the Koch brothers give you so many $$$$??
(NB: That all work on the assumption that there is a huge resentment to exploit, which is the case with uneducated, disfranchised white men. Then again, as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, that doesn't really work anymore because of changing demographics. Too bad, it was entertaining.)
Now a new chapter has been added :
5- Trump arrives, and you are fucked because his purpose is not to pull a con job that benefit the Koch brothers, but to fulfill his megalomaniac god complex. Also, there is another problem, you don't believe any of what you said, but he does, because apparently in his world, when he says something, it becomes magically true, even when he contradicts himself. That's not a con job anymore, but some kind of a psychotic mass delusion.
Good luck for finding n° 6-
The Republican Party basically talks in platitudes and high-minded ideals to convince the poor to vote for policies that make things worse for them.
I always enjoyed watching Trump's campaign from the start because I enjoyed seeing what a mockery it made of the Republican Party. That joke went farther than anyone really expected that it could. But for the Republicans it was completely deserved.
On August 04 2016 22:10 brian wrote: I was going to make a passive aggressive racist post in mockery of xkcd's but since I'm not staff I didn't want to get banned.
I participate in this thread often and I have never felt like I can't criticise the staff. They are usually given leniency and don't get warnings when other people do, but that's it.
On August 04 2016 20:43 Biff The Understudy wrote:
On August 04 2016 20:35 m4ini wrote:
On August 04 2016 20:29 Biff The Understudy wrote: This is really worth seeing, and John Oliver nails something really important : the sublime disdain of facts by Republican leaders :
I think the situation with the GOP is best summarized by this old quote from Isaac Asimov :
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."
That sums up many many things in the political discussion today.
I saw this a couple of days back and it made my brain hurt. Especially while trying to understand supporters who go "yep, he's right". Almost got an aneurysm.
GOP manual :
1- Spread fear mongering propaganda completely dismissive of facts (eg: violent crime is up, the economy is doing horribly, ISIS is everywhere, etc...) Very easy with the help of Faux News.
2- Answer that it's what people feel when you are confronted with facts (you bet, you are the one who made them feel like that in the first place you asshole). Damn experts with your stupid numbers, you know nothing about "the people" (tm).
3- Exploit a political discussion that has been put on a ground that has nothing to do with reality whatsoever. Blaming brown people is a good trick, use and abuse it!
4- Win the election and proceed to fuck in the *** the people who voted for you, making huge tax cuts for millionaires and super high incomes and destroying social programs (social security is slavery, worse than Hitler!!). Let's be clear that was your only objective in the first place. Why do you think the Koch brothers give you so many $$$$??
(NB: That all work on the assumption that there is a huge resentment to exploit, which is the case with uneducated, disfranchised white men. Then again, as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, that doesn't really work anymore because of changing demographics. Too bad, it was entertaining.)
Now a new chapter has been added :
5- Trump arrives, and you are fucked because his purpose is not to pull a con job that benefit the Koch brothers, but to fulfill his megalomaniac god complex. Also, there is another problem, you don't believe any of what you said, but he does, because apparently in his world, when he says something, it becomes magically true, even when he contradicts himself. That's not a con job anymore, but some kind of a psychotic mass delusion.
Good luck for finding n° 6-
The Republican Party basically talks in platitudes and high-minded ideals to convince the poor to vote for policies that make things worse for them.
I always enjoyed watching Trump's campaign from the start because I enjoyed seeing what a mockery it made of the Republican Party. That joke went farther than anyone really expected that it could. But for the Republicans it was completely deserved.
You reminded me of the Obamacare protests. Poor people protesting against their ability to get affordable healthcare so they are not ruined when something happens to them. God so frustrating.
On August 04 2016 22:10 brian wrote: I was going to make a passive aggressive racist post in mockery of xkcd's but since I'm not staff I didn't want to get banned.
I participate in this thread often and I have never felt like I can't criticise the staff. They are usually given leniency and don't get warnings when other people do, but that's it.
TL in general gives a lot of leeway for calling people out on their perceived BS as long as it's done in a tasteful / non-jerkish manner. Usually you only get banned if you go too far.
On August 04 2016 22:27 farvacola wrote: Proponents of drug test conditioned welfare are usually low income themselves lol. There's a lot of unknowing self-harm in US politics.
What's the phrase? Americans are temporarily embarrassed millionaires? Many Americans perceive themselves as being higher class than their standard of living and income dictate. Its weird.
On August 04 2016 22:27 farvacola wrote: Proponents of drug test conditioned welfare are usually low income themselves lol. There's a lot of unknowing self-harm in US politics.
Not every low income person on welfare is a drug addict. I'm assuming its not the druggies doing those protests but the good people trying to clear the idea of all welfare recipients being drug addicts.
On August 04 2016 22:27 farvacola wrote: Proponents of drug test conditioned welfare are usually low income themselves lol. There's a lot of unknowing self-harm in US politics.
Not every low income person on welfare is a drug addict. I'm assuming its not the druggies doing those protests but the good people trying to clear the idea of all welfare recipients being drug addicts.
The motivation comes from fear of "big government," not legitimate concerns that drug users are receiving benefits (because, given available data, those concerns are definitively illegitimate). In light of the fact that over half of welfare recipients are children and the relatively small costs of food/income assistance programs, most welfare critiques come from places of abject ignorance.
Jesus. The RCP average is putting Clinton at +5.9. Worst recent poll is LA Times/USC, where she gained 2% and Trump lost 4% compared to the previous poll (total gain of 6 points). The Wrath of Khan and the convention did some work.
Wonder how transitory this lead will end up being.
On August 04 2016 23:03 TheTenthDoc wrote: Jesus. The RCP average is putting Clinton at +5.9. Worst recent poll is LA Times/USC, where she gained 2% and Trump lost 4% compared to the previous poll (total gain of 6 points). The Wrath of Khan and the convention did some work.
Wonder how transitory this lead will end up being.
The convention period was Trump's time to pivot and at least try to appear a bit presidential. He's shown that he was completely unable to do so. I think he had a real chance and a lot of momentum. The convention shitshow and that Khan suicidal row were the worst of the worst he could pull at that point.
In my opinion it's over, but who knows...
EDIT: 538 gives Hillary over 75% chances to win. Back to square one for Trump.
Uh, curse those illegals taking those jobs away from hardworking American supermodels!
I actually hope Trump will become President. I really do so. It would just add up to the current amount of political clusterf**k. I mean, what could possibly happen? Would he be able to start a war somewhere else then in America itself? I dont think so. Would he piss off every foreign country that is not already lead by some selfcentered guy? Probably yes, but real actions? I doubt it.
Same goes for Hillary btw except she wouldn't piss off foreign people. But she also wont be able to achieve anything big imho.
Uh, curse those illegals taking those jobs away from hardworking American supermodels!
I actually hope Trump will become President. I really do so. It would just add up to the current amount of political clusterf**k. I mean, what could possibly happen? Would he be able to start a war somewhere else then in America itself? I dont think so. Would he piss off every foreign country that is not already lead by some selfcentered guy? Probably yes, but real actions? I doubt it.
Same goes for Hillary btw except she wouldn't piss off foreign people. But she also wont be able to achieve anything big imho.
I don't think you realize how damaging for people an extreme government can be.
On a geopolitical level it would probably be a disaster, but the real issue is every day life for americans. And it starts with a ultra right wing supreme court he has promised. Abortion, social care, taxation, affordable education, racial tensions. Those things are very real, and a fucking big deal for every american.
Hillary will probably carry on Obama's work. Incremental change for the better. That's what I expect from a president.
Politics is not a game. Would be great if more people understood that.
I dunno, if Hillary wins after a Republican party implosion, she has huge leverage with public opinion to push left policies through, especially if the pact with Bernie is to get his policies on her platform. Alongside that, Obama will surely weigh in to get the things he wanted done that he was unable to.
If it was the Republican party of the last 8 years, maybe Hillary would have been neutered and kept the status quo uneasily with the Republicans, but Trump's roaring act may work badly against the Republicans if it continues snowballing.
On August 04 2016 23:16 Biff The Understudy wrote: I don't think you realize how damaging for people an extreme government can be.
On a geopolitical level it would probably be a disaster, but the real issue is every day life for americans. And it starts with a ultra right wing supreme court he has promised. Abortion, social care, taxation, affordable education, racial tensions. Those things are very real, and a fucking big deal for every american.
Hillary will probably carry on Obama's work. Incremental change for the better. That's what I expect from a president.
Politics is not a game. Would be great if more people understood that.
But are those changes made my the president himself or by the senate and the other people working in/for the government?
On August 04 2016 23:16 Biff The Understudy wrote: I don't think you realize how damaging for people an extreme government can be.
On a geopolitical level it would probably be a disaster, but the real issue is every day life for americans. And it starts with a ultra right wing supreme court he has promised. Abortion, social care, taxation, affordable education, racial tensions. Those things are very real, and a fucking big deal for every american.
Hillary will probably carry on Obama's work. Incremental change for the better. That's what I expect from a president.
Politics is not a game. Would be great if more people understood that.
But are those changes made my the president himself or by the senate and the other people working in/for the government?
Well, if you think it all doesn't matter, take Obama presidency, and Bush presidency, and compare.
I can guarantee you that if Gore had won in 2000, the world and the US would be a much, much better place today.
Of course we are talking teams, not one individual, but that's not really good news because while Clinton's team is basically the same bunch that worked for Obama, Trump's team seems to be made of lunatics who were probably not even interviewed.
Uh, curse those illegals taking those jobs away from hardworking American supermodels!
I actually hope Trump will become President. I really do so. It would just add up to the current amount of political clusterf**k. I mean, what could possibly happen? Would he be able to start a war somewhere else then in America itself? I dont think so. Would he piss off every foreign country that is not already lead by some selfcentered guy? Probably yes, but real actions? I doubt it.
Same goes for Hillary btw except she wouldn't piss off foreign people. But she also wont be able to achieve anything big imho.
I don't think you realize how damaging for people an extreme government can be.
On a geopolitical level it would probably be a disaster, but the real issue is every day life for americans. And it starts with a ultra right wing supreme court he has promised. Abortion, social care, taxation, affordable education, racial tensions. Those things are very real, and a fucking big deal for every american.
Hillary will probably carry on Obama's work. Incremental change for the better. That's what I expect from a president.
Politics is not a game. Would be great if more people understood that.
She's going to look like she's doing something better sure, but her foundation is being backed by the likes of Saudi Arabia now, and do you think these governments will allow Clinton to be harsh on human rights violations or mediate on trade deals when she's got a proven track records of selfish behavior?
Politics is not a game. These families. The clintons and the bushes among others have made it their business model.
EPT
