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On August 08 2024 00:50 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: I've been researching Kamala Harris's runningmate, Tim Walz, and it's making me emotional. I'd like to share one specific example of this with everyone, and I think teachers (or people interested in seeing the world through the eyes of a teacher) will especially appreciate this.
As Minnesota's Democratic governor, Walz has a lot of accomplishments under his belt ( https://mn.gov/governor/accomplishments/accomplishments.jsp ). One of them that's particularly resonated with me, as a teacher, is the bill he signed that guarantees free school meals - breakfast and lunch - for all Minnesotan students. Walz understands that this isn't just a popular political move; he was a public school teacher for 20 years, so he knows that kids can't pay attention in class if they're hungry or stressing over when their next meal will be. Saving the lives of starving children is also a no-brainer for anyone with even an ounce of compassion.
Anyways, a key moment is in the 47-second video below. It's worth watching all the way through; Walz signs the aforementioned bill into law, surrounded by children celebrating. It starts off as a basic photo op. What really made me emotional, though, starts at the 14-second mark. Walz starts fist-bumping the students around him, and at the 16-second mark, one student opens her arms for a hug. Walz's huge, sincere smile at the 18-second mark, as he hugs a student whose life he may have just changed, is the kind of moment that teachers live for. That's the kind of love that isn't fake or staged or politically motivated. And the moment continues with more hugs and more sincere smiles until the 30-second mark. To me, this clip reveals a good-hearted teacher realizing - in real time, from actual students - that he's making a difference. The video captured the essence of why we do what we do.
That video is a symbol of so much of the humanity that has been squeezed out of our politics in the last many years. I can quickly see why Kamala chose him. They're trying to bring humanity and optimism back to the White House in a big way. As far as I'm concerned, she made the best choice, and we need to make this happen. The stakes have never been higher, the choices could not be more opposite each other.
He only failed to reach the rank of Sergeant Major because he didn't complete the formal paperwork needed to do so. He also retired from the service months before there were any orders to deploy, so the idea that after 24 years of service, he ducked out like a coward is just bizarre. Like, sell that to me.
"He was only a Master Sergeant who served for 24 years in our military." Good luck with that lol.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: He only failed to reach the rank of Sergeant Major because he didn't complete the formal paperwork needed to do so. He also retired from the service months before there were any orders to deploy, so the idea that after 24 years of service, he ducked out like a coward is just bizarre. Like, sell that to me.
"He was only a Master Sergeant who served for 24 years in our military." Good luck with that lol.
Walz didn't kill Osama bin Laden though! Therefore, Walz was never in the military. Or a teacher. Or a man. Checkmate, libtards!
On August 07 2024 19:19 WombaT wrote: I despise their politics but hey I’ve got a begrudging admiration for both Thatcher and Reagan. They’ve got a laugh out of me plenty of times, they’re identifiably human, can crack a joke, have actual convictions (not of the criminal kind) etc etc
What was your favorite joke of Reagan? Him calling Africans monkeys on the phone with Nixon?
His "convictions" were amnesty for illegal immigrants and trickle down economics. He came from the California actor to governor pipeline.
On August 07 2024 19:19 WombaT wrote: Hey that’s comic timing, and hey she can actually take it rather than just dish it, which Trump is absolutely incapable of.
Drumpf literally did a roast on Comedy Central. He is often self-deprecating. You are confusing he doesn't just go "yes you're right" when unhinged people who think he's the devil dump pure vitriol in his direction. Obviously there's no give and take there.
On August 07 2024 19:19 WombaT wrote: It’s just that somehow you’ve got yourself in some hole where either by earnest opinion or devil’s advocacy you find yourself bigging up an Orange Man who absolutely doesn’t merit it. And believe me, in Northern Ireland we have plenty of Orangemen who aren’t worthy of any kind of conferred prestige.
I don't know what you're talking about. There is no "bigging up" as there's no need. He didn't slip on a banana peel one day and become president. Someone would have to grasp quite hard at Jon Stewart's straws to ignore the fact that he is in his 5th decade of being a fixture of America, that it's not an accident, and his story is not so far removed from your self-confessed begrudgingly admired Reagan except he was on the small, rather than the silver, screen.
At 3:36, he wrote a social-media post saying, “I HEAR THERE IS A BIG MOVEMENT TO ‘BRING BACK CROOKED JOE.’” Twenty-three minutes later, he wrote a follow-up post elaborating on this fantasy:
What are the chances that Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla, Barrack HUSSEIN Obama, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, Shifty Adam Schiff, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and others on the Lunatic Left, CRASHES the Democrat National Convention and tries to take back the Nomination, beginning with challenging me to another DEBATE. He feels that he made a historically tragic mistake by handing over the U.S. Presidency, a COUP, to the people in the World he most hates, and he wants it back, NOW!!!
Yikes. Kambala being replaced by crooked HilliaryJoe again? Does he come in with a jet pack and just snatches the ticket YOINK?
Ouch, he seems to have completely lost it.
Classic "the dog caught the car". He pushed for Biden to pull out, but when he actually did, he writes BS like that.
What a weirdo.
Republicans never considered that Biden might actually pull out. Giving up the highest possible position in the country is just unthinkable to them because they never ever would.
Trying to sow discord among the Democrats, even the appearance of it, is a good idea at this stage before the convention. They're in a limbo while Kamala still has no campaign positions on her website - because they haven't had a convention to decide the party platform and what they are actually going to pretend to believe this year.
Ok fair point I forgot about the roast, that said I’m unsure if he’s capable of it in this current incarnation.
Also taking a few jokes in a performative environment to show you’re a good sport doesn’t necessarily mean you can actually take criticism in your day-to-day when it actually counts for something. I’m sure Elon Musk could take a few zingers on Comedy Central despite having skin as thin as a shrimp in his normal life.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with whatever pipeline one enters politics, people have different skills and life experiences, nobody can hold all the skills to properly navigate the domain solo.
Provided you can delegate and listen, aren’t brain dead, your prior profession really isn’t all that important to me at all. Goes for Reagan, Trump or whoever.
I know many do, but that would be one aspect of Trump I wouldn’t personally criticise.
Hell we could do with more Walmart workers, or equivalent jobs seen as ‘unskilled’ in the political pipeline. They’re lived experiences that millions of Americans have after all.
I don’t like Reagan or Thatcher, I admire certain facets of them. Hence the ‘begrudging’ part. In ways they were considerably more destructive to my preferred worldview than Trump is today, by a distance. In others less so than he, but on a personal level I can’t find much that’s even tolerable, much less admirable and why he inspires such devotion will forever be a mystery to me.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: He only failed to reach the rank of Sergeant Major because he didn't complete the formal paperwork needed to do so. He also retired from the service months before there were any orders to deploy, so the idea that after 24 years of service, he ducked out like a coward is just bizarre. Like, sell that to me.
"He was only a Master Sergeant who served for 24 years in our military." Good luck with that lol.
Walz didn't kill Osama bin Laden though! Therefore, Walz was never in the military. Or a teacher. Or a man. Checkmate, libtards!
I know you're trying to sound dumb on purpose, but oBlade's post still sounds dumber. I'm sorry.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: He only failed to reach the rank of Sergeant Major because he didn't complete the formal paperwork needed to do so. He also retired from the service months before there were any orders to deploy, so the idea that after 24 years of service, he ducked out like a coward is just bizarre. Like, sell that to me.
"He was only a Master Sergeant who served for 24 years in our military." Good luck with that lol.
Walz didn't kill Osama bin Laden though! Therefore, Walz was never in the military. Or a teacher. Or a man. Checkmate, libtards!
Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
On August 08 2024 05:54 WombaT wrote: Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
Plenty of stinkin lefties did after all.
There was also Bush vs Kerry where Kerry got slammed for supposedly being unfit for command despite having a vastly superior military record to Bush.
On August 08 2024 05:54 WombaT wrote: Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
Plenty of stinkin lefties did after all.
It's true, we've never gotten that kind of consistency from folks who claim to be all about respecting the military and the people who serve, to begin with. Walz can at least put up a fight, and call it out for the malarkey it is. Vance's favorability being underwater might make it harder for it to stick, as well.
JD Vance hasn't got the aura to actually land that attack, only Trump does. This is the easiest slam dunk for 99% of politicians but look at this nerd stumble over this softball question.
On August 08 2024 05:54 WombaT wrote: Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
Plenty of stinkin lefties did after all.
There was also Bush vs Kerry where Kerry got slammed for supposedly being unfit for command despite having a vastly superior military record to Bush.
On August 08 2024 05:54 WombaT wrote: Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
Plenty of stinkin lefties did after all.
It's true, we've never gotten that kind of consistency from folks who claim to be all about respecting the military and the people who serve, to begin with. Walz can at least put up a fight, and call it out for the malarkey it is. Vance's favorability being underwater might make it harder for it to stick, as well.
Swiftboating only worked against John Kerry because his supposed courage under fire was a centerpiece of his campaign. So it made sense to slander that claim. Walz seems to spend more time talking about how government programs improved his life (like providing surgery to repair his hearing) more than wanking his military bonefides.
On August 08 2024 07:29 riotjune wrote: pogue vance never saw combat, but he definitely fucked couches, just look at the guy giving off those weird couch-fucker vibes lol
It's POG. Just for future ref.
E:
On August 08 2024 07:54 frontgarden2222 wrote: JD Vance hasn't got the aura to actually land that attack, only Trump does. This is the easiest slam dunk for 99% of politicians but look at this nerd stumble over this softball question.
On August 08 2024 05:54 WombaT wrote: Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
Plenty of stinkin lefties did after all.
There was also Bush vs Kerry where Kerry got slammed for supposedly being unfit for command despite having a vastly superior military record to Bush.
On August 08 2024 05:54 WombaT wrote: Don’t underestimate the chance of ‘stolen valour’ thing sticking, it doesn’t have to make sense.
We’ve a prospective President, and indeed former actual President who dodged the draft but who mocked a peer who served in combat, was a PoW and was tortured to such a degree he couldn’t lift his arms above his head.
Serving in the military doesn’t actually really matter to these people if you deviate from other sensibilities.
Plenty of stinkin lefties did after all.
It's true, we've never gotten that kind of consistency from folks who claim to be all about respecting the military and the people who serve, to begin with. Walz can at least put up a fight, and call it out for the malarkey it is. Vance's favorability being underwater might make it harder for it to stick, as well.
Swiftboating only worked against John Kerry because his supposed courage under fire was a centerpiece of his campaign. So it made sense to slander that claim. Walz seems to spend more time talking about how government programs improved his life (like providing surgery to repair his hearing) more than wanking his military bonefides.
Most people who served don't actually brag about their service all that much in the civilian world. I could see it being used a lot when running for public office or something. Anyone who's a civilian office worker or whatever and brags about being in the military either wasn't, was admin, or is just a sad pathetic person.
On August 08 2024 05:11 oBlade wrote: JD Vance is a marine combat veteran. He has every right to point out the fact that 1) Walz retired as a master sergeant, not a sergeant major as he claimed for years to say he was the most senior enlisted person in Congress 2) He retired immediately before being deployed with his unit 3) He goes around making gun control statements that we nees to get rid of weapons of war that he carried in war. He was never in a war. 4) He goes around in a green beret hat.
So basically while being a national guard member for longer than Vance was a marine (if you even know what those two services do), Vance served infinitely longer in combat which is nothing to boast about by itself until you run into a liar.
Between this and the DUI I'd be surprised if the Democrats don't do another second take and swap him out for a new candidate.
Vance was a combat correspondent who by his own admission never saw actual fighting.
yea i think combat correspondant having every right to criticize other service members because reasons is a real stupid take. his six months documenting the iraq war is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. we can agree it is certainly nothing to boast about. a saving grace that he does not, at least.
It's like, the way Vance served is fine, a lot of people serve the military in non combat roles, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Just standing and saying you're gonna serve in the military is a big deal regardless. I just don't get why you would come for someone else who also served, not to mention who had a career of service that dwarfs yours? You're lying and stretching the truth just to try and denigrate someone for having something in common. If you wanna bring it, go ahead, but for the life of me I cannot think of one good reason for it. It will not go well for Vance.
On August 08 2024 12:06 NewSunshine wrote: It's like, the way Vance served is fine, a lot of people serve the military in non combat roles, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Just standing and saying you're gonna serve in the military is a big deal regardless. I just don't get why you would come for someone else who also served, not to mention who had a career of service that dwarfs yours? You're lying and stretching the truth just to try and denigrate someone for having something in common. If you wanna bring it, go ahead, but for the life of me I cannot think of one good reason for it. It will not go well for Vance.
There is nothing wrong with Walz's service, except arguably the strategic dodging of deployment.
However, Vance is not the one that has a problem with his service. Walz is the one that has a problem with his own service, because he repeatedly lied about it in the intervening 20 years. Nobody is saying Walz's service wasn't good enough except Walz himself. Other people pointed this out first, other veterans, people he served with, and Vance joined in delivering the message, because a stolen valor accusation from actual servicemembers is social kryptonite.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: "He was only a Master Sergeant who served for 24 years in our military." Good luck with that lol.
The issue is... the lying. Not the service that was honorable up until the point he wasn't. Stolen valor is not just a crime, it's a despicable act of deception. There is no "oh he was in for 20 years so he gets to embellish a little."
He specifically said he was in war, he wasn't in war. He said he was the highest ranking enlisted person ever in Congress - he wasn't. He said he was in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. Operation Enduring Freedom wasn't in Iraq, and he wasn't in either.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: He only failed to reach the rank of Sergeant Major because he didn't complete the formal paperwork needed to do so. He also retired from the service months before there were any orders to deploy, so the idea that after 24 years of service, he ducked out like a coward is just bizarre. Like, sell that to me.
Okay. On September 18th, 2001, he reupped for 6 more years.
In 2004 he told The Atlantic he was deployed overseas in "Operation Enduring Freedom." He was in Italy for 6 months. Then he protested Bush, and in an act of defiance, asked if they really wanted to arrest "a command sergeant major who'd just returned from fighting the war on terrorism." (At that time, the "command sergeant major" part may have at least been true. But there was no fighting, and no war on terrorism, in Europe, in 2004.)
Like just because you're doing something at the same time there's a war, that doesn't make you part of the war. The Pentagon's janitors in 2004 were not deployed to a war zone in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Tom Behrends, the man who replaced him in his position, said he quit and ran. As have others from his unit.
By the way, for my edification, can you retire right after you get an order to deploy you don't like, is that allowed, or what happens? Why didn't he stay an extra 2 months and fill out that simple paperwork that you allege is all there was to it? Get a higher pay grade and everything right? Or are you conflating coursework that you read in a Newsweek article with paperwork intentionally or not?
In early 2003 he was selected to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. The non-resident course consists of two years of correspondence coursework, followed by a two-week resident phase at Fort Bliss, Texas. When a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer accepts enrollment in the course, they accept three stipulations. First, they will serve for two years after graduation from the academy, or promotion to Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major, whichever is later. Second, if they fail the course they may be separated from the military. Third, they will complete the course or be reduced to Master Sergeant without board action. Senior Non-Commissioned Officers initial and sign a Statement of Agreement and Certification upon enrollment.
He didn't merely forget to fill out some form or whatever is in your head, he made a commitment and then shirked his responsibilities. Which is fine as long as you don't then go around campaigning as the highest ranked enlisted soldier who served abroad in a war fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq or possibly Italy.
Feels a little early to be pulling that. Didn't think she'd immediately go to being even more dismissive than Biden's been of these protesters.
Nah. Go for the immediate shut down like the 'lock him up' chants as well. Give an inch, and they will take your mic and sideline you like Bernie Sanders, standing awkwardly by as he cedes his own speaking event to protestors. Makes you look weak and ineffective.
On August 08 2024 12:06 NewSunshine wrote: It's like, the way Vance served is fine, a lot of people serve the military in non combat roles, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Just standing and saying you're gonna serve in the military is a big deal regardless. I just don't get why you would come for someone else who also served, not to mention who had a career of service that dwarfs yours? You're lying and stretching the truth just to try and denigrate someone for having something in common. If you wanna bring it, go ahead, but for the life of me I cannot think of one good reason for it. It will not go well for Vance.
There is nothing wrong with Walz's service, except arguably the strategic dodging of deployment.
However, Vance is not the one that has a problem with his service. Walz is the one that has a problem with his own service, because he repeatedly lied about it in the intervening 20 years. Nobody is saying Walz's service wasn't good enough except Walz himself. Other people pointed this out first, other veterans, people he served with, and Vance joined in delivering the message, because a stolen valor accusation from actual servicemembers is social kryptonite.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: "He was only a Master Sergeant who served for 24 years in our military." Good luck with that lol.
The issue is... the lying. Not the service that was honorable up until the point he wasn't. Stolen valor is not just a crime, it's a despicable act of deception. There is no "oh he was in for 20 years so he gets to embellish a little."
He specifically said he was in war, he wasn't in war. He said he was the highest ranking enlisted person ever in Congress - he wasn't. He said he was in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. Operation Enduring Freedom wasn't in Iraq, and he wasn't in either.
On August 08 2024 05:33 NewSunshine wrote: He only failed to reach the rank of Sergeant Major because he didn't complete the formal paperwork needed to do so. He also retired from the service months before there were any orders to deploy, so the idea that after 24 years of service, he ducked out like a coward is just bizarre. Like, sell that to me.
Okay. On September 18th, 2001, he reupped for 6 more years.
In 2004 he told The Atlantic he was deployed overseas in "Operation Enduring Freedom." He was in Italy for 6 months. Then he protested Bush, and in an act of defiance, asked if they really wanted to arrest "a command sergeant major who'd just returned from fighting the war on terrorism." (At that time, the "command sergeant major" part may have at least been true. But there was no fighting, and no war on terrorism, in Europe, in 2004.)
Like just because you're doing something at the same time there's a war, that doesn't make you part of the war. The Pentagon's janitors in 2004 were not deployed to a war zone in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Tom Behrends, the man who replaced him in his position, said he quit and ran. As have others from his unit.
By the way, for my edification, can you retire right after you get an order to deploy you don't like, is that allowed, or what happens? Why didn't he stay an extra 2 months and fill out that simple paperwork that you allege is all there was to it? Get a higher pay grade and everything right? Or are you conflating coursework that you read in a Newsweek article with paperwork intentionally or not?
In early 2003 he was selected to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. The non-resident course consists of two years of correspondence coursework, followed by a two-week resident phase at Fort Bliss, Texas. When a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer accepts enrollment in the course, they accept three stipulations. First, they will serve for two years after graduation from the academy, or promotion to Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major, whichever is later. Second, if they fail the course they may be separated from the military. Third, they will complete the course or be reduced to Master Sergeant without board action. Senior Non-Commissioned Officers initial and sign a Statement of Agreement and Certification upon enrollment.
He didn't merely forget to fill out some form or whatever is in your head, he made a commitment and then shirked his responsibilities. Which is fine as long as you don't then go around campaigning as the highest ranked enlisted soldier who served abroad in a war fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq or possibly Italy.
How are Donald’s bone spurs these days anyway?
That said there isn’t a huge amount on this story, least that I’ve found it’s mostly the same basic details, points and quotes, just spun differently editorially. This being a more positive one for example
But aye I think it’s equally plausible to have a least charitable/most and graduations in between on this one. And if it is worst case well hey that’s pretty shitty. I imagine there’ll be a bit more flesh put on the bones if it becomes a big campaign issue
Feels a little early to be pulling that. Didn't think she'd immediately go to being even more dismissive than Biden's been of these protesters.
Nah. Go for the immediate shut down like the 'lock him up' chants as well. Give an inch, and they will take your mic and sideline you like Bernie Sanders, standing awkwardly by as he cedes his own speaking event to protestors. Makes you look weak and ineffective.
It also pisses off people who care about this issue a lot, people whose votes you’re gonna need. I think there’s better ways to straddle the line. Quite a few better ways.
You don’t have to be GH to find ‘STFU about this humanitarian crisis we have to beat Donald Trump’ as a tad tone deaf and gross.
EPT![[image loading]](https://frinkiac.com/meme/S04E16/347646.jpg?b64lines=IFRIRQogTUFOIE5FVkVSIERSQU5LIEEgRFVGRiBJTgogSElTIExJRkUu)
