Random Politics Thread

[Z Buck McFate]

Now we're here, with Biden not having a viable successor nor seemingly looking for one; Harris is invisible and irrelevant (and likely incapable), with all the same baggage she originally had; and we're no closer to having a new vision of the vision or leaders to get us there. So yeah, regardless of what happens with the orange buffoon in 2024, they're basically handing this over to the GOP due to lack of any viable options. Why are these people so fucking incompetent and disorganized?

Feels kinda like Stockholm Syndrome to the two party system (which breeds the urge to vote for the bland nothing in order to prevent worst case scenario).

We need ranked choice. It feels like a priority that no one is seeing as a priority.

 

[ceecee]

Feels kinda like Stockholm Syndrome to the two party system (which breeds the urge to vote for the bland nothing in order to prevent worst case scenario).

We need ranked choice. It feels like a priority that no one is seeing as a priority.

Ranked choice voting was adopted in Alaska in 2020 and Maine in 2018 for federal elections but a lot of municipalities now use it. I think the more widespread it becomes, especially at local and state levels, the more people will want to use it themselves, I do think it's a priority in a lot of places.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Ranked choice voting was adopted in Alaska in 2020 and Maine in 2018 for federal elections but a lot of municipalities now use it. I think the more widespread it becomes, especially at local and state levels, the more people will want to use it themselves, I do think it's a priority in a lot of places.

I don't think it's enough of one. I do get that people need to make sure it works reliably before rolling it out nationwide, but it seems to me like there should be more discussion about it 'out there'.

(I do get it though. I mean shit, if these people are able to cast the tried-and-true methods in doubt when they don't win, imagine how much hysteria they could summon up with an experimental approach.)

eta: I mean, I've seen enough discussion 'out there' (op eds, Twitter, etc) of how uninspiring current dem leadership is, but not enough discussion reminding people that we keep choosing the beige compromises because of the voting system. But yeah, it's not accurate to say "no one is seeing it" either.

 

[Totenkindly]

You know how people are. Some are just extremely hesitant to try something different than what they know even if it rationally makes sense, until it hits some kind of critical mass and they see it doesn't bring about the ending of civilization. Once they see that it's a benefit and understand it, and get over that hump, then they'll settle in.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Virtual ghost]

In Defense Of The Mostly Pointless State Of The Union

 

[Virtual ghost]

I saw how Trump and DeSantis are taking shots at each other. In other word I really think this wouldn't be happening in the case that DeSantis doesn't have some serious plans on the top level. Thus far it is not official yet but it almost surely will be in not so far future. The media coverage and talking points just scream that there is big plan behind the curtain. Not to mention that in every single poll DeSantis is the only one who has the numbers to challenge Trump. The others just don't have much of a chance. Therefore the big fight here is basically certain.

 

[Virtual ghost]

...

German Bundesrat shoots down whistleblower protection law


What is your take on this ?
I mean from the perspective of how German parties relate one to another. Is this business as usual ?

 

[The Cat]

But Look how many MAGA republican Congressfolk can fit into one of those tiny cars...​

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Anyone reading about this train derailment in Ohio leaking vinyl chloride?

https://cen.acs.org/safety/Safety-questions-remain-Ohio-train/101/i6

Schwarzwaelder says people in the area have reported the death of chickens, fish, and other animals, including a domesticated fox, since the accident. “I got a call yesterday from a person who lives 1.5 miles away from the derailment area,” she says. “They let their 2-year-old healthy dog out to go to the bathroom, and the dog never returned inside. He was dead in the yard.”

 

[The Cat]

Anyone reading about this train derailment in Ohio leaking vinyl chloride?

https://cen.acs.org/safety/Safety-questions-remain-Ohio-train/101/i6

This is literally the plot of Once upon a Forest.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

This is literally the plot of Once upon a Forest.

I don't know what that is, but residents were told it was safe 2 days ago.

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/08/1155570564/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment

They said Wednesday subsequent air monitoring hasn't detected dangerous levels inside or outside the mile-radius evacuation zone, which stretched into Pennsylvania. Drabick said air and water samples taken Tuesday from the evacuation area show it's now safe, and the evacuation order is lifted. He thanked state and federal officials and agencies that helped with the emergency response over the past few days.

 

[The Cat]

I don't know what that is, but residents were told it was safe 2 days ago.

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/08/1155570564/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment

the town pretty much kits koa in the beginning of the film

 

[Maou]

No one is talking about the horrible environmental diaster coverup in Palestine Ohio. Train just dumps 1000s of gallons of the most toxic carcinogenic known to man into the atmosphere and water and they only evacuated the town for a couple of days? Vinyl Chloride turns into acid rain, and a bunch of other toxic chemicals in contact with water. Tons of people are coming out on social media about the dead pets and animals, and the acid rain that was happening in the area. People doing local ph tests and getting undesired results. I myself, live an hour away from the disaster and experienced unusual rain that covered my car in an oily substance. So I am kinda worried its not even in the local news anymore when something is clearly still happening.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1624057352499482624

 

[Red Herring]

German Bundesrat shoots down whistleblower protection law


What is your take on this ?
I mean from the perspective of how German parties relate one to another. Is this business as usual ?

Oh, I follow the news several times a day and yet missed this so it probably isn't really a big news story over here.

Sounds normal to me though. The government wants to pass a law to adapt to EU norms and the opposition opposes it (in this case arguing that it overshoots the target and puts too much of a burden on small businesses). In this case they took the battle from the Bundestag to the Bundesrat (which on a procedural level is the next step).


Two things though:

1. As you might already know, data protection and privacy are sort of a national religion. I once worked as an interpreter at a meeting between the works council of a German midsized company and its foreign owner. This was several years ago, before the pandemic, but the topic of the meeting was whistleblower mechanisms. The boss wanted to implement measures to allow for anonymous reporting and the works council opposed it. They explained that especially for those workers from the East colleagues reporting on fellow workers brought back bad memories of the Stasi. They didn't see whistleblowing as a good and ethical thing to fight corruption but as inciting betrayal among staff.

2. There are a some headlines about Scholz and Baerbock not getting along as they represent the old and new left. And obviously the Greens and FDP are at odds with each other over several issues. But there also have been open conflicts between FDP and CDU - among others the vicehead of the FDP recently roasted Merz at a carneval speech and did it so viciously that it became a news story. Meanwhile Lindner seems to have plans to make his party greener. So what I am seeing is the obvious eternal in-fighting of the left and the FDP possibly reinventing themselves and moving closer to its coalition partners while the CDU remains the same old same old, which just might win it local elections in Berlin this weekend. I see no signs of a breakup of the current coalition as you asked about or even suggested a while back.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Oh, I follow the news several times a day and yet missed this so it probably isn't really a big news story over here.

Sounds normal to me though. The government wants to pass a law to adapt to EU norms and the opposition opposes it (in this case arguing that it overshoots the target and puts too much of a burden on small businesses). In this case they took the battle from the Bundestag to the Bundesrat (which on a procedural level is the next step).


Two things though:

1. As you might already know, data protection and privacy are sort of a national religion. I once worked as an interpreter at a meeting between the works council of a German midsized company and its foreign owner. This was several years ago, before the pandemic, but the topic of the meeting was whistleblower mechanisms. The boss wanted to implement measures to allow for anonymous reporting and the works council opposed it. They explained that especially for those workers from the East colleagues reporting on fellow workers brought back bad memories of the Stasi. They didn't see whistleblowing as a good and ethical thing to fight corruption but as inciting betrayal among staff.

2. There are a some headlines about Scholz and Baerbock not getting along as they represent the old and new left. And obviously the Greens and FDP are at odds with each other over several issues. But there also have been open conflicts between FDP and CDU - among others the vicehead of the FDP recently roasted Merz at a carneval speech and did it so viciously that it became a news story. Meanwhile Lindner seems to have plans to make his party greener. So what I am seeing is the obvious eternal in-fighting of the left and the FDP possibly reinventing themselves and moving closer to its coalition partners while the CDU remains the same old same old, which just might win it local elections in Berlin this weekend. I see no signs of a breakup of the current coalition as you asked about or even suggested a while back.

To finally answer.
I can see all of this. However the reason why I am wondering about this is because I saw some articles that claim that we are looking at the most intense elections for EU parliament ever. Everyone seems to be frustrated all across the union and the tensions should be high as we are entering the election year. Because if everyone will press forward there will be battles all over the place. While your post seems to suggest exactly this outcome, there will be fight even in places where they usually aren't any.

 

[ceecee]

Iowa, Minnesota considering loosening child labor laws as job market tightens - Business News

comment on this story

biz.crast.net

The WaPo article is paywalled of course but ^^ summarizes it.

Who would want a return to the 19th century regarding child labor laws? Oh wait...

The Iowa bill, introduced by state Sen. Jason Schultz (R), would allow children under the age of 14 to work in industrial freezers and meat coolers, provided they are separate from meat preparation, and industrial laundry. work in

Oh but this gets even better.

Iowa’s proposal would also expand the hours teens can work during the school year, and protect businesses from civil liability if a youth worker becomes ill, injured or killed on the job.

Stop voting for these fucking pigs.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Iowa, Minnesota considering loosening child labor laws as job market tightens - Business News

comment on this story

biz.crast.net

The WaPo article is paywalled of course but ^^ summarizes it.

Who would want a return to the 19th century regarding child labor laws? Oh wait...


Oh but this gets even better.



Stop voting for these fucking pigs.

Just as I said a number of times already: some people in USA just don't understand that we aren't in 19th century anymore.

 

[The Cat]

Just as I said a number of times already: some people in USA just don't understand that we aren't in 19th century anymore.

A common misnomer is the idea that these folks want to go back to the 50's its only half right...it's the 1850's they really want to go back to... They've forgotten there's a million ways to die in the west.

 

[ceecee]

Here’s Who Will Be Talking About Jesus On Super Bowl Sunday

The foundation behind a $20 million Christian Super Bowl ad campaign has funded a group fighting to limit abortion access and allow anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

www.levernews.com

Yeah he gets us alright.