Random political thought thread.

[Kephalos]

Ten, który wszystkim serce swe otwiera,
Francuzem jest, gdy Francja cierpi, Grekiem --
Gdy naród grecki z głodu obumiera,
Ten, jest z ojczyzny mojej. Jest człowiekiem.

Antoni SÅ‚onimski (1895-1976), Ten jest z ojczyzny mojej.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Messaging from the Democratic party has been a big problem since after the Clinton era. Until they can shake their party perception by many in rural areas as the party of higher educated condescending coastal elites, the Republican party will maintain a stronghold on the Southern and other more rural parts of the USA -- voter sentiment from rural voters is that they just can't relate to Democrats.

I've said this before and I still believe it to be true. When the Democrats can field a national candidate from the Southern part of the country (someone rural voters can at least relate to on a geographic level initially) somewhere that can manage to tread that fine line between running on progressive enough policies to keep more left-leaning Democrats engaged, yet also project just enough social awareness to outline the benefits of progressive policy to poor rural voters (almost as if to mansplain it to them but without the obvious condescension) while dodging all the socialism scare landmines, it'll be game over. Polling voter sentiment on progressive policies seems to suggest that more tend to be for it than against, it just hasn't really been sold the right way by the right person.

The socialism scare landmines will always be a thing for anyone who is not a Republican. Did lots of Cuban Americans in Florida stop calling the Democratic candidate for the president a communist just because he wasn't Bernie Sanders? People need to stop worrying about that; it will be said regardless. I suspect the people who say that will continue to say that, and the people who don't buy into it now will continue to not buy into it.

 

[Totenkindly]

I don't personally like baked beans at all, let alone on toast.

I don't know anyone who eats them on toast either, but they are a common side dish for picnics and barbecue in PA and somewhat in MD. Very common to see -- eastern mid-atlantic region.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I don't personally like baked beans at all, let alone on toast.

I don't know anyone who eats them on toast either, but they are a common side dish for picnics and barbecue in PA and somewhat in MD. Very common to see -- eastern mid-atlantic region.

Baked beans are fine in small doses (they tend to be a little too sweet for my liking otherwise), but putting them on toast seems weird to me.

 

[ceecee]

Messaging from the Democratic party has been a big problem since after the Clinton era. Until they can shake their party perception by many in rural areas as the party of higher educated condescending coastal elites, the Republican party will maintain a stronghold on the Southern and other more rural parts of the USA -- voter sentiment from rural voters is that they just can't relate to Democrats.

I've said this before and I still believe it to be true. When the Democrats can field a national candidate from the Southern part of the country (someone rural voters can at least relate to on a geographic level initially) somewhere that can manage to tread that fine line between running on progressive enough policies to keep more left-leaning Democrats engaged, yet also project just enough social awareness to outline the benefits of progressive policy to poor rural voters (almost as if to mansplain it to them but without the obvious condescension) while dodging all the socialism scare landmines, it'll be game over. Polling voter sentiment on progressive policies seems to suggest that more tend to be for it than against, it just hasn't really been sold the right way by the right person.

I had a Democrat read me a WSJ opinion piece by Peggy Noonan and told me more Dems should listen to people like her. The last thing I plan to do is listen to a neocon like Peggy Noonan and unfortunately, centrist Dems are just like this one I talked to. They will never ever work to make lives better for the majority of people in this country. The dem socialists/progressive policies are the only hope the majority has and if Democrats want to win, they'll stick to those policies.

 

[The Cat]

Messaging from the Democratic party has been a big problem since after the Clinton era. Until they can shake their party perception by many in rural areas as the party of higher educated condescending coastal elites, the Republican party will maintain a stronghold on the Southern and other more rural parts of the USA -- voter sentiment from rural voters is that they just can't relate to Democrats.

I've said this before and I still believe it to be true. When the Democrats can field a national candidate from the Southern part of the country (someone rural voters can at least relate to on a geographic level initially) somewhere that can manage to tread that fine line between running on progressive enough policies to keep more left-leaning Democrats engaged, yet also project just enough social awareness to outline the benefits of progressive policy to poor rural voters (almost as if to mansplain it to them but without the obvious condescension) while dodging all the socialism scare landmines, it'll be game over. Polling voter sentiment on progressive policies seems to suggest that more tend to be for it than against, it just hasn't really been sold the right way by the right person.

the longer it goes on the more obvious it becomes that progressive policy changes are the only thing that's going to put the country on a forward momentum, otherwise it will just continue to sink into the mire while it collapses from within whil the GOP and Corporate Dems and the ultra rich; try to buy their way out of the burning ruin to do it to somewhere else... it boggles my mind how many people keep voting agaisnt their own interests just because some grifter they want to believe cares about them tells them not to think about it as they drink their blood, then whisper by the way you did this to yourself...-_- its sick. its tragic. but by all means think of the children and how they cant be anything but cisgender heterosexual because future generations of the uber rich will still need stock to do the drudge work, and theyre too scared of robots taking over. We're all fucked over in the great circle grift.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

I had a Democrat read me a WSJ opinion piece by Peggy Noonan and told me more Dems should listen to people like her. The last thing I plan to do is listen to a neocon like Peggy Noonan and unfortunately, centrist Dems are just like this one I talked to. They will never ever work to make lives better for the majority of people in this country. The dem socialists/progressive policies are the only hope the majority has and if Democrats want to win, they'll stick to those policies.

I remember seeing a centrist democrat on facebook argue in favor of gentrification in my home town once. They didn't outright use that word, but every policy they advocated fell right under that umbrella. When called out on it, they said "I'm a democrat" as though that excused support for terrible discriminatory policies.

these are the type of people who will talk about wanting to live in more rural counties because they have "better schools", which is almost always code for schools with less black students. In some ways I find them more repulsive than the out and prud supremacists, because they often have themselves convinced they aren't themselves white supremacists based on supporting the slightly more liberal of the two parties

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I remember seeing a centrist democrat on facebook argue in favor of gentrification in my home town once. They didn't outright use that word, but every policy they advocated fell right under that umbrella. When called out on it, they said "I'm a democrat" as though that excused support for terrible discriminatory policies.

Oh yeah, the "I voted for Obama" crowd.

these are the type of people who will talk about wanting to live in more rural counties because they have "better schools", which is almost always code for schools with less black students. In some ways I find them more repulsive than the out and prud supremacists, because they often have themselves convinced they aren't themselves white supremacists based on supporting the slightly more liberal of the two parties

I will, however, admit to being somewhat jazzed about this.


House votes to repeal 2002 war resolution that paved way for Iraq invasion

It's not only outdated, it never should have been passed in the first place. I'll wait until the Senate to start celebrating, though.

And any "libertarian" who doesn't support repealing this is full of shit. The constitution gives the Senate the authority to declare war, not the President.

 

[ceecee]

I remember seeing a centrist democrat on facebook argue in favor of gentrification in my home town once. They didn't outright use that word, but every policy they advocated fell right under that umbrella. When called out on it, they said "I'm a democrat" as though that excused support for terrible discriminatory policies.

these are the type of people who will talk about wanting to live in more rural counties because they have "better schools", which is almost always code for schools with less black students. In some ways I find them more repulsive than the out and prud supremacists, because they often have themselves convinced they aren't themselves white supremacists based on supporting the slightly more liberal of the two parties

You should see them lose their mind when you tell them what the main pillars of the far right are: white supremacy, nativism, anti-Semitism, anti-communism. They are fine with at least one, maybe more. But I'm a Democrat! isn't anything but a more polite form of the right wing for a whole lot of them.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Going over the list of who voted for the 2002 resolution.

Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002

Biden, Clinton, and Kerry are not news to me, but of interest which I didn't realize is Senate Majority Leader (who is doing a heckuva job right now) Chuck Schumer, as well as Feinstein.

Also, note the identity of the only independent representative (who voted against it).

 

[ceecee]

Going over the list of who voted for the 2002 resolution.

Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002

Biden, Clinton, and Kerry are not news to me, but of interest which I didn't realize is Senate Majority Leader (who is doing a heckuva job right now) Chuck Schumer, as well as Feinstein.

Also, note the identity of the only independent representative (who voted against it).

Never had to wonder about him doing the right thing.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

Going over the list of who voted for the 2002 resolution.

Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002

Biden, Clinton, and Kerry are not news to me, but of interest which I didn't realize is Senate Majority Leader (who is doing a heckuva job right now) Chuck Schumer, as well as Feinstein.

Also, note the identity of the only independent representative (who voted against it).

Ted Kennedy opposed it too

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Ted Kennedy opposed it too

Of course Ted Kennedy from "Taxachussets" would.

 

[Kephalos]

Well, no wonder, since they are the ones that would have to pay the largest share for it!

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Well, no wonder, since they are the ones that would have to pay the largest share for it!

What, you mean we can't rely on "fiscal conservatives" to not waste money on pointless endeavors engaged in just for the hell of it?

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

"preserving the legitimacy of the judicial branch" gaaaah again about "preserving respect for institutions"

What respect? Is there any institution in America left for which there is a bipartisan sense of respect for? These people are saying the most important thing is to protect a phantom that nobody believes in anymore.

 

[ceecee]

Congratulations to Drugs for winning The War on Drugs.

Flint’s old police academy sold for marijuana grow facility despite objections - mlive.com

 

[The Cat]

Congratulations to Drugs for winning The War on Drugs.

Flint’s old police academy sold for marijuana grow facility despite objections - mlive.com

I guess...the market has spoken...