Random political thought thread.

[The Cat]

 

[ygolo]

The selection of Trump, I believe, needs to be acknowledged for a repudiation of the status quo.

There were two only choices. A candidate with clear misogynistic and fascist tendencies was selected.

We may need to examine what is unpalatable about the other choice.

I submit that the way to do that is to talk to the people who made the choice, not to jump to conclusions about these people being irredeemable.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I sat on my couch last night, watching the movie, and I found myself optimistic about Harris's chances. Wouldn't it be great if she won and everyone repudiated this fascist nonsense? For Trump to suffer a clear defeat would be grand. And then, perhaps, with that, we could start to truly heal and we could start working towards accomplishing all the things that need to be done, although I did not really expect that to happen under Kamala's administration. Those things would have made me extremely happy, but of course:

I woke up at 5:00 AM and decided I'd had enough sleep to check my phone and see what had happned. I did not expect it to be resolved so quickly. In retrospect, the fact that there was almost nobody at the polling place in my building should have been a sign. In 2020, I had to wait quite a while. (I just shrugged low turnout off by chalking it up to this being a really blue area, so I didn't think about it too much at the time. )

A positive is that I'm much better at self-regulation than I was four years ago. I was completely sober, and I didn't check my phone once, although I was tempted. I used to be so bad at self-control, and now I'm good at it.

Moreover, I appreciate that it was quick and that this wasn't drawn out until December (or who knows win) before receiving the pleasure of the Supreme Court anointing us with their "wisdom."

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Oh, I forgot to mention something important. This is an entirely apolitical Supreme Court, just like every Supreme Court before it. Nobody would have needed to worry.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Sexism is way worse in this country than I thought. It's not only people preferring Trump over Kamala, but also all the things that will emerge out of his second term. For those who feel wounded by all of this, I hope some people like the music below. I apologize if it isn't to anyone's taste, and excuse my lame attempts to be helpful.

 

[Red Herring]

Sexism is way worse in this country than I thought. It's not only people preferring Trump over Kamala, but also all the things that will emerge out of his second term. For those who feel wounded by all of this, I hope some people like the music below. I apologize if it isn't to anyone's taste.

Well, in two out of two elections when asked to pick between a monster and a woman in power they picked the monster. But then again two might be an insufficient sample number.

Seriously though, I think this backlash against women is an international trend. Masses of frustrated and insecure men struggling with their position in modern society.

 

[Lexicon]

Google searches for contraception surge after Trump win

In the hours after the 2024 presidential election result was called, searches for birth control skyrocketed.

www.newsweek.com

I, for one, and utterly shocked by this development. Shocked, I tell you.


I'm scheduling a sterilization consult; been playing phone tag with doc office.

Fence-sitters, get your 10-year IUDs now in case they're redefined as abortifacients in the near-future. This is not an impossibility, and I don't trust those in power not to take advantage of every loophole possible to restrict access to reproductive healthcare.

Those like me who know they unequivocally do not ever wish to reproduce (or moms who are finished doing so), book your bilateral salpingectomies now to account for mandatory waiting periods in some areas, which may well increase. For any number of "reasons."

Speaking of periods - stop using online trackers/apps. Go back to paper wall calendars from the dollar store.

Also, speaking of the dollar store - pregnancy tests from the dollar store are accurate. If you suspect you're pregnant and aren't celebrating that "blessing," don't allow cost to be a barrier to confirmation. And act fast on that confirmation.



This may seem like a panicked response to some. It isn't. It's simply something I am unwilling to gamble on, given the stakes. Highly doubt I am alone in this.

If I'm right, to any degree - I will at least have the peace of mind that I was prepared.

 

[Coriolis]

Sexism is way worse in this country than I thought. It's not only people preferring Trump over Kamala, but also all the things that will emerge out of his second term. For those who feel wounded by all of this, I hope some people like the music below. I apologize if it isn't to anyone's taste, and excuse my lame attempts to be helpful.

I don't disagree about sexism, but the only reason Hillary Clinton did not win is because of our system of electing presidents. She did win the popular vote.

 

[Coriolis]

Google searches for contraception surge after Trump win

In the hours after the 2024 presidential election result was called, searches for birth control skyrocketed.

www.newsweek.com

I, for one, and utterly shocked by this development. Shocked, I tell you.


I'm scheduling a sterilization consult; been playing phone tag with doc office.

Fence-sitters, get your 10-year IUDs now in case they're redefined as abortifacients in the near-future. This is not an impossibility, and I don't trust those in power not to take advantage of every loophole possible to restrict access to reproductive healthcare.

Those like me who know they unequivocally do not ever wish to reproduce (or moms who are finished doing so), book your bilateral salpingectomies now to account for mandatory waiting periods in some areas, which may well increase. For any number of "reasons."

Speaking of periods - stop using online trackers/apps. Go back to paper wall calendars from the dollar store.

Also, speaking of the dollar store - pregnancy tests from the dollar store are accurate. If you suspect you're pregnant and aren't celebrating that "blessing," don't allow cost to be a barrier to confirmation. And act fast on that confirmation.



This may seem like a panicked response to some. It isn't. It's simply something I am unwilling to gamble on, given the stakes. Highly doubt I am alone in this.

If I'm right, to any degree - I will at least have the peace of mind that I was prepared.

I have long been an advocate of online privacy, and whenever possible, anonymity. Apps that track something as personal as monthly cycles have been an obvious risk from their inception. Fitness apps are a close second. I use an app to track exercise, but it is completely offline - no account, no online connection. Abuse of our online inforrmation/footprint has been a concern even with more progressive presidents like Obama and Biden. Someone with Trump's motivations and influences poses a far bigger threat.

You can start by evaluating what your online or digital footprint really is, assessing your personal risk, and taking the necessary steps to limit it as much as possible. Remember: very little is truly free. If you are not paying for something, then you are the product.

 

[Red Herring]

Google searches for contraception surge after Trump win

In the hours after the 2024 presidential election result was called, searches for birth control skyrocketed.

www.newsweek.com

I, for one, and utterly shocked by this development. Shocked, I tell you.

The Heritage Foundation has previously advocated against birth control and recreational sex entirely. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Project 2025 authors wrote that "Conservatives have to lead the way in restoring sex to its true purpose, & ending recreational sex & senseless use of birth control pills."

How exactly does this square with"just grab them by the pussy"? Or more generally, what an unholy alliance between people who think women shouldn't have sex unless it is for procreation and people who think women should shut up and put out more?

 

[The Cat]

Complex power grab of Biblical proportions one could sadly say.

They've been playing this game for several decades now, they're just able to do it more openly and brazenly because they know what has become of our attention spans and community networks... since the 80's they've been grabbing up everyone the other side decides isnt good enough, thus as one organism divides itself and dwindles, the otherside multiplies before enrapturing the other organism to divide itself further and further, and the one eats the other slowly with little bites here and there, some big, some small... I weep for you,' the Walrus said: I deeply sympathize.' With sobs and tears he sorted out those of the largest size, holding his pocket-handkerchief before his streaming eyes...

 

[ygolo]

I know the biggest factor is just "the economy stupid," despite it being a better economy than most of the rest of the world.

But, when the party's leadership is talking about the economy, producing opportunities, listening to you personally, and so on, if the loudest members of the party, indeed the mouth pieces, like Pod Save America, are saying things like "Shut up," "I just can't," to every member (like Dean Phillips) who brings a grievance, it's hard to take the Democratic Party seriously as the big tent, empathetic party who cares about Democracy.

 

[The Cat]

florida on a national scale​

 

[The Cat]

 

[The Cat]

The good news is I sold out of all those Monkey Paws...didnt expect everyone to use them all at once, but a sale is a sale. Any and all souls traded are considered forfeit and not for resale. You'll get what you wanted. But you've lost what you had.

 

[ygolo]

I still think democracy is viable for a diverse and large population like the US.

If we consider its responsiveness to individual needs, many changes are needed, most of which are less likely to happen now. Fixing gerrymandering would not have changed the election. Would creating rank-choice voting have produced a different result? IDK.

Does the left need to be for states' rights for a bit? Maybe.

 

[The Cat]

They're gonna have to swallow some pills on gun control too.

 

[The Cat]

And figure out how pep rallies are supposed to work.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I know the biggest factor is just "the economy stupid," despite it being a better economy than most of the rest of the world.

But, when the party's leadership is talking about the economy, producing opportunities, listening to you personally, and so on, if the loudest members of the party, indeed the mouth pieces, like Pod Save America, are saying things like "Shut up," "I just can't," to every member (like Dean Phillips) who brings a grievance, it's hard to take the Democratic Party seriously as the big tent, empathetic party who cares about Democracy.

Sanders is right. I agree with him 100%. That doesn't mean sexism wasn't also a factor. There are several factors.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I don't disagree about sexism, but the only reason Hillary Clinton did not win is because of our system of electing presidents. She did win the popular vote.

Al Gore, also. I actually really liked Al Gore and I wish I could have voted for him. Even then people were spreading around bullshit about how he "claimed to have invented the internet" and that their side was more "honest" (lol!).