Random political thought thread.

[The Cat]

As the professor talks the astute viewer will notice that Joe Scarborough's brain still runs on dial up.​

 

[The Cat]

 

[Virtual ghost]

With this we are basically returning to the bottom line question of the whole story:

What happens when Trump wouldn't deliver on pretty much anything when it comes to common people ?

 

[The Cat]

Sell them at a mark up, what they already own for free.​

 

[Virtual ghost]

With this we are basically returning to the bottom line question of the whole story:

What happens when Trump wouldn't deliver on pretty much anything when it comes to common people ?

On the other hand if he strikes hard enough to start solving some of the most fundamental problems of the country the Democrats will be in very serious problems.


We will just have to wait to see the exact details of what is going to happen.

 

[SensEye]

On the other hand if he strikes hard enough to start solving some of the most fundamental problems of the country the Democrats will be in very serious problems.


We will just have to wait to see the exact details of what is going to happen.

I can't see it happening. Outside of immigration reform (which will prove popular) and a basic move away from identity politics (which people are sick of). I see those as his main upsides.

Crime and foreign policy may improve (emphasis on may). Biden's administration is a low bar to clear on that front. I was sort of glad to see his buddy Putin sign a deal with Iran. That should get him on Trump's shit list and help Ukraine out a bit.

There is no evidence Trump will do anything good on healthcare, his tariffs on everything should be inflationary, he will cut taxes on the rich but nobody else will benefit much. I've seen nothing he has planned which will help his base much, but they are gullible fools, so it might take them a while to notice.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I can't see it happening. Outside of immigration reform (which will prove popular) and a basic move away from identity politics (which people are sick of). I see those as his main upsides.

Crime and foreign policy may improve (emphasis on may). Biden's administration is a low bar to clear on that front. I was sort of glad to see his buddy Putin sign a deal with Iran. That should get him on Trump's shit list and help Ukraine out a bit.

There is no evidence Trump will do anything good on healthcare, his tariffs on everything should be inflationary, he will cut taxes on the rich but nobody else will benefit much. I've seen nothing he has planned which will help his base much, but they are gullible fools, so it might take them a while to notice.

Yes, that is common wisdom on the issue.

However as the inauguration is coming closer I am just not 100% sure all of this will be the case. He evidently plans to strike hard on crime and illegal immigration, something that should have visible results pretty quickly. Also Europe is very quickly moving to the right and that actually leaves him much more breathing room on many levels. Judging by the headlines the mess in the middle east is cooling down and some deals were made. Making a deal in Ukraine is also possible to do in the next 6 months. In other words wars tend to create inflation, so if the global picture calms down a little bit that may open some paths that weren't there. Therefore if he can find nudges how to get things rolling better in US itself he can potentially do fairly well given the circumstances.


Yes, I am being the devil's advocate here. In other words to some degree I think we should consider the options that aren't "common wisdom".

 

[The Cat]

Bill Burr is a national treasure.​

 

[SensEye]

Yes, I am being the devil's advocate here. In other words to some degree I think we should consider the options that aren't "common wisdom".

I'm in 'wait and see' mode. I'm eager for Trump to actually get in office so he can quit talking in campaign mode (which is his favorite thing to do, even after he is in office) and start doing. Or failing to do, as the case may be.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I'm in 'wait and see' mode. I'm eager for Trump to actually get in office so he can quit talking in campaign mode (which is his favorite thing to do, even after he is in office) and start doing. Or failing to do, as the case may be.

That makes the two of us.
I am also tired of waiting to see what will actually happen. Especially since it is obvious that things will not go 100% as it was said in campaign. Because that is either completely unrealistic or it will cause fair share of political self harm.

 

[Lark]

I'm in 'wait and see' mode. I'm eager for Trump to actually get in office so he can quit talking in campaign mode (which is his favorite thing to do, even after he is in office) and start doing. Or failing to do, as the case may be.

There were these other guys in the forties who kept the public in a state of perpetual mobilization

 

[Virtual ghost]

 

[Virtual ghost]

“Wait and see mode”? I’ll applaud your optimism but you clearly don’t understand cluster B psychology. It will be maximum exploitation framed in aggressive propaganda campaigns to appear the opposite. If you understand what actually happened financially a decade ago there isn’t much to wonder about, but everyone deserves a little time to hope. Good luck with that everyone.

Perhaps you wouldn't believe me but the people who don't live in US at the end of the day can only comment and see what is actually going to happen.

However the problem is going much deeper than cheap partisan politics. In other words: if Trump will be openly bad at governing and mess up too many things there are very very good odds that due to that the collective west will lose the current global struggle against China and it's satellites. What is far bigger deal than anything partisan that is currently going on in US. Especially since large loss of global influence means that the US economy will completely spiral out of control. What at the end of the day means that there will be "brave new world" in such scenario. Therefore I am hoping that Trump will not mess it up in the big picture. You can call this "optimism" in a sense but most people don't seem to realize what failed Trump's presidency actually brings with it. This is simply "sink or swim" moment regardless of who is in the big chair.

 

[The Cat]

The comment section of the mentioned post...were about the same as the CEO thing.
We're living in Dystopia.
The Rich have been eating the rest of us for decades now.
​

 

[Virtual ghost]

It’s official: TikTok is set to be banned. Here’s what happens next.

 

[ygolo]

Focusing on facts in a disaster is how I deal with anxiety:

 

[SensEye]

It’s official: TikTok is set to be banned. Here’s what happens next.

I get the feeling this thing will rise from the grave in one way or another. Trump seems to be going full hypocrite on this front as he was anti-TikTok before. If he can smell money and/or some political points from saving this thing he will. 'National security' is just a tool he pulls out when he wants to strong arm somebody. He doesn't give a shit about it in reality. China will probably sell the US operations if there is no hope of maintaining foreign ownership. They will not leave billions of dollars on the table for no reason.

So it will be back "under new management" I suspect. If for some reason not, once people stop whining about the it they will all just move to the next similar platform.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I get the feeling this thing will rise from the grave in one way or another. Trump seems to be going full hypocrite on this front as he was anti-TikTok before. If he can smell money and/or some political points from saving this thing he will. 'National security' is just a tool he pulls out when he wants to strong arm somebody. He doesn't give a shit about it in reality. China will probably sell the US operations if there is no hope of maintaining foreign ownership. They will not leave billions of dollars on the table for no reason.

So it will be back "under new management" I suspect. If for some reason not, once people stop whining about the it they will all just move to the next similar platform.

Maybe.

But if you just ban the whole thing then you can't use it as bargaining chip in negotiating with China.

 

[Red Herring]

The plot twist I was half expecting is Musk buying up the whole thing last minute and thus immediately cashing in on this new beautiful friendship he and Trump have going on.

 

[Virtual ghost]

The plot twist I was half expecting is Musk buying up the whole thing last minute and thus immediately cashing in on this new beautiful friendship he and Trump have going on.

As one commentator explained: for this to happen China would need to sell it's technological hardware as well. Since without it you have basically nothing (the office selling adds). In other words China has no desire to sell that due to doing business in the rest of the world. Therefore there has to be direct deal to keep things going as they were or the whole thing will probably go "dark" in US. What on the long run is actually the most likely scenario (for numerous reasons).