Random Politics Thread

[Jaguar]

Can I just run them over with a snowmobile?

 

[Lark]

By sectarian headcount, do you mean people voting for people solely based on whether they are a Unionist or a Republican?

In the U.S., there's the concept of politics as culture, and it seems to have intensified during the decades which the debate about actual policies got narrower and narrower (i.e. all the decades I've been alive for). So.... wearing masks has become an aspect of cultural affiliation, whether someone wants to be counted among the "don't be a pussy" crowd or the "don't be an asshole" crowd.

It is extremely tiresome.

That is exactly the reductive tribalism that I'm talking about.

I suppose it could be unionist vs republican, it was protestant vs roman catholic, at a time but I would not expect the understandings of either of those things on either side of the divide to be that in depth to be honest. The separation into two different, distinct and inimical cultures is what it is all about, just as you say.

The only beneficiary in such an arrangement is the professional class of manipulative politicians who can exploit it to live like kings.

The thing is that I think people do need social connection to thrive, everyone is always looking for "their people" or "their scene", and in the main I dont see a lot wrong with that but it is weaponized by charlatans, combined with dumbing down, privileges, all that other stuff, its completely lethal.

 

[Lark]

I agree, voters should vet candidates, but that’s not happening. I don’t think having a simple vetting process for candidates would be anti-democratic either. I’m not expecting them to know every single SCOTUS case or even to be able to name off every obscure piece of legislation, but they need to know the basic ins and outs of the system.

Anything which is restrictive of enfranchisement, either as voters or standing as politicians reeks of a further limitation of democracy and its limited enough as it is.

I really dont know what the kind of limited democratic franchise that republicans who believe republicanism and democracy are separate ideas would look like, they never are that forthcoming about that when they tell me that the US is meant to be republic and not a democracy.

What I do know if that earliest version of the franchise in the US, excluding more people than it included, was not a good thing, it was only good relative to other parliamentary democracies which where even more restricted in their franchise. You have to consider the point of the franchise too, even if the situation with the voting public at present is one in which "voters should vet candidates, but that's not happening", they definitely will not if the franchise is even less participatory and even more procedural and legal checks take the place of active citizenry.

 

[Lark]

I am just a messenger.

If you think that growth orientated economic policy is a Ponzi scheme what is your alternative?

I'm not sure what an economy which does not circulate money would look like, some kind of neo-feudalism in which people serve great houses? Like House Trump versus House Bush or a similar dynastic arrangement involving government by the legacies?

 

[Virtual ghost]

If you think that growth orientated economic policy is a Ponzi scheme what is your alternative?

I'm not sure what an economy which does not circulate money would look like, some kind of neo-feudalism in which people serve great houses? Like House Trump versus House Bush or a similar dynastic arrangement involving government by the legacies?

As I said I am just a messenger. I am not even 100% sure what Ponzi scheme really is (here the term doesn't exist).

I am just looking this in the most basic level. Creating this massive concrete infrastructure is quite expensive on the long run in the terms of maintenance. In my city it is totally possible to live without a car and all of it's costs (if you want to live like that). Since everything is close by around the neighborhoods and public transportation is quite developed (or you just take a taxi if you have to). This endless suburbia just doesn't strike me as that great idea on the long run. Especially if it doesn't have certain social programs that will make it more resistant to crisis of any type. The problem isn't growth, but it's sustainability or quality.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Tell me something Americans: How do you feel about politically motivated investing ?


By this I mean investing in areas in order to help the incumbents. Do you change your mind about this when a foreign investor involved ?

 

[Red Memories]

Tell me something Americans: How do you feel about politically motivated investing ?


By this I mean investing in areas in order to help the incumbents. Do you change your mind about this when a foreign investor involved ?

I dislike the money in politics in general. The "third party" has made the government lack representation of real people and focus more on whose pocket book they assist which is quite awful in itself and has room for too much corruption.

I don't like foreign government involvement either.

 

[ceecee]

I dislike the money in politics in general. The "third party" has made the government lack representation of real people and focus more on whose pocket book they assist which is quite awful in itself and has room for too much corruption.

I don't like foreign government involvement either.

Foreign government involvement in US politics and campaigns, financial or otherwise, is illegal.

These are two very helpful sites.

The Top 10 Things Every Voter Should Know About Money-in-Politics | OpenSecrets

Home | FEC

 

[Virtual ghost]

I dislike the money in politics in general. The "third party" has made the government lack representation of real people and focus more on whose pocket book they assist which is quite awful in itself and has room for too much corruption.

I don't like foreign government involvement either.

But that wasn't the question.

The question was: investor decides to help certain politicians and therefore in their district or state opens his businesses (if they can be sustainable). What is in order that the politician has better numbers and happier people, because they have a job or a more decent job. Plus the extra question was about same thing but with foreign investors.


Corruption is completely different pair of shoes.

 

[Jaguar]

Every American is a real person. (I can't believe I actually had to post that.)

 

[Lark]

Every American is a real person. (I can't believe I actually had to post that.)

I dont know some of them are racists Jag, racists arent really people.

 

[The Cat]

I dont know some of them are racists Jag, racists arent really people.

that's racist.

 

[ceecee]

Happy MKL Day

 

[tony_goth]

I tend to be more royalist than the king when it comes to my wife.

But my wife doesn't like it, and I'm not a royalist. She does complain about my excess of love for her.

Being more royalist than the king is dangerous. Far-lefters and far-righters do that.

 

[Jaguar]

Five prominent anti-vaccine organizations that have been known to spread misleading information about the coronavirus received more than $850,000 in loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, raising questions about why the government is giving money to groups actively opposing its agenda and seeking to undermine public health during a critical period.


Is that a bitch or what? Money being thrown away on a bunch of anti-American lunatics.

 

[Lark]

I tend to be more royalist than the king when it comes to my wife.

But my wife doesn't like it, and I'm not a royalist. She does complain about my excess of love for her.

Being more royalist than the king is dangerous. Far-lefters and far-righters do that.

When you start talking exactly like Victor/Mole and no one even picks up on it.

 

[Lark]

Five prominent anti-vaccine organizations that have been known to spread misleading information about the coronavirus received more than $850,000 in loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, raising questions about why the government is giving money to groups actively opposing its agenda and seeking to undermine public health during a critical period.


Is that a bitch or what? Money being thrown away on a bunch of anti-American lunatics.

The thing is that this could be a result to infiltration tactics by sympathisers of these same groups.

You dont need to have read Claire Wolfe or any of the other popular writers with that particular conspiracy anti-government scene to know that tactic suggests itself, its at the very least as old as Trotsky and I'm willing to bet a lot, lot older than that.

There's also the various CIA manuals which were published for audiences behind the iron curtain on hastening collapse through deliberate monkey wrenching, neglect, exploiting neglect too. A lot of bored officials arent going to miss the opportunity to make believe they are an actor on a greater stage of history. Its precisely why a lot of that material sells so well despite being pretty context specific and no way intended by its authors to be interpreted as anything other than that.

Finally, its simply money, I've encountered A LOT of these anti-vaxx organisations and their fellow travellers who could give a shit about consequences really, they are making a fast buck from a bunch of dupes and dont care where the money comes from. You'd think the state would care but you know, seems they dont.

In Claire Wolfe's earliest book she writes "get rid of your vices, get ready to take advantage of others vices", its a clear tenet of what that particular movement believes is what capitalism and freedom is/ought to be, but while a lot of people felt it could have meant selling smokes, booze, crack, meth whatever, on a sliding scale of harm, they never really recognised that bullshit theories and books can be a vice too.

 

[Red Memories]

today is the day.

 

[ceecee]

Active US soldier Cole James Bridges charged with planning attacks on New York City, fellow service members - ABC7 New York

The US military is the problem.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

So does the communism start immediately at 12 pm est or do we have to wait for it? I'm just trying to plan out my wardrobe here.