Random Politics Thread

[ceecee]

Of both conservatism and liberalism then.

Its still mainly American conservatism and liberalism at this point but it spreads from there.

I have never seen the Federalist Society claim to be anything other than conservative or libertarian. Not liberal, not even that bullshit "classical liberal" some of these mouthbreathers try.

 

[Lark]

I have never seen the Federalist Society claim to be anything other than conservative or libertarian. Not liberal, not even that bullshit "classical liberal" some of these mouthbreathers try.

Wasnt talking about them specifically, just speaking about politics generally, the victim mentality is across the board.

 

[Lark]

US investment opps in China are getting shut down, would be interesting to hear Tellenbach's take on that one.

Also, bitcoin bubble about to burst.

 

[Stigmata]

Also, bitcoin bubble about to burst.

About to? The whole crypto market tanked like a month ago after setting all time highs across all the different coins, due in part to an atom bomb of negative press from China effectively banning cryptocurrency, US government seeking methods of regulating crypto markets, and Telsa no longer accepting bitcoin due to environmental concerns after being one of the first major companies to really champion bitcoin. The whole dogecoin, and another subsequent memecoins, fiasco from the last few months didn't help in the long run, either.

It is going to be challenging for bitcoin to recover considering the barrier of entry is so high costwise for retail investors, coupled with the rise of Ethereum becoming a bit more mainstream as both a viable and much most accessible costwise alternative to bitcoin.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

While it's good that Stanford got it's head out of it's ass - this might be a good time to remind people that there is an entire conservative school of thought that maybe should be paid attention to. Amy Coney Barret is one reason, so is Brett Kavanaugh. But unless something happens, The Federalist Society is just some faceless group of lawyers no one cares about.

I think the fact that Barret and Kavanaugh haven't joined the Crazytown Bananapants Clown Parade that is enabling Trump is lulling a lot of people into a false sense of camaraderie. That's how low the bar has gotten. We're throwing mad respect at any conservative remotely willing to acknowledge reality.

And it is going to Bite. Us. In. The. Ass.

 

[Stigmata]

This whole concept behind Vaccine Lotteries seems dystopian, yet uniquely American.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

This whole concept behind Vaccine Lotteries seems dystopian, yet uniquely American.

I'm still kind of reeling from the fact that the only thing that made Fox news, Newsmax, and Trump's lawyer recant their affirmation of the Big Lie is that they were getting sued by Dominion for that exact same reason. They weren't remotely afraid of all the damage caused by telling a lie that they couldn't begin to support with any evidence, but they were afraid of losing money. The equivalent of yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater (except exponentially bigger, in a theater where everyone has a gun) while simultaneously whining about having no freedom of speech (that darn communist cancel culture!). Dystopian, and uniquely American.

 

[Stigmata]

I'm still kind of reeling from the fact that the only thing that made Fox news, Newsmax, and Trump's lawyer recant their affirmation of the Big Lie is that they were getting sued by Dominion for that exact same reason. They weren't remotely afraid of all the damage caused by telling a lie that they couldn't begin to support with any evidence, but they were afraid of losing money. The equivalent of yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater (except exponentially bigger, in a theater where everyone has a gun) while simultaneously whining about having no freedom of speech (that darn communist cancel culture!). Dystopian, and uniquely American.

What you said is why I find it so frustrating that when you ask Republicans if they believe Joe Biden won the election, so many of them will pander to The Big Lie with "well, certain states broke their own eleciton rules, dead people voting, blah blah blah". The truth behind the big lie has been exposed so many times, such as, as you mentioned, Fox News and Newsmax getting sued by Dominion, plus the 60 failed court cases, including Rudy Giuliani even admitting to judge under oath that they weren't legitimate election fraud causes. The evidence is debunking the lie is easily accessible and verifiable if you put even the most minuscule amount effort -- what is ironic is that most of the instances of voter fraud in the 2020 election was committed by Republican voters who said they did so because they believe Trump told them to and/or that they believed the Democrats were cheating so they might as well do so too. At this point anyone that even tries to defend the notion of a stolen election is basically gaslighting you.

If seems like the whole 2020 election fraud claims were really just political theater to pass their statewide voter suppression laws that they've wanted to pass for decades.

 

[Lark]

I have never seen the Federalist Society claim to be anything other than conservative or libertarian. Not liberal, not even that bullshit "classical liberal" some of these mouthbreathers try.

I reread this today and wondered why a group with those values would claim to be federalist, those are confederacy values these days, possibly even at the time of the civil war they where too.

 

[Virtual ghost]

US judge overturns California's decades-long ban on assault weapons


Btw. to me it isn't clear how such a decision can be made by judge. For me they should solve concrete cases. While this is in the domain of government, or at least some kind of city or regional council.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

What you said is why I find it so frustrating that when you ask Republicans if they believe Joe Biden won the election, so many of them will pander to The Big Lie with "well, certain states broke their own eleciton rules, dead people voting, blah blah blah". The truth behind the big lie has been exposed so many times, such as, as you mentioned, Fox News and Newsmax getting sued by Dominion, plus the 60 failed court cases, including Rudy Giuliani even admitting to judge under oath that they weren't legitimate election fraud causes. The evidence is debunking the lie is easily accessible and verifiable if you put even the most minuscule amount effort -- what is ironic is that most of the instances of voter fraud in the 2020 election was committed by Republican voters who said they did so because they believe Trump told them to and/or that they believed the Democrats were cheating so they might as well do so too. At this point anyone that even tries to defend the notion of a stolen election is basically gaslighting you.

If seems like the whole 2020 election fraud claims were really just political theater to pass their statewide voter suppression laws that they've wanted to pass for decades.

Yeah, exactly. Sidney Whatsherface (Trump's lawyer) actually provided the "no reasonable person believes I am a reliable source of facts" legal defense for Dominion's lawsuit against her - and stuff like that doesn't even seem to make a dent. Just like the stuff you mentioned.

And the thing is, most of that^ can potentially be that kind of news just never makes it into their news bubble. Most of that relies on trusting a source about information being correct. But what about the fact that many of the Republicans who were elected on the very same Goddamn ballots are claiming that only Biden's election is in question. There's no possible news bubble or distrust in media excuse for that - not that it's a good excuse to begin with, but at least it's not a demonstration of human stupidity in it's purest form. I bet most grade school children are able to grasp that inherent contradiction better than most of the elected GOP seem to be able to.

 

[Lark]

Yeah, exactly. Sidney Whatsherface (Trump's lawyer) actually provided the "no reasonable person believes I am a reliable source of facts" legal defense for Dominion's lawsuit against her - and stuff like that doesn't even seem to make a dent. Just like the stuff you mentioned.

And the thing is, most of that^ can potentially be that kind of news just never makes it into their news bubble. Most of that relies on trusting a source about information being correct. But what about the fact that many of the Republicans who were elected on the very same Goddamn ballots are claiming that only Biden's election is in question. There's no possible news bubble or distrust in media excuse for that - not that it's a good excuse to begin with, but at least it's not a demonstration of human stupidity in it's purest form. I bet most grade school children are able to grasp that inherent contradiction better than most of the elected GOP seem to be able to.

I think its got to do with the kind of pseudo-religious sorts of belief that old money want to foster so badly.

Its a fact that "not even registering on their radar" is a real feature of digital age filter bubbles but there's always been selective reporting and people who will choose not to know about or pay attention to alternative sources of views to their own.

That's nothing new, the RCC used to maintain a list of profane books that believers where not to read, I dont know if they do anymore, they might, but it says a lot about how seriously people take it that I dont know for sure, a lot of evangelical sects are much, much more serious about discouraging doubts or exposure to alternative sources among their followers. Its not imposed by authorities so much as self-imposed or self-elected as a form of discipline.

Anything contrary to a few simple reductive ideas, usually professed that way, is treated with doubt automatically. Although this kind of "closing of the mind" is not restricted entirely to the right wing, its just more obvious in terms of the right wing at present I think. Plus I think for the left wing it can often be more about private life than public life.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I think its got to do with the kind of pseudo-religious sorts of belief that old money want to foster so badly.

I wish there were some way to effectively argue that's exactly what it is (pseudo-religious) to those who blindly adhere out of a sense of duty/piety. The most effective argument that comes to mind is how it's diminishing the number of Christians in the country (as has been discussed around here before). If the single only draw your God has is shielding you from unwanted consequences (avoiding eternal damnation after death), and the only way to avoid those literally unimaginably painful consequences is to avoid scrutinizing authority at every turn - it's a really effective way to suck the autonomy from those fully immersed in the system, but it's not going to draw in anyone new nor will it sustain much hold over individuals raised within the system without a strong enough emotional attachment to their parents/family to keep them there (a stronger/more positive attachment to outsiders will lure them away).

 

[Stigmata]

But what about the fact that many of the Republicans who were elected on the very same Goddamn ballots are claiming that only Biden's election is in question. There's no possible news bubble or distrust in media excuse for that - not that it's a good excuse to begin with, but at least it's not a demonstration of human stupidity

On the subject of potentially fraudulent Senate elections, how Mitch McConnell won by almost a 20-point margin, despite having one of the lowest state approval ratings, was a little sus.

Amy McGrath was a pretty milquetoast candidate, but still.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

So, this happened. I wonder if - amid all these "investigations" into election fraud - there's enough solid investigation into how much bigger Trump's loss would have been without the voter suppression methods that succeeded.

I'm on the fence about whether it'd make as much a difference to flood the news with analysis of it anywhere near as much as right wing media floods theirs with the Big Lie. People are tired, journalists are losing their ability to present convincing support, and it might just look like more outrage fodder.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

On the subject of potentially fraudulent Senate elections, how Mitch McConnell won by almost a 20-point margin, despite having one of the lowest state approval ratings, was a little sus. Amy McGrath was a pretty milquetoast candidate, but still.

That would make for a fascinating journalistic project. It is suspect, at the same time he's incredibly well funded. And it would be fascinating to see exactly how oligarchies successfully plant absolutely disgusting candidates in a 'democracy' through funding alone (if only to prove that regulating campaign funding is the only way to protect actual democracy).

 

[The Cat]

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this late breaking news headline: Corrupt politician wins corrupt race with corruption; is our system broken? Find out tonight at 11.

 

[ceecee]

FDA approves Wegovy as obesity drug to help people keep pounds off - CNN

Gonna predict the anti-vaxxers will trample old and young and be like - shoot this directly in my veins.

 

[Lark]

FDA approves Wegovy as obesity drug to help people keep pounds off - CNN

Gonna predict the anti-vaxxers will trample old and young and be like - shoot this directly in my veins.

 

[The Cat]