Please be responsible for your own actions and words, and avoid blaming others or making excuses for your behavior. If you make a mistake, apologize and take steps to correct it.
- Manlobbi
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy❤
No. of Recommendations: 6
No. of Recommendations: 2
From the link:
Dictators require archenemies.
It may seem counter-intuitive, given that most people think of dictators as bad guys themselves, but the simple reality is that without proclaiming enemies — larger than life enemies — dictators have a hard time hanging onto power and accomplishing the things they want to do.
Hitler had Jews. Mussolini had the Italian Socialist Party. For Duterte it was drug dealers. Stalin vilified the “Kulaks” (wealthy peasants) as a threat to the Soviet Union. Mao blamed the bourgeoisie. Pol Pot said intellectuals were the enemy and so ordered everybody who could read killed. Idi Amin blamed Indians and Asians for the problems of Uganda. Robert Mugabe said white farmers were destroying Zimbabwe. Slobodan Milošević pointed to the Kosovo Albanians. Pinochet blamed the trade unions for Chile’s struggles.
/snip
While the hero of the story is important, Parker told us, it’s the antihero — the bad guy or antagonist — who makes real for the reader the goodness of the hero.
No. of Recommendations: 5
While the hero of the story is important, Parker told us, it’s the antihero — the bad guy or antagonist — who makes real for the reader the goodness of the hero.
This is true, but it's not only true of dictators. Most political actors will pick "enemies" that they stand in opposition to, individuals or groups that they proclaim will be dangerous or detrimental to society if not checked in their depredations. To embody or symbolize the things the political actor is against in a way that is easier for their target audience to quickly understand and resonate with.
That's why political parties love to pick out specific individuals or groups and inveigh against them, rather than drily talking about policy all the time. They can be specific individuals that are used to symbolize their opposition: George Soros or the Koch Brothers or Nancy Pelosi or Michelle Bachman or AOC or MTG. They can be groups that are cast as the ones that threaten society: "liberal elites" or "The 1%" or "broligarchs" or "the woke."
No. of Recommendations: 13
That's why political parties love to pick out specific individuals or groups and inveigh against them, rather than drily talking about policy all the time.
Though this is normal and qualifies politics as a “contact sport”, the abnormal aspect of today’s MAGA Trump led party is its threat of jailing/exiling/executing its opponents and/or targets.
No. of Recommendations: 3
the abnormal aspect of today’s MAGA Trump led party is its threat of jailing/exiling/executing its opponents and/or targets.
No it isn’t.
But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned.
No. of Recommendations: 11
But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned.
Sure, just like you assured us the Democrats were going to have riots on 1/6/25.
There is only one major party that actually believes in law and order, and it isn’t the Republicans.
Remember, being accused of a crime is one thing, being convicted is entirely another.
No. of Recommendations: 11
But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned.
I'll file that away with your predictions about riots if the Felon won the election...
No. of Recommendations: 3
Sure, just like you assured us the Democrats were going to have riots on 1/6/25.
Did I give a date? Nope. So you’re…lying.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Trump moved the inauguration inside just now, they say for the weather but also likely for security reasons.
Since it’s cold that might put a damper on the party.
No. of Recommendations: 7
Did I give a date? Nope. So you’re…lying.
You qualified the riots as being the direct result of his election. Those riots did not occur.
Whether or not there are riots due to Trump’s as yet unrealized threats depends on what he does and how he does it.
If there are riots, they will no longer be attributed to his election, but rather the damage he does as president.
For instance, what happens if Trump denies federal assistance to address the California wildfires?
I can foresee Trump doling out
Disaster assistance to red states As a reward for loyalty and withholding it from blue states as punishment; he’s already said he would do that.
And that’s a recipe for riots. It’s also a recipe for peaceful protests which you will call “riots” when federal troops get involved.
No. of Recommendations: 1
LOL..... the 3rd world issues being debated.
Punishment - on cruise control now
No. of Recommendations: 2
You qualified the riots as being the direct result of his election. Those riots did not occur.
Not yet. You people won’t let me down!
Meanwhile, *all* of you are on the hook for your HITLERHITLERTRUMONAZIPUTIN predictions.
No. of Recommendations: 13
Trump moved the inauguration inside just now, they say for the weather but also likely for security reasons.
Yesterday after my wife and I saw the weather forecast for DC, i mused aloud:
“You know who, besides Michelle Obama, might not attend the Inauguration?? The same guy who didnt want to get his hair wet and used that as an excuse for not going to the cemetery in France because it was raining.”
No. of Recommendations: 4
Did I give a date? Nope. So you’re…lying
Dope predictions are like Armageddon.... they are always correct despite delays ... in perpetuity ?
LOL. How conveeeeeenient.
No. of Recommendations: 7
"But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned."
Unintentional irony will always be hilarious. Fortunately we have Dope here who always gives us lots of unintentional irony to laugh at.
No. of Recommendations: 9
But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned.
Yet another in the long string of accusations as confessions from the MAGA crowd.
No. of Recommendations: 1
Yet another in the long string of accusations as confessions from the MAGA crowd.
Nah, bruv. It’s not my fault you people have a pattern…and you follow it.
No. of Recommendations: 2
But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned.
But they haven't done that in the past Dope. They've said if he did the crime, prosecute him.
No. of Recommendations: 7
Sure, just like you assured us the Democrats were going to have riots on 1/6/25.
Did I give a date? Nope. So you’re…lying.
I gave you a 1-20-2025 date as the ending date for your "riot prediction because Trump was elected". So on 1-20 midnight that period is ended. Tick tock tick tock...
No. of Recommendations: 3
I gave you
lol. How do you get to put conditions on what other people say?
No. of Recommendations: 1
There is only one major party that actually believes in law and order, and it isn’t the Republicans. - AW----------------
You mean justice like this......
Lame duck Biden's DOJ gives brutal gang leader sweetheart plea deal in murder spree that killed 7https://www.foxnews.com/us/lame-duck-bidens-doj-gi...Yeah yeah Fox news .... Tell that to the grieving parents....
No. of Recommendations: 7
Yeah yeah Fox news .... Tell that to the grieving parents.
It was a plea deal and he’ll still serve 40-60 years in federal prison.
No. of Recommendations: 4
It was a plea deal and he’ll still serve 40-60 years in federal prison.
To me, that would be worse. Just kill me, instead of me living in a 10x10 box with a bunch of brutes that want me to join a gang, or get raped, or have [insert commodity here] stolen. Of course, in my case, 40 years is effectively a life sentence.
No. of Recommendations: 9
But they haven't done that in the past Dope. They've said if he did the crime, prosecute him.I'm not Dope (you replied to me), but we have a recent counterexample: Menendez.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/democrat...Nobody is rallying behind him, or saying it's a bogus prosecution for bogus crimes. Unlike Reps and the Felon, the Dems are saying "go away, scum". (metaphorically)
No. of Recommendations: 1
>>Yeah yeah Fox news .... Tell that to the grieving parents.<<
It was a plea deal and he’ll still serve 40-60 years in federal prison. - zambon
------------------
Like I said, Tell that to the grieving parents, I am sure they will agree....
No. of Recommendations: 6
Tell that to the grieving parents, I am sure they will agree....
In this country, victims don’t set the penalty. Their advice on penalties may be sought, but they don’t determine the penalties.
You may believe 40-60 years is not severe enough. There are many parents of murdered children who would disagree.
“Tell it to the parents” is not a legal argument. Nor is it a moral argument. It’s a vengeance argument.
No. of Recommendations: 7
Yeah yeah Fox news
Yeah. Fox news is lying to you, at least in their headline. Why shouldn't that be called out?
Yes, he got a plea deal that will land him in prison for 40 - 60 years. Such a sweet deal.
Besides, I thought government efficiency was the theme of the week. DOGE and all that.
What's not to like about the efficiency of putting away a murderer for several decades without the expense of a long, drawn out trial? That lets the prosecutors and courts move on to some other criminals. Heck, with enough efficiency gains, you'll have more time to prosecute all those Democrats little Donnie wants to go after.
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 2
“Tell it to the parents” is not a legal argument. Nor is it a moral argument. It’s a vengeance argument.
------------------
In this country, victims don’t set the penalty. Didn't suggest that, it's a compassionate argument.
That it occurred might make Biden DOJ look bad so it becomes a secondary concern.
"In 2023, then-U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace told the judge that Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland had directed him to stop pursuing the death penalty."
No. of Recommendations: 7
Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland had directed him to stop pursuing the death penalty."
The same Merrick Garland slow walked the investigation and prosecution of Donald Trump for any number of crimes- to the point that Trump will never be held to account.
The flaw of Merrick Garland, the Republican chosen by Biden in order to avoid the appearance of seeking “vengeance”….. is not that he is a Biden flak, but that he is spineless.
No. of Recommendations: 2
The same Merrick Garland slow walked the investigation and prosecution of Donald Trump for any number of crimes- to the point that Trump will never be held to account.
Or…all these “crimes” have no There there.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Tell that to the grieving parents, I am sure they will agree.... Let's find out.
https://abc7ny.com/post/ms-13-gang-member-jairo-sa...Mickens' mother Elizabeth Alvarado was there in court on Tuesday.
"Every parent, every mother, anybody they're always wanting to know why? Why did it happen, why did you choose my daughter that day or anybody's kids that day?" Alvarado said."The holidays get rougher and rougher, I got to look at all my other kids that are there, when they're there, that's when I feel it," Johnson said.https://www.nbcnewyork.com/long-island/ms-13-membe...Saenz’s family and lawyers didn’t comment outside court, but the parents of two of the victims said they wished he had been given a life sentence.
“It was some justice, but not what I wanted,” said George Johnson, the father of 29-year-old Michael Johnson, who was bludgeoned and stabbed to death in Brentwood in 2016. “At least he’s not out in the street to hurt anybody else.”Sure, they wanted a longer sentence. But life sentences aren't really life sentences, anyway. They usually have the possibility of parole after some large number of years. If they get parole (a big IF) they generally stay on parole for the rest of their life. His plea deal includes a minimum sentence of 40 years, so he'll be locked up for a long time in any case.
--Peter
PS - Fox news lied to you in their headline. This wasn't a sweetheart deal. It's probably roughly what he would have got after a trial and guilty verdict.
PPS - Here's the DoJ take on the deal:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/high-ranking-...And their take on his brother's similar plea deal for the largely the same crimes
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/high-ranking-...
No. of Recommendations: 2
Or…all these “crimes” have no There there.
Given that Trump’s horde of lawyers successfully delayed the trials into oblivion, we may never get an official verdict.
Money talks. Justice walks.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Given that Trump’s horde of lawyers successfully delayed the trials into oblivion, we may never get an official verdict.
Most of what you folks “believe” about Trump is kinda silly. I think the nation will survive.
No. of Recommendations: 3
The same guy who didnt want to get his hair wet and used that as an excuse for not going to the cemetery in France because it was raining.”
Cry-baby, girly man Trump can not stand the idea of getting his weird hairdo messed up. LOL.
No. of Recommendations: 1
"But what WILL happen is that after the first democrat is caught breaking the law you’re going to scream and call him or her a “political prisoner”, evidence be damned."
Oh, Dope, you say the craziest things. Things that never happen, but that does not deter you. And you keep breaking the irony meter.
No. of Recommendations: 2
But they haven't done that in the past Dope. They've said if he did the crime, prosecute him.
Dope keeps looking for an equivalence that DOES NOT EXIST.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Could be that someone told The Father about William Henry Harrison.
No. of Recommendations: 4
I'm sorry. Are you for real. The Biden team has been using legal tactics to execute everyone in their way remotely related to Trump including Trump. Fortunately they failed. However, while jailing over 1000 people for Jan 6 participation, his own guilty son was pardoned.
The whole USA clearly sees that Biden's behavior towards the Trump community was unwarranted and unfair. This is the primary reason the Democrats lost. Americans stand for fairness!
But your concern is that Trump will is the party that is a threat to jail others? Man you are delusional.
Trump legitimately could have attempted to prosecute Hillary but passed.
No. of Recommendations: 2
The whole USA clearly sees that Biden's behavior towards the Trump community was unwarranted and unfair.
Point of order: most left wingers see the lawfare against Trump as a feature, not a bug. If they could they do it to every Republican that didn’t repeat their talking points.
No. of Recommendations: 8
I gave you
lol. How do you get to put conditions on what other people say?
Easy. You made the condition. I'm just being generous. You stipulated there would be riots due to the election. Election is technically over at the electoral count, but it's definitely over once he's sworn in. See how generous I am? Any riots after that are part of his term in office and not due to his election. So you made the condition.
That is all. :)
No. of Recommendations: 1
I'm not Dope (you replied to me)
Oops,my bad. :)
No. of Recommendations: 2
You stipulated there would be riots due to the election</iL
I said, if Trump wins, the left riots.
I set no time condition on it.
You folks - desperate for anything to use to feel better - are trying to set some kind of time limit.
Survey says…nope!
No. of Recommendations: 12
I said, if Trump wins (the election) , the left riots.
I set no time condition on it.
That's what you're claiming you said now? No link? Oh yes, clear implication that it would happen in a reasonable period of time and due to the election. You're just weaseling out, every one can see it. You're afraid to lose a prediction? How can that be? You've lost so many. So on 1-21 you take an L for all to see and what you say only matters for current entertainment value.
No. of Recommendations: 4
I'm sorry. Are you for real. The Biden team has been using legal tactics to execute everyone in their way remotely related to Trump including Trump.
How dare the Biden administration prosecute criminals! What is the world coming to.
No. of Recommendations: 10
Oops,my bad. :)
No problem.
At least you don't think his positions are my positions. I find it interesting that he projects right-wing responses onto the left. The right-wing rioted, so the left-wing will riot (we didn't, and we won't). The right-wing denies the Felon did anything wrong, so the left must deny it when a Dem gets caught (we have a recent counter-example, and I'm sure I could dig up more if I were so inclined). Etc.
The right can't seem to stand it that the left is not as depraved as they are, and project their faults on the left.
Plus moving the goalposts, and other logical fallacies.
How far the right has fallen.
No. of Recommendations: 2
How far the right has fallen.
Nah, bruv.
The left did riot. I got a front row seat to a lot of it.
You live in a reddish state that prizes law and order. As such, you’re lead-shielded from the radioactive stupidity that your adopted political party espouses and implements the second it gets political power.
You’re also one who denied that Biden was cognitively impaired and sneered when you were told who really runs your political party (and that they’d never allow a senile Biden to run for President). How’d that work out for you?
In your great switch away from Republicanism you started telling yourself things that would make you feel better. I hope it’s working out for your psyche.
No. of Recommendations: 3
You’re also one who denied that Biden was cognitively impaired...
I said he was old. As such, he was not as sharp as he was 20 years ago. Contrasting with the Felon, he is old, too. And showing signs of dementia.
When Biden flubbed the debate, I did NOT deny he was impaired. I didn't see it, but from what I read, he clearly was having issues.
Try again.
Also...don't tell me what I think, or my motivations. I know, you don't (except for what I tell you).
My "great switch" away from Republicanism was because I was shown -with actual data- that I was wrong on several things. Unlike many people (on both sides), when shown evidence, I have to rethink my position. Whether it's dark matter, or universal healthcare, the evidentiary process is little different. I still don't like the idea of people getting free medical care. But I can overcome my gut reaction, and look at the numbers and extrapolated consequences.
As for your flawed predictions, there was no tumult on 1/6/25. No storming of the capitol, no smashing of things or attacking police. And there won't be. Because the left, while frustrated, respects the process and accepts the result. I predict that on inauguration day, the Felon will make grand pronouncements (not based in fact, as usual), there may be some isolated protests, but nothing of significance will happen related to the inauguration. Just as nothing of significance happened on EC count and certification day.
No. of Recommendations: 1
As for your flawed predictions, there was no tumult on 1/6/25. No storming of the capitol, no
I didn’t predict that. That’s something you folks *wanted* me to say, but I didn’t.
When Biden flubbed the debate, I did NOT deny he was impaired. I didn't see it, but from what I read, he clearly was ha
It was obvious to those paying attention three years earlier.
I was right. This board’s “”brain trust”” was wrong.
But I can overcome my gut reaction, and look at the numbers and extrapolated consequences.
Uh, huh.
Not a single lib has ever admitted that any liberal position is even slightly incorrect. Look at how you people still cling to the idea that Biden was up for the job. It’s high comedy at this point as this board is the last bastion of left wingers who still think Biden wasn’t senile.
And don’t get me started on universal health care. Here’s a fact for you: there are more MRI machines in Bellingham, WA than in all of British Columbia.
