Always treat others with respect and kindness, even if you disagree with them. Avoid making personal attacks or insulting others, and try to maintain a civil and constructive tone in your discussions.
- Manlobbi
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy❤
No. of Recommendations: 2
I know they cherry-picked the interviews for maximum comic effect. But I think there are kernels of truth here. Trying to "detoxify" by avoiding politics altogether, for example. I did a similar thing on my news feed in 2016, and blocked the word "Trump" from my feed. There was still a lot of "leakage". He was POTUS, so there was going to be a lot of news about him all the time. But it was best for my mental health not to experience outrage multiple times per day. I wasn't a fan of Dubya, but I only experienced annoyance with him (most of the time). The convict is full-on "how is this guy not in jail" outrage.
I think those people were fools for not voting. Yes, the climate can be toxic. Yes, I can believe you don't like either of them. But it has such a major impact on your life that you are foolish not to vote, and at least try to minimize the damage (if you believe both suck). Plus, the local stuff can have a significant effect on your life, even if you leave the POTUS portion blank. As an example, if it had turned out to be the convict vs Menendez, I would have left that bit blank. I cannot vote for either as they have both committed disqualifying offenses. But I'd still choose 'yea' or 'nay' on the propositions, at the minimum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqZTRREqzVM
No. of Recommendations: 1
I've read some good arguments that your state and local races have far more effect on your daily life than the Federal government. And those local races are far more likely to be affected by just a handful of votes one way or the other.
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 3
The convict is full-on "how is this guy not in jail" outrage.
That's where Albaby is valuable. You can mentally prepare so you can get over your disappointment in advance. We're just anticipating problems and some may happen. I was not prepared to read some of the views on the US expressed by Britains. We're in for some "interesting times" as the Chinese say.
No. of Recommendations: 14
Yes we are.
We were in Scotland in late May, and while 1poorlady and 1poorkid were shopping tartans, the attendant asked me -in essence- "what is wrong with America that the convict is the nominee". He was mystified. As I've said before, I can talk to anyone about anything as long as they remain civil. So we had a 20 minute conversation (1poorlady is a thorough shopper). I explained the best I could about right-wing media lies and/or distortions contributing to people blaming "the other" for their problems, and some racism, and some rise in isolationist sentiments. I don't recall everything now, but it can be summed-up as a rise in populism.
I also included that I never voted for him, and would never vote for him. We're going to be traveling again soon, and I expect I'm going to have to apologize for my countrymen, and hang my head in shame. Which is appropriate, because I am ashamed of my country. I've never said that before in my life, but it is true now. (Last time I thought "people will realize their mistake; we all make mistakes". I can't say that this time.)
No. of Recommendations: 5
We were in Scotland in late May, and while 1poorlady and 1poorkid were shopping tartans, the attendant asked me -in essence- "what is wrong with America that the convict is the nominee"
I have short FB discussions with my foreign friends. Some of them have lived in the US and know a bit. A while back they asked me about racism in the US, I told them it was always there, just under the surface. The ones who hadn't lived in the US were surprised. So I showed them two quotes that illustrated the point:
You start out in 1954 by saying, “Nigger, nigger, nigger.” By 1968 you can’t say “nigger”—that hurts you, backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states’ rights, and all that stuff, and you’re getting so abstract. Now, you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites.… “We want to cut this,” is much more abstract than even the busing thing, uh, and a hell of a lot more abstract than “Nigger, nigger.” Lee Atwater 1981
“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”
― Lyndon B. Johnson
The first quote illustrates how we developed dog whistles to speak to the racists, etc. The second quote is on point for how Trump's grift works.
It's still there and it is never going away. If we think it isn't there, we're deluding ourselves.
No. of Recommendations: 4
I used to delude myself. My first slap in the face was when a county in GA (Forsyth) was having protects against a civil rights march. I mean, I knew it still existed. But I had deluded myself as to how prevalent it was. Then Obama ran for office, and I was seeing "I can never vote for a n*gger" on TV. Wow.
I'm sure that played a part here. Also, Harris is a woman. So likely some misogyny. But I agree with Desi Lydic that the pundits don't really know what the hell they are talking about. She showed a series of pundits all contradicting each other. One would say it was Harris' embrace of Israel, and another would say it was her NOT supporting Israel, then some would say she shouldn't have kicked Biden to the curb, while others were saying she should have distanced herself from Biden. I don't remember all the examples, but it was just insane. In the end, don't believe any of the pundits. They're all just guessing, and another pundit could construct an argument to refute the first.
IMHO, it was mostly the successful spinning of the border situation as "scary brown people from insane asylums and prisons are streaming across our border, and eating your pets". Simplistic, but that was at the heart of most talk I heard, and most campaign signs I saw.
On the plus side, Gallego defeated Lake. Even though AZ went for the convict, Lake still couldn't win. Maybe it didn't help that she is a woman.
No. of Recommendations: 3
In the end, don't believe any of the pundits.
I agree. I can't listen to any more of the Monday Morning Quarterbacking. Jedi would attribute it to Club401k not being so smart they can't see their hand in front of their face.
I'm boiling it down to things the pundits are afraid to talk about. Racism (that's the core of your "scary brown people" comment). Misogyny. And something I can't fully name that is related to ignorance/stupidity/"giving the finger to the educated" kind of theme. And one thing pundits love to talk about - the economy. Or more completely, the economy for the lower portion of the income spectrum. Doesn't matter if the economy as a whole is doing OK if those with below average (and yes, arithmetic average, not median) incomes are not doing well.
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 0
HOW COME Racist America voted - twice - for scary brown Obama?
And his name was Hussein - not "Kamala" and his legs weren't as nice.
Cmon dude- don't sign on to elect JD Vance.
Join us on the Democrat side!
No. of Recommendations: 9
HOW COME Racist America voted - twice - for scary brown Obama?
I have tried to swear off responding to you, as it just creates more idiotic responses. But the temptation is too strong on this one.
It was Obama winning that got the lazy racists off their butts and into the voting booth. McCain lost because of the racists laziness. Romney lost because he's not really a racist and wasn't enough to fully motivate the racists (and the economy was too good by then - hard to overcome the economy).
It took an actual, full-throated, unashamed racist like Trump to finally get the racist vote going. Running against Hillary! helped, too, as it brought in the few misogynists that weren't also racist. (Trump is also a misogynist, in case you hadn't noticed.)
Trump screwed the pooch in 2020 with his idiotic handling of covid. Without that, he probably wins 2020.
He wins again in 2024 with the trifecta of racists, misogynists, and the economy all on his side.
So now we have to put up with 4 more years of this buffoon.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Racist America voted brown Obama twice.
Some of those SAME districts - went Trump 2016.
Racism is white Liberals assuming they know why people voted how they did and NOT trying to even learn about others.
And that racism is very visible - from the inner cities to the prisons and from the rivers to the sea.
Swear off all you like :) All I said was fact - racist America voted Obama. But not Harris.
And the other fact: White Liberals - many are racist. And their actions have gutted whole generations out of basic birthrights.
