VaranDragon wrote on Nov 6, 2024, 06:59:
As someone who is definitely on the outside looking in. Good luck to you in the States. With that said, I don't really think much will change. The powers that be will not let the trajectory change too much from what it's been on for the last couple of decades (at least). Trump is a symptom of a much deeper root problem. I feel bad for the people who believe that he is part of a solution, I believe (although I sincerely hope that I'm wrong) that Trump has pretty much hoodwinked his voter base and will simply increase the divide that exists in the states. I also think that he is not going to be much worse than Harris, the dem politics of keeping the status-quo will not be disrupted too much. It's all a game show, and the game was rigged from the beginning.

Normally one could agree with you, however I think this time the long game being played by the far right has come to fruition. The plan was all laid out in project2025. Even if goober said he doesn’t know it his cabinet he will bring in does.

And this little beauty will change the US fundamentally. I think that part about weighted voting based on how many kids you have is a fun tidbit.

And today they were handed the keys to implement all the trash that comes with it. Since Don is a useful idiot that will happily sign it into law, it’s already done.

As someone who is definitely on the outside looking in. Good luck to you in the States. With that said, I don't really think much will change. The powers that be will not let the trajectory change too much from what it's been on for the last couple of decades (at least). Trump is a symptom of a much deeper root problem. I feel bad for the people who believe that he is part of a solution, I believe (although I sincerely hope that I'm wrong) that Trump has pretty much hoodwinked his voter base and will simply increase the divide that exists in the states. I also think that he is not going to be much worse than Harris, the dem politics of keeping the status-quo will not be disrupted too much. It's all a game show, and the game was rigged from the beginning.

Bodolza wrote on Nov 6, 2024, 01:51:
As someone fairly well off that lives in California, I'll probably be fine -- but sorry poor people. You're eff'd. And I'm really sorry for the Palestinians, since their country is about to get wiped off the face of the planet.

Though I do need to figure out how I'm gonna protect my money before Trump tanks the economy.

According to projections, I'll have an extra $40k in my pocket between the two tax plans. Who cares? The shift to fascism is far more damaging.

What's so odd to me is how many people swore Harris would do things trump actually said he'd do in speeches, like lock up people not loyal to him. He said he'd do it, but his backers swear she would.

Hope you all are ready to get project 2025‘d. This is just the beginning.

Happy I got lucky and got out of there. Even if dipshit pulls out of nato the EU can probably hold its own against a now shell of its former self Russia.

And enjoy the rising cost of living when those tariffs kick in. You asked for this.

i'm gonna be in lurker mode for awhile guys. if i say anything it'll just be incendiary anger that'll just get me banned, so better i not say anything for the time being.

All that wealth used not for the people but to get bigger cannons.
All that power, given to a cretin and his dictators pals to misuse.
All those millions voting against their own interests, on a discerning level worthy of bolivian cocaleros.

It is a grand joke on democracy supposed objectives, brought low by capitalist greed buying senators, the likes of Rupert Murdoch, Tucker, Rogans, and grifters or religious nuts, turning the most important nation into a third world hole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd4YgudTcnM is me.

Armengar wrote on Nov 6, 2024, 01:40:
Well it looks like I should start learning Russian.

Chinese and Korean (northern accent) might become very useful, too. Where the USA withdraws internationally, other powers will fill the gap.

As someone fairly well off that lives in California, I'll probably be fine -- but sorry poor people. You're eff'd. And I'm really sorry for the Palestinians, since their country is about to get wiped off the face of the planet.

Though I do need to figure out how I'm gonna protect my money before Trump tanks the economy.

This comment was edited on Nov 6, 2024, 02:27.

Burrito of Peace wrote on Nov 6, 2024, 01:36:
El Pit, I am not angry. I can sometimes be impassioned but that's about it. Anger is only suitable to me when it has a functional, useful outlet. Like splitting wood, for example. Generally, I keep myself very locked down these days.

I agree, in principle, that compromise can be a good thing. If I want taxes to go more toward schools and, say, you want taxes to go more toward roads then I believe we can generally sit down and hash out a compromise. I cannot, however, agree that compromise is a good thing when it involves compromising with some of the worst examples humanity has to offer. That's where I draw a hard line. I absolutely will not compromise with someone who believes, because "reasons", that they have the right to strip rights, liberties, and freedoms from other people.That's not anger, that's principles.

The cold reality is that this country is barreling toward a schism. The divide is too deep between those that want to live in the 21st century and those that want to live in the early part of the 19th century.

Conversely, the group on the other side doesn't have the right - even though they believe they do - to impose their values on everyone else. That's democracy. If you have 100 people in your country and 51 vote for XYZ you don't like, than too bad so sad. And this is why the Dems are getting stomped. They're too busy telling everyone what's right and wrong, what to believe, what is acceptable, what words are acceptable, etc. etc. etc. They keep talking AT people and they listen and they don't compromise. That is serious cognitive dissonance. The last major poll they hold just before elections is asking people if they believe the country is headed in the right or wrong direction. And this time around 74% of people said 'wrong direction'. And no party who's even had more than 50% of 'wrong direction' has ever won. The economy, the price of things - not inflation, the assault on the southern border, those three things alone guarenteed the Dems were going to tank. Blame Biden, blame the DNC for not holding an open primary and telling people once again who they were going to get and vote for and no one better dare question. And once again the Dems manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and blame everyone else for it as usual.

Well it looks like I should start learning Russian.

El Pit, I am not angry. I can sometimes be impassioned but that's about it. Anger is only suitable to me when it has a functional, useful outlet. Like splitting wood, for example. Generally, I keep myself very locked down these days.

I agree, in principle, that compromise can be a good thing. If I want taxes to go more toward schools and, say, you want taxes to go more toward roads then I believe we can generally sit down and hash out a compromise. I cannot, however, agree that compromise is a good thing when it involves compromising with some of the worst examples humanity has to offer. That's where I draw a hard line. I absolutely will not compromise with someone who believes, because "reasons", that they have the right to strip rights, liberties, and freedoms from other people.That's not anger, that's principles.

The cold reality is that this country is barreling toward a schism. The divide is too deep between those that want to live in the 21st century and those that want to live in the early part of the 19th century.

El Pit wrote on Nov 6, 2024, 00:13:
BoP, Prez, and all you others, don't get angered. Don't (unwillingly) jump on the Anger Train. The first step to a REAL change is to accept other people's opinions and positions. I forget about that too often, too. But it is more important than ever before in the US democracy to tolerate other people's opinions. While I do think that voting is a single person's most important way to execute political power, I do respect other people who do not want to. If the US wants to stop political polarization and by this social division, then the US citizens have to accept and tolerate. Only Nixon could go to China, you know...

If you get emotionally too involved, reason will take a backseat. I know it's hard and I fail at sticking to my own advice too often, but we all need to try. The worst thing that can happen to politicians who base their power on anger is that the anger stops.

The sentiment is understandable, but I cannot afford not to be emotionally involved because if things like the ACA get overturned it could result in me being very easily bankrupt or dead because I would not be able to afford the insurance required to get my cancer treatments.

BoP, Prez, and all you others, don't get angered. Don't (unwillingly) jump on the Anger Train. The first step to a REAL change is to accept other people's opinions and positions. I forget about that too often, too. But it is more important than ever before in the US democracy to tolerate other people's opinions. While I do think that voting is a single person's most important way to execute political power, I do respect other people who do not want to. If the US wants to stop political polarization and by this social division, then the US citizens have to accept and tolerate. Only Nixon could go to China, you know...

If you get emotionally too involved, reason will take a backseat. I know it's hard and I fail at sticking to my own advice too often, but we all need to try. The worst thing that can happen to politicians who base their power on anger is that the anger stops.

Prez wrote on Nov 5, 2024, 21:49:
I've been accused of copping out, of being full of shit, and being outright wrong before. Often when I was. I take no offense. I believe in treating everyone with love and respect. I took in multiple drug addicts, prostitutes, and a couple of felons into my house. I gave them a place to live, food to eat, and the chance to slow down, work things out, and make the right choices. They sometimes didn't, but that will never stop me from showing kindness and giving someone - anyone - a chance. I've been robbed. Assaulted. Made a fool of. But compassion is what drives me. Not just for people that I like - for EVERYONE.

Politics isn't about compassion and kindness. It's about divisiveness, about winning at all costs no matter how unfairly we attack people, so long as we get what we want. It's about grandstanding, arrogance, lying and deceiving. People - you included - have said some horrendous things about people for no other crimes than voting for someone different. It might be a copout, and it might be bullshit, but I will not be a part of that. Period.

Your logic has a flaw: Voting is not the same as politics. Yes voting is heavily politicized but it's not what voting is about. Ignoring the entire voting process IS being manipulated by politics because you're allowing it to induce a contrarian opinion in your mind. In other words, you're letting politics win by making it strip your desire to vote. No one said you have to invest time and energy in to the machinations of the political process in order for your vote to make a difference.

You said let the government tell you what to do before (veteran), now it's your turn to tell the government what to do for you.

Prez wrote on Nov 5, 2024, 21:49:
Politics isn't about compassion and kindness. It's about divisiveness, about winning at all costs no matter how unfairly we attack people, so long as we get what we want. It's about grandstanding, arrogance, lying and deceiving. People - you included - have said some horrendous things about people for no other crimes than voting for someone different. It might be a copout, and it might be bullshit, but I will not be a part of that. Period.

That is what politics has become but it doesn't necessarily require that it stay that way. If everyone sat back and said "Well, fuck it, nothing's going to change anyway" then, unsurprisingly, nothing will ever change. A self-fulfilling prophecy is easy to write.

Define "horrendous". Have I been brutally unkind to those who want to goosestep behind some wannabe fascist tyrant? Absolutely. I own that and I will never apologize for it. I have zero love or compassion for someone who feels they have the privilege to destroy other people, subvert their lawful rights, and make the lives of others absolutely miserable simply because those people exist. If you feel the need to kumbaya those people, have at. But they will remain a threat and will continue to act to undermine the codified and Constitutionally protected rights of others while you're doing it.

Let's take reproductive rights as an example. If a person's stance on a woman's bodily autonomy starts with "Well duh Byebuhl says"...I'll call them a clueless fucking moron to their face. Because they've failed the first step in understanding that their bronze age, goat herder mythology only applies to them. It does not apply to national policy nor anyone else who chooses not to believe their bronze age, goat herder mythology. That's wildly unethical. Now, you could say that calling them a clueless fucking moron is "horrendous". So be it. That's your prerogative. But I would rather be bloody, dead, "horrendous", and on the right side of history than joining the goosestepping throng simply so we could all get along.

But the funny thing about human history is that it is absolutely rife with examples of one group trying to subjugate another group and impose their laws and beliefs on to the second group. Invariably, someone from that subjugated group says "I have had enough of this shit". After that...nobody hugs out their differences.They fight them out. Now somewhere along the line we figured out that slaughtering each other to settle our differences was probably not the most effective use of manpower. So we invented politics in an effort to avoid at least some of that bloodshed. We'll never get rid of all of it. We humans just like to kill one another. We rose to the top of the animal kingdom because of our violence, not despite it.

But the thing about politics is that it changes. It changes because people get involved and they evince those changes. When a person sits back and cedes the field without making any effort and says "Bah! Politics" well, it's more than a little hypocritical. It's like bitching about dinner when you won't get off your ass and get in to the kitchen in the first place. You're tired of money being involved in politics? Join with other people and start working to get money out of politics. Nothing is impossible when enough people decide to change the course of history. Were political change truly "impossible", this country wouldn't exist. Certainly not after 1776 nor after 1861.

Prez, please stop, you're obstinately pushing Vlad's preference.
I think your sadness is confusing you.

Do I still have hopes for the USA ? Yes.
Do I think the good side will win ?
Not really, too many willful ignorants gleefully choosing to ruin their own lives.

All the more reasons for those sill thinking, to go make a valid effort and not muddy the waters.

This comment was edited on Nov 5, 2024, 23:11.

I've been accused of copping out, of being full of shit, and being outright wrong before. Often when I was. I take no offense. I believe in treating everyone with love and respect. I took in multiple drug addicts, prostitutes, and a couple of felons into my house. I gave them a place to live, food to eat, and the chance to slow down, work things out, and make the right choices. They sometimes didn't, but that will never stop me from showing kindness and giving someone - anyone - a chance. I've been robbed. Assaulted. Made a fool of. But compassion is what drives me. Not just for people that I like - for EVERYONE.

Politics isn't about compassion and kindness. It's about divisiveness, about winning at all costs no matter how unfairly we attack people, so long as we get what we want. It's about grandstanding, arrogance, lying and deceiving. People - you included - have said some horrendous things about people for no other crimes than voting for someone different. It might be a copout, and it might be bullshit, but I will not be a part of that. Period.

Prez wrote on Nov 5, 2024, 15:38:
Hey, I am not trying to change anyone's mind. But I am also not going to feel guilty about not participating. I served in the military. I have earned the right to not give a shit. Now everyone vote for Xeth!!

Prez, you know I like and respect you. You know that when I reply to you that my response may be impassioned but it is not meant to be insulting.

Remember that when you read my next statement.

That's a bullshit excuse. Utter, lazy, cop-out bullshit.

I served too. When I took my Oath of Enlistment, I swore to defend the Constitution and the people against all enemies foreign and domestic. Now, those fuzzy pink bunny slippers that are undoubtedly on your feet right now should let you know that when I say that I'm going to do a thing that I do that thing. Although my oath was several decades ago now, I still hold true to it. These days, I am more likely to cast a ballot than I am to pull a trigger in combat.

That's how we fight. That's how we defend those that are oppressed, ignored, bullied, and those that are being taken advantage of.

As a man, that's doubly true for me. It is my responsibility to stand up for those smaller, weaker, or less capable than myself. I don't get the choice to ignore that and still consider myself a man.

My late wife was an immigrant. My family two generations ago were immigrants. I stand with immigrants. My late wife, my mother, and my sister are all women. I stand with women. I was taught my entire childhood to stand up to bullies and did so. I will stand against and oppose a bully attempting to take the highest office in this country.

That's why I vote. Saying it's "sportsball" and all about money is an easy way for you to justify abrogating your responsibilities as a man and as a citizen to yourself. You are better than that. I know you are. I've personally witnessed you bring ethics to discussions right on this site and hold people accountable for their lack of ethics.

Don't short-change yourself and those around you because you're temporarily jaded and exhausted.

edaciousx wrote on Nov 5, 2024, 17:41:
Basically everyone here is a democrat. For the record, I'm a minority living in los angeles (half puerto rican in fact) and I am not voting for corrupted Kamala. I heard all the things she said and flip flopped on and none of it represents me or does anything but take my country down a path I don't want to walk.

I listened to what Trump said and got my information directly from the source, unfiltered. The MSM spews an incredible amount of lies. If you're not doing everything you can to be Well Informed then you don't know anything... and please don't think "Faux News" is a source of truth on what Trump says, they are MSM.

I get my Trump views from him, directly. I'd wager he has flip-flopped on far more than Harris. Should we go toe to toe?

He also printed all the money that led to the inflation he takes no responsibility for.