The US Politics/Elections Thread 2.0

[evilfacelessturtle]

Trump's pick for FBI Director doesn't know the difference between investigators and beat cops.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-picks-kash-patel-head-fbi-2024-12-01/

“I’d shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state. Then, I’d take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals. Go be cops. You’re cops — go be cops.”

Federal Bureau of Investigation. It's right there in the name.

I for one will be proud to mark history with our first ever retarded FBI DIrector. So strong and brave.

What's even more funny is that our resident soft-on-crime apologists in here defending the destruction of the FBI were insisting that it was simply a "restructuring", and "increasing transparency"...

Just like the Big Lie, everything is the opposite of reality in Trumpland. Try to steal the election by claiming it's stolen, and corrupt the government by claiming you're rooting out corruption. It's the classic playbook of every authoritarian in history, but his followers don't read anything, much less history books.

America will be a dangerous place without the FBI. Those crimes will have blood on Trump's hands.

[HOOSIER GUNZ]

It would appear that the vetting (background checks) during this recess appointment period is already cleaning up DC pretty quickly. It’s only nov 3rd.

 

[matt1313]

On 11/28/2024 at 11:26 AM, evilfacelessturtle said:

Imagine being this pant-shittingly  terrified of facts that disprove your ideology. You stay in that safe space bubble, cupcake. The communists are everywhere! You don't have to deal with any difficult facts if you just blindly dismiss them like a coward!

Dude... you're clearly wasting hours and hours and hours of your days researching a bunch of crap on left-wing nut-job "news" sites on a forum about a guy you hate so much (Trump) about how awful he is... yet you're arguing with a bunch of nobodies on a GNR forum who lyrics contain... "turn around bitch I have a use for you"... "with your ass in the air"... "police and *******"... "immigrants and *******".  Seriously?  I know it's cliché, but you really need to get a life.

I'm not going to waste the same amount of time because I have better things to do in life.  I'm not going to change your opinions and your version of reality about politics, and you're certainly not going to change anyone else's on here.  So, you win!  We're all a bunch of MAGA racist, violent conspiracy theorists.  We're all idiots!  You're a genius and we should bow to your great wisdom.  Lol.  

Go ahead and have the last word now... you clearly get off on this and if that's all the enjoyment you get out of life, well, I wouldn't want to shit on your parade.  I won't retort. 

Look forward to more MSNBC and Mother Jones sources of yours!  

Bless your heart.  

[evilfacelessturtle]

20 hours ago, matt1313 said:

Dude... you're clearly wasting hours and hours and hours of your days researching a bunch of crap on left-wing nut-job "news" sites on a forum about a guy you hate so much (Trump) about how awful he is... yet you're arguing with a bunch of nobodies on a GNR forum who lyrics contain... "turn around bitch I have a use for you"... "with your ass in the air"... "police and *******"... "immigrants and *******".  Seriously?  I know it's cliché, but you really need to get a life.

I'm not going to waste the same amount of time because I have better things to do in life.  I'm not going to change your opinions and your version of reality about politics, and you're certainly not going to change anyone else's on here.  So, you win!  We're all a bunch of MAGA racist, violent conspiracy theorists.  We're all idiots!  You're a genius and we should bow to your great wisdom.  Lol.  

Go ahead and have the last word now... you clearly get off on this and if that's all the enjoyment you get out of life, well, I wouldn't want to shit on your parade.  I won't retort. 

Look forward to more MSNBC and Mother Jones sources of yours!  

Bless your heart.  

Perfectly proving my point: You just look at the web address and decide that if it's a "liberal source", you can blindly dismiss it. Too cowardly to challenge your ideology.

Never mind that I've cited multiple scientific studies directly, and my last link was to Reuters, but I suppose you'd even call that liberal! 

If you're really this offended by facts, you don't have to respond at all. Much less throw this tantrum, crying about how mean I am and you're too cool and popular to hold yourself to any standards whatsoever with a 2-second Google search.

A real man would just admit that he's never bothered to actually question his beliefs or fact check the partisan media he listens to.

You've certainly proved me correct in that quote though. Stay triggered!

[evilfacelessturtle]

Oh, and every member of the band has said that they regret One In A Million at this point. Unlike Republicans, we believe in redemption and are not essentialists.

I also enjoy horror movies despite being opposed to serial murder. Imagine that.

It's almost like you don't even understand what it is that you oppose... but that certainly couldn't be an intentional misrepresentation put in your head by right wing media!

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

I have a feeling once Trump is in the White House, his bromance with Musk will end. Musk seems to be overstepping into Government affiairs and I don't think Trump will like this eventually. I hope it's public. I want to see it implode. lol

[Sweersa]

On 12/4/2024 at 7:33 PM, evilfacelessturtle said:

Oh, and every member of the band has said that they regret One In A Million at this point.

I think the key word there is "said". Whether or not that's just for good PR, or genuine, impossible to tell.

To me, art is art. 

[evilfacelessturtle]

3 hours ago, Sweersa said:

I think the key word there is "said". Whether or not that's just for good PR, or genuine, impossible to tell.

To me, art is art. 

I don't think there's reason to doubt that Slash regrets it, or anyone else besides Axl.

As for Axl, I think he's shown a lot of growth, and did take it out of the AFD boxset.

And even as early as 1992, he would talk about his conflicted feelings on the song:

"I’ve only performed the song “One In a Million” twice. l don’t perform it, because l think it’s too dangerous and l don’t trust people with the song. I don’t trust the audience with the song. I don’t want to do “One in a Million” on stage and know that there’s a lot of people out there in the crowd who are prejudiced and it’s gonna help fuel their fire. It’s enough to handle the fact that it’s on a record and people use it for their own anthems for their own prejudiced-ness. I question myself every day. Should l pull it? Should I leave it? Do l leave it for the sake of artistic integrity? Do I pull it, do I censor myself? But wait, I’m against censorship. It’s a really hard issue to constantly deal with."

Personally, I never listen to the song because it's just not that musically interesting to me. But there are songs I like in spite of their lyrical message. I dig some Lynyrd Skynyrd in spite of all the confederate flags and religion being shoved in your face. Of course, they also have a killer anti-gun song in Saturday Night Special.

Edited December 6, 2024 by evilfacelessturtle

[Sweersa]

16 hours ago, evilfacelessturtle said:

I don't think there's reason to doubt that Slash regrets it, or anyone else besides Axl.

As for Axl, I think he's shown a lot of growth, and did take it out of the AFD boxset.

And even as early as 1992, he would talk about his conflicted feelings on the song:

"I’ve only performed the song “One In a Million” twice. l don’t perform it, because l think it’s too dangerous and l don’t trust people with the song. I don’t trust the audience with the song. I don’t want to do “One in a Million” on stage and know that there’s a lot of people out there in the crowd who are prejudiced and it’s gonna help fuel their fire. It’s enough to handle the fact that it’s on a record and people use it for their own anthems for their own prejudiced-ness. I question myself every day. Should l pull it? Should I leave it? Do l leave it for the sake of artistic integrity? Do I pull it, do I censor myself? But wait, I’m against censorship. It’s a really hard issue to constantly deal with."

Personally, I never listen to the song because it's just not that musically interesting to me. But there are songs I like in spite of their lyrical message. I dig some Lynyrd Skynyrd in spite of all the confederate flags and religion being shoved in your face. Of course, they also have a killer anti-gun song in Saturday Night Special.

My understanding is Axl was singing One In A Million from the perspective of a working class white man, with bigoted views. That’s my interpretation, anyways. I actually really like the song, and not because of the lyrical content. If the lyrics were sanitized or altered to be politically correct to currently acceptable words, the song would still sound good to my ears. (Though I don’t think they should change it). 

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

Trump met with President Zelensky of Ukraine and told him to have a cease fire and end the war.

Let's see what happens next? Is this Trump way to end this war? It won't work without Putin stopping his invasion. This is going to be a bigger mess.

[evilfacelessturtle]

4 hours ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

Trump met with President Zelensky of Ukraine and told him to have a cease fire and end the war.

Wow, why didn't anyone think of that before?!

Trump wants Ukraine to give in to Putin's fascist warmongering because he's Putin's useful idiot. Simple as that.

[Graeme]

19 hours ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

Trump met with President Zelensky of Ukraine and told him to have a cease fire and end the war.

To surrender their sovereign territory and send the message to Putin that violently taking what you want will work (eventually), even in these days of international law.

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

1 hour ago, Graeme said:

To surrender their sovereign territory and send the message to Putin that violently taking what you want will work (eventually), even in these days of international law.

Very sad for Ukraine. Putin will then move on to Georgia or another country he considers part of the USSR and Trump will let him.

[evilfacelessturtle]

Trump Selects Fracking Executive to Lead Energy Department

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-energy-pick-a-fracking-executive-could-stymie-renewable-development/

 

Swampy enough for you, yet?

[-W.A.R-]

Here is a great piece on Trump's picks:

Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here

 

[Dazey]

1 hour ago, evilfacelessturtle said:

Trump Selects Fracking Executive to Lead Energy Department

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-energy-pick-a-fracking-executive-could-stymie-renewable-development/

 

Swampy enough for you, yet?

Do we even care anymore? 

[SoulMonster]

7 hours ago, Dazey said:

Do we even care anymore? 

With Ukraine slowly losing the war, I care even more about who becomes part of the new administration.

[Dazey]

14 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

With Ukraine slowly losing the war, I care even more about who becomes part of the new administration.

Apologies if I sounded flippant. My point was that it's basically a lost cause at this point. Trump is going to do what he's going to do irrespective of what's right and decent. The only difference between this term and the last is that all the decent Republicans who at least tried to keep him in check are long gone. I'm not saying that I don't care (though those were my exact words  ) I'm just saying that I can't get wound up about it this time around as it's completely beyond our control at this point.

[evilfacelessturtle]

43 minutes ago, Dazey said:

Apologies if I sounded flippant. My point was that it's basically a lost cause at this point. Trump is going to do what he's going to do irrespective of what's right and decent. The only difference between this term and the last is that all the decent Republicans who at least tried to keep him in check are long gone. I'm not saying that I don't care (though those were my exact words  ) I'm just saying that I can't get wound up about it this time around as it's completely beyond our control at this point.

That's why it matters more now than ever. Does the GOP ever stop pushing their narratives and talking points? Do they ever stop fighting to make the world a more unequal place? The midterms are only 2 years away and the next presidential election, 4. We cannot only fight in the lead up to elections and expect to beat a 24/7 propaganda machine that has been building itself for over 30 years.

Andrew Breitbart was right about one thing: politics are downstream from culture. Nobody ever changed their vote because of someone showing up at their door two weeks before the election. That's why the key to the right's disproportionate power is its control of the political discourse through partisan media talking points. Those spread out to their followers to be deployed in regular conversations in their personal lives. Politically disinterested people hear those talking points and don't even know that they are partisan. And you'd be shocked how much of people's opinions are just things that they have heard other people say. 

This is something I try to focus on; distilling left wing arguments down to short, quippy phrases that can be easily remembered and repeated. If, say, the left were to organize (imagine that) around a talking point like "Swampy enough for you yet?" every time Trump appoints another corporate executive, and it became a viral meme, or trended on Twitter, that could make an impact on his fake image of populism. Turn his own damn slogan against him. He did it with "fake news". Pounding talking points and narratives into the public's head is how a partisan talking point like "guns don't kill people" expands beyond politics and becomes something that you hear people who aren't even political repeating.

It also forces the right to either confront the fact that Trump is a corporate shill, or run away from it like a coward. Either way, anyone on the fence who is watching will see that. Remember, you're never arguing to convince a partisan hack that they're a partisan hack, you're arguing for the audience.

 

Edited December 10, 2024 by evilfacelessturtle

[evilfacelessturtle]

Trump's Pick for Corporate Regulator Says "Corporate Mergers Are Good!"

https://www.inc.com/chris-morris/5-things-to-expect-from-new-ftc-chair-andrew-ferguson/91064205

He will be replacing Lina Khan, who banned "non-compete" clauses that prevent workers from moving to another job in the same industry, returned hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from workers and blocked the merger of Kroger and Albertsons (which would have created the largest grocery chain in the country).

Swampy enough for you, yet?

[evilfacelessturtle]

No evidence Abundant Life Christian School shooter was transgender | Fact check

https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-evidence-abundant-life-christian-001535874.html

Is this the new tactic of the right? Just lie about every mass shooter being trans? This is far from the first time they've done this.

But yeah, they totally aren't using trans people as a scapegoat villain...

[Subtle Signs]

21 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

If it were up to me we'd be wrapping up the 8th year of President Bernie Sanders and heading into presidencies of RFK Jr and Tulsi Gabbard.

A few positive things Trump can do is fix the border situation, stop the wars and have RFK Jr overhaul food quality which would probably only benefit the rest of the West too. We shall see.

The same Trump that killed a bipartisan border bill because it would make Biden look good?

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-tries-pretend-didnt-kill-bipartisan-border-bill-rcna176908

[evilfacelessturtle]

On 12/20/2024 at 2:32 AM, Oldest Goat said:

A few positive things Trump can do is fix the border situation, stop the wars and have RFK Jr overhaul food quality which would probably only benefit the rest of the West too. We shall see.

Stop what wars? Biden ended our last war in Iraq. Do you mean Israel and Ukraine? Trump massively increased drone strikes and increased tensions in the middle east, so IDK why anyone would think he's anti-war.

12 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

Wasn't most of the funds in that border bill actually destined for Ukraine and Israel?

You can't just look at the spending. Policy changes don't necessarily cost money. Giving the president the power to shut down the border if there are more than 5,000 crossings in a day is not something that costs money, it's just a policy change.

Are you against supporting Ukraine?

Quote

And didn't it have an allowance of still letting in thousands of illegals per day or something?

No, it gave the president the power to shut down the border if there are more than 5,000 crossings in a day. That's not a power the president had at all prior to this, regardless of how many crossings happened in a day. Right wing media tried to twist that into "they are guaranteeing a minimum of 5,000 are allowed per day!" and a lot of people fell for it. Which is retarded on its face because how do you guarantee a minimum of crossings? "We're short of our goal, boys, let's go grab some random dude from Mexico and forcibly bring him in!"

They literally took a measure that increased presidential power to crack down on the border and convinced people it was the complete opposite. This proves just how much of a grip right wing media have on the discourse and how shamelessly they will gaslight and lie to you.

Edited December 21, 2024 by evilfacelessturtle

[evilfacelessturtle]

22 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

Copout. Not only did the Biden administration not lift a finger to address the border situation for a long time, they drastically exacerbated it - to a point of chaos

Complete bullshit. Which is why you just say so and offer zero proof.

• On DAY ONE, Biden enacted the “Remain in Mexico” policy, that required asylum-seekers at the U.S.’s southern border to remain in Mexico while they waited for their hearings before a U.S. immigration judge.

 

• On DAY ONE, Biden sent a bill to congress that would reduce the immigration court backlog by improving technology and expanding training for immigration judges, increase funding to reduce asylum application backlogs, and create a four-year interagency plan that would provide assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to address the underlying causes of migration.

 

• Biden extended Trump's Title 42 Covid restrictions on immigration.

 

In the year after Title 42 ended, the Biden administration deported more people than in any year since 2010.

 

• Biden restarted the use of "expedited removal" of Central American families.

 

• Biden created a parle program that would crack down on those who fail to use the plan's legal pathway and strengthen border security.

 

• Biden approved sending 1,500 more troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2023.

 

• In January 2022 the Biden administration deported Venezuelan migrants to Colombia without a chance to seek asylum after entering the United States from Mexico.

 

• Biden passed an executive order to shut down the border if illegal crossings reached an average of 2,500 migrants a day in a given week. Migrant encounters subsequently dropped down to 2020 levels. Where is the right wing media to give him credit for that? Or any of the supposed "impartial centrists"?

I'm barely even scraping the surface here.

Saying Biden "did not lift a finger" is complete horseshit. You've completely fallen for the right wing media's firehose of lies over the past 4 years on immigration.

Hey, whatever happened to that "migrant caravan"? Disappeared after the election. Funny how that works.

Edited December 24, 2024 by evilfacelessturtle

[evilfacelessturtle]

22 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

Trump and many Americans, quite fairly imo - certainly unsurprisingly - think 5,000 illegals per day is still too many.

Apparently you didn't read the words around it and just saw the number. It does not ALLOW 5,000 crossings, that is the point where the president can literally shut the entire border down.

There were an average of 5,000 crossings per day in the year 2000 under Bush and in the year 1986 under Reagan.

Where was this hysteria back then?

You didn't even know about it because it wasn't being weaponized as a political attack angle and manufactured into a "border crisis".

You didn't even know about it because it literally doesn't affect your life at all.

This is the problem, you're living in fantasyland where a country of 320 MILLION people will have hardly any illegal crossings.

You see that big dip after 2008?

Thanks Obama.

22 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

Rule of law, reducing security risks, not overwhelming infrastructure and not providing a gold rush for cartel trafficking is very reasonable and good.

Please do explain which laws Biden is not enforcing. I'll wait...

"Gold rush for cartel trafficking"? WTF are you talking about?

22 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

They aren't simply all bigoted deplorables as the Biden administration and others have tried to paint them.

Clinton said that, not Biden, and she specifically said "some of Trump's supporters". Why are you lying?

 

Edited December 24, 2024 by evilfacelessturtle