Jump to content

U.S. Politics 2017: He's Good Enough, He's Smart Enough, and GODDAMMIT AL, WTF WERE YOU THINKING?


Manhole Eunuchsbane

Recommended Posts

Sounds like an interesting reality. Where I live it is an endless hellscape where stupidity and ignorance are rewarded, the government is more overtly than ever an organized criminal organization, the markets are gambling on a tax break for the rich, and the US is a laughing stock all the world over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, zelticgar said:

Reflecting on Thanksgiving. It has actually been a pretty good year here in the US - stock market is up, consumer confidence is up, most of the people I know seem to feel like we are on the right track. The rest of the world is realizing they can't walk all over the US anymore. Even the political elites in Washington, Hollywood and NYC are feeling the pressure. 

I always thought the Trump presidency would be a chaotic event that could either go terribly wrong or could result in positive chaotic changes. Jury is still out but I'm personally loving the chaos and uncertainty it is creating. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I'll be enjoying the day. 

I am actually quite surprised by the lack of actual world changing events since his election, apart from saying a new stupid thing every day and cancelling a few treaties (which had debatable value anyway) it hasn't been the total cluster f**k i was anticipating. I guess thats the power of American Democracy for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Morpheus said:

Sounds like an interesting reality. Where I live it is an endless hellscape where stupidity and ignorance are rewarded, the government is more overtly than ever an organized criminal organization, the markets are gambling on a tax break for the rich, and the US is a laughing stock all the world over.

How exactly is the US a laughing stock? Do you think the rest of the world has some kind of moral superiority over the US? For all our faults we are head and shoulders over most of the world when it comes to quality of live, education and standard of living. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Eggegg said:

I am actually quite surprised by the lack of actual world changing events since his election, apart from saying a new stupid thing every day and cancelling a few treaties (which had debatable value anyway) it hasn't been the total cluster f**k i was anticipating. I guess thats the power of American Democracy for you.

Yeah, this is a really narrow view. See my post on the previous page re: how Republicans are about to lock down the judiciary for decades to come. The clusterfucks and the breakdown of democracy has likely already happened, it's just that the end results won't be on full display for another couple years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, zelticgar said:

For all our faults we are head and shoulders over most of the world when it comes to quality of live, education and standard of living. 

So, if you place any value on these three parameters, you might want to consider how taking away healtcare from double digit millions, putting Betsy DeVos in charge of education, and straining the living standards for the poor in favor of rewarding the millionaires is going to change the US in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, zelticgar said:

How exactly is the US a laughing stock? Do you think the rest of the world has some kind of moral superiority over the US? For all our faults we are head and shoulders over most of the world when it comes to quality of live, education and standard of living. 

But you get that these things are objectively untrue, yes?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, denstorebog said:

So, if you place any value on these three parameters, you might want to consider how taking away healtcare from double digit millions, putting Betsy DeVos in charge of education, and straining the living standards for the poor in favor of rewarding the millionaires is going to change the US in the future.

 

Those are all your perceptions and fears, but there is no reality to it. There are no measurable data points you can come up with to show millions of people are losing healthcare. There are a few reports saying it could happen but nothing has actually happened or will happen. Betsy Devos is a tempest in a teapot, a boogie-woman cooked up to scare gullible people. State education leaders, state budgets and local superintendents have a much stronger influence over education than anything coming out of the DOE. 

The divide between rich and poor has been trending long before Trump was even an idea on the political landscape.  This is still a country where someone can work their way up with hard work and education. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, zelticgar said:

The divide between rich and poor has been trending long before Trump was even an idea on the political landscape.  This is still a country where someone can work their way up with hard work and education. 

..actually, if you want to work your way up, Europe gives you a better shot than the US does. People just don’t care that much here, because «the American dream» isn’t built into Europeans the same way it is for a lot of Americans. 

Nevertheless, you’re more likely to succeed in Europe. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Reny of Storms End said:

I assume in your mind the rest of the world only thought they could walk all over the US from 2009-2016 right?

more like post WW 2. 

 

4 minutes ago, Rorshach said:

..actually, if you want to work your way up, Europe gives you a better shot than the US does. People just don’t care that much here, because «the American dream» isn’t built into Europeans the same way it is for a lot of Americans. 

Nevertheless, you’re more likely to succeed in Europe. 

I'm sure you can succeed in either location.  Not sure I'm understanding your point? Are you saying that Europe beats the US at "being a place to succeed?" How exactly do you measure which is better? Seems like a weird sort of jingoistic interjection on behalf of Europe? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh great, a Trump supporter infesting this thread spewing apologist garbage for a racist, an overall bigot, a sexual predator, someone loved by the klan and nazis and other white supremacists, someone that is corrupt and greedy and a pedophile supporter. 

Oh, and the US is getting walked all over, by the person in the white house and his shit sycophants in congress and the senate. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ugh.  I agreed this year to spend this day with people who seem so kind and polite until they open their mouths and say shit like the n word or repeat dumb, factually untrue things like "America is the best at x, y, and z" or that sandy hook was a conspiracy, or that BLM is a terrorist group and Trayvon deserved what he got.  

Keep in mind we're bringing black children to this thing.  These children call these people grandma, grandpa, uncles and aunts.  It's so fucking sad and devasating.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, zelticgar said:

 

Those are all your perceptions and fears, but there is no reality to it. There are no measurable data points you can come up with to show millions of people are losing healthcare. There are a few reports saying it could happen but nothing has actually happened or will happen. Betsy Devos is a tempest in a teapot, a boogie-woman cooked up to scare gullible people. State education leaders, state budgets and local superintendents have a much stronger influence over education than anything coming out of the DOE. 

Now let me ask you a question. Are you one of these people that think that the logic behind adverse selection is nonsense? Like say conservative bullshit artist guy Avik Roy. Because right know, there is talk about pulling the individual mandate. And while nobody can can say with certainty what the numbers might be, we have pretty strong reasons to believe it will be a disaster. And then you have Trump trying to sabotage the ACA. So don't sit there act like there is no reason to worry.

Betsy Devos is just one example of the kind idiots Trump appoints. Trump is a moron. And he simply has no idea what he is doing. And the world knows he is an idiot. And the world is rather amazed we elected such an idiot.

23 hours ago, zelticgar said:

The divide between rich and poor has been trending long before Trump was even an idea on the political landscape.  This is still a country where someone can work their way up with hard work and education. 

And Trumps policies will do what to address it? More supply side nonsense? Is this just a  case of elect the "Party Of Business!!!" and watch all that awesome supply side growth?

And the fact of the matter most people are likely to stay in the social class they were born into. Social mobility isn't as great as  most Americans think. And the fact the matter is many people will never recover from the effing bleating nonsense the Republican Party imposed on this country for ten years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, zelticgar said:

more like post WW 2. 

Seriously, you think Trump has brought respect to the US?

You just because some guy walks around with a bunch of bluster doesn't mean that brings "respect". I thought we learned this lesson under Dubya.

This all sounds like a bunch of chickenhawkery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, zelticgar said:

I always thought the Trump presidency would be a chaotic event that could either go terribly wrong or could result in positive chaotic changes. Jury is still out but I'm personally loving the chaos and uncertainty it is creating. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I'll be enjoying the day. 

I'd guess that you have very few minority friends, family, and neighbors who. This is really a pretty awful sentiment -- but I'm sure you know that. 

Your foreign relations perspective is equally warped. The rest of the world has realized they cannot rely on the steadfastness of the US as an ally and partner. They've moved on and will leave us out -- Paris, TPP, etc. the rest of the world marches forward while "we" yell at black athletes and families for being ungrateful. What the fuck?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, zelticgar said:

Just a supporter of our great country! Thankful for all the blessings we have in the US. :D

 

If you love this country so much, then surely you realize we could be doing a hell of lot better, than what we are doing right now. To make this place a fairer and better country for everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, zelticgar said:

Not sure I'm understanding your point? Are you saying that Europe beats the US at "being a place to succeed?" How exactly do you measure which is better? 

You measure economic mobility, what else would you do? The US generally scores worse than most European countries.

ETA: I imagine it’s probably most EU countries rather than most European countries in fairness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, OldGimletEye said:

If you love this country so much, then surely you realize we could be doing a hell of lot better, than what we are doing right now. To make this place a fairer and better country for everyone.

I just don't see what has fundamentally changed in the last two years other than a single change in who has the title of President. Literally nothing else has changed. This idea that the world is suddenly doom and gloom because of who sits in the White House is a crock of bullshit. I see this movement around trying to frame whatever your political opponent believes in terms of eradicating them. I don't want to live in a world without liberals and conservatives living together. We need opposing views and ideas to thrive as a culture.  At some point we became focused on not just arguing opposing viewpoints but arguing that those viewpoints should not exist. The idea that a political idea is fundamentally invalid and should not exist is what is really fucked up about this country. I'm for everyone having their say and being open to others ideas to at least have a place in the discussion. Seems like most people around here only want to hear one view point and swarm together to eradicate anyone who even thinks a slightly different way. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...