u.s. politics: sundowning on the american empire

[Gaston de Foix]

39 minutes ago, Martell Spy said:

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- As the Democratic Party debates what to prioritize should it take power following the 2020 elections, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) offered his fellow members a stern directive and an ambitious proposal.

Tackle climate change legislation first, Reid said. And if it requires eliminating the filibuster to do it... well, so be it. 

 

Reid is assuming the Democrats will retake control of the Senate. That would be a lot easier if Beto, Hickenlooper, Bullock et al. actually ran for the Senate in their home states. 

He is absolutely right that the Democrats have to abolish the filibuster in order to get anything (political reform, climate change, guns, immigration, taxes) done. The problem is that a number of prominent Democratic senators oppose filibuster abolition. 

Will Roger's line " I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat" has never been more true. 

[Varysblackfyre321]

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

It was, actually. Trump didn't get more support than Romney or McCain did. The problem was that the negative ads towards Clinton were even more effective.

 And perhaps a litany of other things-including she was a flawed candidate who had a weak strategy at winning. 

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

And I posit that with 4 years of actual data on his governing instead of a 'well, he won't be THAT bad' counterpoints, it'll hit harder. 

And the data they’ll most look at will be how his administration them specifically, as of now. Racism, abuse of undocumented immigrants, these things will no more be seen as effective against those who made/bought those counterpoints. 

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

It went back down again. 

Yeah, to what it was prior to his racist outburst.  Point being bringing up Trump’s racism constantly could not reasonably be expected to do that much damage to his support if any at this point. Given his recent constantly covered racist controversies not actually doing anything to negatively effect his support I do not see why candidates running attack ads on it would chip at his support. 

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

10,000 votes. It doesn't need to be much. 

Sure, and I think it’d be easier to get over 10,000 votes needed if the issues Trump is being attacked on would be readily seen as effecting the people you’re trying to convince. 

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

Obviously. At the same time some of these people in theory have actual souls. 

You are counting on guilt and quite frankly fanciful thoughts of legacy to turn people over. I think that’s a mistake.Trump locking illegal immigrants in cages-will not be seen as effecting that many voters. Healthcare, the economy, these are issues that Trump should be attacked on the majority of time if you’re going to go negative. I contend it’s best appeal to people’s naturally selfish nature rather than depend upon their sense overall righteousness to win their vote.

1 hour ago, Kalbear said:

Different targets. Of course you also put out ads showing how great your candidate is and you get turnout as much as you can.

My point was proving you are good is far more important than proving your opponent is bad and should take priority. Trump did perform in terms of actual votes worse than Romney.

1 hour ago, a good and nice guy said:

i assume they are talking of greenwald going to carlson’s show?

No. I was more talking about some liberals I’ve seen praise Carlson for his more “anti-capitalistic” rhetoric without addressing  the obvious racist motivations behind his criticisms. 

[Maithanet]

48 minutes ago, larrytheimp said:

Biden saying he's going to get the assault weapons ban back.  This ought to play well with those working class white votes in MI, PA, and WI you guys are so convinced are the golden road to beating Trump.

Bans on assault weapons play very well in the suburbs nationally, and all three of those states have some big ones that moved towards Democrats in 2018, like Montgomery County (outside Philadelphia) and Waukesha County (outside Milwaukee).  Catering specifically to suburban voters isn't the same as catering to white working class voters, since suburban voters are generally more educated than the national average, and suburban counties are sometimes (but not always) pretty diverse. 

[sologdin]

some liberals I’ve seen praise Carlson for his more “anti-capitalistic” rhetoric

this describes the rhetoric at issue?

[Larry of the Lawn]

Yeah watch that video where Carlson interviews the dude that said to tax the billionaires at the Davos conference.  It's hilarious when Tucker starts losing his shit when the guy tells him that Tucker is a "millionaire owned by billionaires"

[Martell Spy]

So, help increase gun violence and cause mass shootings. Wait for a large mass shooting event, and then claim you need a luxury mansion near a country club to be secure from gun violence.

Quote

 

The head of the National Rifle Association attempted to have the group purchase him a $6 million French chateau-style mansion in Texas, justifying it as a security measure after the Parkland shooting, according to the Washington Post.

According to the Post, Wayne LaPierre, the head of the nonprofit, indicated in emails with an ad agency that he was involved in the real estate search and that he rejected a Dallas high-rise with security measures in favor of the mansion, which was in a gated community and would give him access to a country club.

The NRA did not follow through with the plan, but the organization did write a $70,000 check to a corporate entity created for the purchase, the Post reported. The money was later returned, but the New York attorney general’s office obtained some of the NRA’s financial records, including those dealing with the check, as part of its investigation into the organization’s nonprofit status, which could be imperiled by improper expenditures meant to benefit its leadership rather than advance its mission.

According to the Post, which also talked to people with knowledge of the discussions between the NRA and its former ad agency, Ackerman McQueen, LaPierre told the NRA that he needed to live in a more secure place after the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead. The house they landed on was a 10,000-square-foot estate with its own courtyard and a marble fireplace. LaPierre and his wife toured the property, and they later negotiated furnishings, asked to keep the previous owner’s golf cart, and even complained in an email about the size of one of the closets. LaPierre also tried to get the NRA to purchase two cars for him, according to the Post.

 

Report: NRA Chief Wayne LaPierre Tried to Have the Nonprofit Buy Him a $6 Million Mansion After Parkland Shooting

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/08/nra-chief-wayne-lapierre-mansion-deal.html

[Bonnot OG]

Remember those anti racism means anti white posts that popped up all over the place on YouTube? Even videos that had nothing to do with politics? This is the chud that agreed with the em.

[DMC]

2 minutes ago, Bonnot OG said:

Remember those anti racism means anti white posts that popped up all over the place on YouTube? Even videos that had nothing to do with politics? This is the chud that agreed with the em.

Who the hell is Jaden McNeil and why the hell should I give a shit what classes he takes?  Sounds like if anything the only attention that tweet deserves is to encourage him to drop out.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

I've been wondering for a while now if corporate sensitivity training is also playing into those kinds of attitudes. The last one I took could basically have been reduced to "Hey, conservative white guys, this is how you become a liberal." It was pretty heavy handed.  

[Kalbear]

@Varysblackfyre321, quickly - my goal is explicitly NOT to turn over Trump voters. I largely believe this to be a lost cause. My goal is to suppress the Trump vote. I do not expect white male conservatives to vote for a Democrat under any circumstances. I do, however, think that a few can be disgusted enough by Trump to not want to be associated with voting for him. 

You're right that its very important to win voters to your cause. To get people excited. But it is also important to continue to keep Trumps voting bloc low. 

Another thing I'd do is encourage another third party bid, particularly one that is fairly unappealing to liberals in any way. 

[Darth Richard II]

Who the fuck is Jaden McNeil?

[Mudguard]

22 hours ago, Zorral said:

However, the vast numbers enrolled in STEM and medical sciences are -- overwhelmingly Asian.  Many of them from China, India, Korean nd other Asian nations, who are paying full ride (rich parents), so of course the university adores them.  And THEY ARE TERRIFIED OF FAILING.  Like all college students these days, whose stress levels are off the hook.  Not that somebody who isn't working in these institutions would know anything about it.

So you are doubling down on your racist views on Asians?  The idea that many Asians at university have rich parents and are somehow adored by the university is based on what data?  Just your anecdotal experience and assumptions?  What percentage of Asians have rich parents and are paying full fare as you claim?  Please cite some data, otherwise this is just more racism.  You are implying that these rich Asian students are getting in not on merit, but because they are rich.  Otherwise, what point are you trying to make?

As for failing, it's simple to avoid failing at university.  Go to class and do the reading and homework.  At any decent university, the vast majority of students do this more or less and will graduate.  There's no reason to be terrified of failing.  This was not my experience at all at university, nor any of my brothers.  Your views on university and Asians, particularly in the science and engineering fields, is idiotic and racist.

[Darth Richard II]

Uh oh, is Zorral no longer the most woke?

[Centrist Simon Steele]

4 hours ago, larrytheimp said:

Biden saying he's going to get the assault weapons ban back.  This ought to play well with those working class white votes in MI, PA, and WI you guys are so convinced are the golden road to beating Trump.

While Bernie goes on the Joe Rogan podcast, and the followers were like, "Hm, he's making a lot of good points." I mean, I'm not a hundred percent certain of Rogan's demographics, but I'm 99 percent certain that working class white men fits.

[Jace, Extat]

1 minute ago, Darth Richard II said:

Uh oh, is Zorral no longer the most woke?

The Woke Side is the pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural...

 

[Jace, Extat]

Just now, Simon Steele said:

While Bernie goes on the Joe Rogan podcast, and the followers were like, "Hm, he's making a lot of good points." I mean, I'm not a hundred percent certain of Rogan's demographics, but I'm 99 percent certain that working class white men fits.

Millennial white men specifically.

[Centrist Simon Steele]

1 hour ago, Bonnot OG said:

Remember those anti racism means anti white posts that popped up all over the place on YouTube? Even videos that had nothing to do with politics? This is the chud that agreed with the em.

I mean...fuck, making people take classes about things different from themselves while at college.

[DMC]

15 minutes ago, Mudguard said:

The idea that many Asians at university have rich parents and are somehow adored by the university is based on what data?

Yeah I've known probably around a dozen Asian cohorts as I've gone through my current program and they are definitely collectively not any more wealthy than the rest of us.  Most come from middle class families like the rest of us - I don't know any that are particularly rich - and a few had to work much much harder than most of us to get here (and in the case of one of my closest friends she was born in China and literally abandoned by her birth parents).  So, I have basically the opposite anecdotal experience and similarly have never seen any actual data on this.  And as for undergrads I've taught I have no idea - not like I ask parent's income on their midterms.

[Zorral]

Asian students who are not Asian American, which is what I am talking about here -- let me break it down.

Average tuition for undergrad at our school is over $51,000 a year, and that's just the basic cost. That isn't covering food, books, generally even housing, or much of anything else.  Cost of living can easily come to over $70,000 per academic year. It costs even more for the science and tech and medical programs.  (Our Law School is a separate thing all together -- as is its library.)

Every school keeps records of their enrollment, and break it down as to who is enrolled, from where, and how that student is paid for (just as the library keeps track of its users). This is equally true for the smallest community public college too -- but those schools won't be hosting, by and large, kids from wealthy families from other countries.

The average Asian student from outside the USA -- of which we have a very high number in our enrollment (as well as from Africa, South America and also the middle east, such as Saudi Arabia), are majority enrolled in STEM programs. 

Back in the 90's the South Koreans and the Chinese were very much the largest part of the nuclear engineering program -- and those did have state  support, particularly if they could graduate into the graduate programs. Not so much in the aughts, but the last two years, with tvillain's ridiculous flirtation with North Korea and the expansion again of its nuclear military program, we saw enrollment from Korean spike again.

Another change, btw, in the 80's and 90's Turkey did a full state support of students who passed all their tests and qualifications  to come to our school and study (interestingly, they enrolled mostly in journalism and creative writing programs -- as did the female students from India). That stopped with the new regime in which Turkey's been going after intellectuals, academics and the press, as it moved out of the secular reforms.

Also, our university has campuses and programs all over the world, including in all the oil rich Middle Eastern countries, all through Asia, from India to Mongolia.  But it pulled out of Indonesia after the pograms there against Muslims in 2017, as it had to do in Syria and some other of these nations.

In the meantime I'm readu for the Mongols to rise again.

 

[Raja]

I know you 'broke it down', but what is the point you're trying to make with the above post?