US Politics: Weimar, Washington, Whining, Bush II

[Fury Resurrected]

3 hours ago, karaddin said:

 I hadn't seen that kind of sentiment expressed before and this made me feel like there was a whole bunch of people who are basically orgasmic for Biden and it really confused me.

 

 

Fury Sr. is one of those people for whom Biden is (and always has been) THE guy. While my mom is inner city and indigenous, Fury Sr is a rural raised white dude in his early 60s. He has spent over 40 years in a labor union. For guys like him, Biden is their dream dude. He’s a good supporter of organized labor and talks about his dad being a union steelworker, he’s folksy, they think of him like a democrat version of John McCain with all that Maverick bullshit- and he’s got a muscle car. Joe Biden is the king of boomer dad democrats.

[tzanth]

1 hour ago, Triskele said:

Umair says you should be worried:

 

Re: Democracy dying

For those of you who live in the US, what would have to happen in the coming months for you accept that the extreme scenario Triskele posted above was actually happening? At what point do things become so bad that you pack your car and attempt to flee to Canada or Mexico while you still can? Would it take Trump stealing the election with the help of a conservative SC? Trump arresting Biden after declaring himself the winner of the election? Armed checkpoints in your community? Something else? 

 

[DMC]

41 minutes ago, tzanth said:

what would have to happen in the coming months for you accept that the extreme scenario Triskele posted above was actually happening? At what point do things become so bad that you pack your car and attempt to flee to Canada or Mexico while you still can?

I'm not leaving until the brownshirts come for me.

[Fragile Bird]

44 minutes ago, tzanth said:

Re: Democracy dying

For those of you who live in the US, what would have to happen in the coming months for you accept that the extreme scenario Triskele posted above was actually happening? At what point do things become so bad that you pack your car and attempt to flee to Canada or Mexico while you still can? Would it take Trump stealing the election with the help of a conservative SC? Trump arresting Biden after declaring himself the winner of the election? Armed checkpoints in your community? Something else? 

 

Americans have said many times that they are leaving and heading for Canada. They rarely do. However, when their lives are at risk they have done it, notably during the Vietnam Nam war draft. However, once amnesty was passed most left and went home.

[Fez]

1 hour ago, tzanth said:

Re: Democracy dying

For those of you who live in the US, what would have to happen in the coming months for you accept that the extreme scenario Triskele posted above was actually happening? At what point do things become so bad that you pack your car and attempt to flee to Canada or Mexico while you still can? Would it take Trump stealing the election with the help of a conservative SC? Trump arresting Biden after declaring himself the winner of the election? Armed checkpoints in your community? Something else? 

 

The more relevant question would be what would have to happen for people to take to the streets? And not for a one-off march; but rather long-term, general strike type protests that could lead to any number of different outcomes?

For me, it's anything extra-legal (or a court decision without any legal basis) that throws the election to Trump. Trump winning legitimately would suck beyond measure, but fine, it's what happened. And that includes him winning because of the standard Republican playbook of voter suppression; that's unfortunately an accepted part of the system we have. But if ballots are being seized, or destroyed, or not counted for any reason, or if Trump doesn't concede (and appears to be attempting to stay in power; rather than just throwing a tantrum and then disappearing Jan 20), I'll be out there. And I don't know what comes after that.

[tzanth]

1 hour ago, DMC said:

I'm not leaving until the brownshirts come for me.

Usually at that point its a little too late, no? 

[DMC]

1 minute ago, tzanth said:

Usually at that point its a little too late, no? 

Most likely, yeah. 

[Centrist Simon Steele]

14 hours ago, larrytheimp said:

 

 

I shared these earlier and then deleted because I thought it must be a parody account.  But nope!  It's legit!  It's real!  Iowans having a hell of Saturday on Twitter.

I feel like this is a code telling their armed followers to do...something.

You know, like how those bad guys in Hearts of Atlantis (Stephen King) tracked the old guy.

[Zorral]

5 hours ago, DMC said:

Indeed.  And yeah this seems like a firm statement - significantly more firm than Collins' - so I guess that's something.  If she's position-taking like this, it's more than fair to assume she'll remain the same if the vote is taken up during the lameduck session.

I agree the Brooks Brothers riot is an important and calamitous event to recall, especially now, and more importantly just generally - I include it in my lectures - but it's simply wrong to assert the police "did nothing:"

 

If the cops were so effective, why was the recount not resumed?

The very idea if it 'gets that bad' you can drive to Canada or Mexico, or fly to some other country -- well, no you can't.  What the hell do you think the 'border walls' are all about anyway?  Why would Mexico or Canada allow in all of us carrying covid-19?  Our passports are worthless.  I guess, of course, we could from the frying pan to another frying pan, like Brasil, maybe? Do you have any idea how many countries won't let in people from the US?  It's not that easy to find out, either from our own gummit sites or anyone else's.  

 

[DMC]

Just now, Zorral said:

If the cops were so effective, why was the recount not resumed?

It was a unanimous decision not to resume the recount made not by the police.  I totally agree with you in the respect that that "protest" was a pivot on the Florida recount.  And it absolutely should be emphasized and used as a warning for what's to come in the next six weeks.  But those fratboy GOP fuckfaces did not seize nor destroy any ballots, and the police did remove them from the premises.  Which contradicts your argument.

[HoodedCrow]

Canada, the EU, The U.K. Australia and more are hard to immigrate to unless the stars align. If you have a lot of money,  you can do a start up that employs a couple of people.

[Martell Spy]

1 hour ago, Chataya de Fleury said:

Not only that, it is DAMN HARD to immigrate into Canada. If you have the slightest misdemeanor conviction, it is extraordinarily difficult. I have a reckless driving from 2014.

My previous company paid at least $10k to various immigration lawyers on my behalf; trust me. And that was just for a temporary residence permit and work permit. (Though I think I’ve had 3 temporary residence permits, maybe 4, and two work permits.)

I can apply on January 24, 2023 (I’d have to double check, it might be 2024) to get my record wiped clean via “criminal rehabilitation”. And that will take a year. Only then (if I convince the authorities that I am “rehabilitated” - and trust me, I’m very active in volunteer work for precisely this reason - might they grant the request. That’s easily going to be $5k to the immigration lawyer, and that is a personal expense, since it’s not related to any work I am doing now or for a business purpose.

Generally, you also have to have a job or means of support. Right now, I’m eligible for a work permit easily under NAFTA. And if I got the rehabilitation status, I miiiiiiight be able to find a job; problem being I make a good amount of money in USD and I’m only really valuable at the executive level to a Canadian company who is publicly traded in the US as a US domestic registrant (this does happen - before it went bankrupt, Cirque wanted to be in this position, as it was owned by US private equity). 

if I wanted to emigrate to the EU, I might find similar obstacles. I looked at a job in Luxembourg, once, for a US company, and again.....lots of procedures.

I can’t think of what I’d be doing in Mexico other than being at risk of being kidnapped, so that’s likely off the table. I’d thought about Barbados or Bahamas, but I’m a city girl. I’d die if I were just trapped on an island paradise.

Looks like I’m stuck here. Might as well make the best of it but also try and keep my Canada options open a few years down the line, even if just so I can visit if I want to. 

You can't have a disease of any sort as well, not and become a full citizen anyway. All developed nations are like that. So, I'm stuck here. I am a white guy though. Maybe I can fool them by getting a Ronald Reagan haircut and a pick-up truck with an American flag in the back.

[The Anti-Targ]

4 hours ago, Triskele said:

Umair says you should be worried:

(Medium, limited clicks):

 

 

 

 

Seems a bit like the Left's version of Dinesh D'souza's apocalyptic Obama's America or Hillary's America films. I mean I haven't seen either film, or ready any detailed description of it, but I just assumed it would be full of predictions of the worst of Soviet Era Russia consequences for America.

[Kalbear]

3 hours ago, tzanth said:

Re: Democracy dying

For those of you who live in the US, what would have to happen in the coming months for you accept that the extreme scenario Triskele posted above was actually happening? At what point do things become so bad that you pack your car and attempt to flee to Canada or Mexico while you still can? Would it take Trump stealing the election with the help of a conservative SC? Trump arresting Biden after declaring himself the winner of the election? Armed checkpoints in your community? Something else? 

 

We are already looking into what we need to do and where we can go. Right now we literally cannot go anywhere. But we are hoping the vaccine helps that some. 

[The Anti-Targ]

30 minutes ago, Martell Spy said:

You can't have a disease of any sort as well, not and become a full citizen anyway. All developed nations are like that. So, I'm stuck here. I am a white guy though. Maybe I can fool them by getting a Ronald Reagan haircut and a pick-up truck with an American flag in the back.

Ha! you think that will be enough? If it's not a Confederate flag then you are not a real American.

I just watched 'Crown Heights' last night. It showed a clip of Pres Clinton speaking to, I assume, a joint session of Congress announcing such much desired progressive justice reforms as, longer prison sentences, 3-strikes, expanding capital punishment crimes, 100,000 more police. Jeeeeeeez! "First black president" indeed. Nice one slick Willy.

[Zorral]

This is from a friend in a MD town where we lived for a while during a fellowship.  This is what the Dems did yesterday. It was all about RBG yesterday, that's for sure.

Quote

 

Just letting you know what Ctown Dems are up to!  (Two weeks ago we got $864 in donations!) 

This had to be the busiest day of our lives.

J-- B-- made the most beautiful poster of a portrait of Ruth and just as we positioned it, C yelled Look an eagle.  Soaring high above us in the blue sky was this beautiful bald eagle, tipped his wings and flew off.  I said there goes Ruth - now we need to go to work.  and that we did!!!   Every volunteer was working - meeting and greeting, honoring RBG, giving out signs, collecting money, helping people pick the right buttons, bumper stickers and masks.  We had people signing up to volunteer, get the newsletter and want to just do something - it was crazy.

M-- B-- worked her whole shift putting both the new Biden Harris and Eastern Shore signs together.  As fast as she made them we were giving them out.   One woman took 10 to give out at her church in this morning. M-- M-- stopped by and was in his glory - what a help he was!  If we had the election today in Ctown Biden would have won by a landslide!

Also M-- C-- donated a beautiful 3' x 5' Biden Flag for us to fly at the office  S-- R-- got the flag attached to a flag pole and we proudly flew the Biden flag.  People loved it!  Many thanks to M--.

B-- E-- and I did the office open hours until 2 and it wasn't until 1:45 that things quieted down.  We were able to go thru the buttons and organize the front office for open hours.  I think you will like the few little changes we made.  We put the RBG portrait in the window beside Eleanor our donkey.  Stop by this week and see it.

So what you have been waiting to hear the total today at the booth was (drum roll please). $863!!!  Then from 12:30 to 2 we took in $87.   During about 15 minutes at one point in the morning we took in $100 donations from two people and $80 from another person.

Our biggest requests were anything Ruth Bader Ginsberg (J-- B-- is working on that as we speak) and Biden Harris flags.  I ordered 12 flags that should be here by Friday. 

I am looking for help to work the open hours from now to the election.  Please let me know if you would like to work a 2 hour shift.  We currently are open Thursday and Friday from 2-4, 4-5 pm.  We are extending the booth hours from noon to 2 pm but the last shift will be in the office.

We would love to extend the hours to earlier of Thursday and Friday starting at noon- 2, the 2-4 and 4-5.  I would love to have two people at all times in the office for each shift.  Let me know if you can help some time.

Thanks ever so much -- B-- B--

 

 

[Fragile Bird]

Back in the era of the Vietnam war our borders were almost non-existent. People moved back and forth all the time. That’s how we ended up with so many draft dodgers, anywhere from 20 to 30 thousand. I’m not sure when borders starting closing down. They were pretty tight by the 1990s. The most basic reason was the displacement of people after the end of the Vietnam war. We took in more than a 100,000 from Vietnam, almost as many as the US did proportionately. But after that there were so many people who crammed themselves into ships and then either just beached the boats on the coast or got dumped onto shore by the pirates they hired that the Canadian public got fed up. The mother of a friend’s wife got dropped off the coast of Nova Scotia as an eight year old - her brother swam to shore with her on his back. True story. So laws got tightened in the 80s because if that.

The second reason the borders tightened was the improvement in computers. Canada and the US did a data dump, exchanging records on criminals. I looked after immigration matters at one of my corporate jobs and contacting a lawyer who was Minister of Immigration in the previous administration was a regular event. He had enough contacts to get special “Ministry permits” to get in folks with criminal records. One guy got into a bar fight when he was 21 and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor instead of hiring a lawyer to fight it. Not exactly a murderer. But a Canadian going south needed help because he stole a park bench with friends when they were university students. Not exactly murderers either.