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US Politics - And Now it Begins


Lollygag

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I did not know until looking it up just now that the word diaspora was specifically tied to Jewish displacement, rather than the Jews simply being an example of a diaspora. I have seen it used in other contexts (such as Irish) but never realized it is borrowed from a more specific circumstance when used outside of the Jewish context.

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1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

Irish diaspora? Can't say I've heard that one before. Isn't enough that you culturally appropriated "ghetto?"

Signed, an Irish Jew. 

I have certainly heard the phrase "Irish diaspora" many times before myself. The word "diaspora" does not exclusively refer to Jews and according to the Online Etymology Dictionary its first use in English, around 1825, referred to Moravian Protestants.

https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=diaspora

P.S. And it is now extremely common to refer to what happened because of African slavery as the "African diaspora". There are over 8 million hits for "African diaspora" on Google. 

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  From last thread:

21 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Tom Cotton and cunning don't belong in the same sentence.

Right now the issue is we don't know who is going to try and fill those shoes, but the devotion is there if one can do it well. And we can never forget that Trump is a moron. He's a D- student. Imagine what could happen if someone who was intelligent and charismatic came in to fill the void.

I see this mentioned -- I cannot think of a single example of an US-born intelligent, charismatic young republican or right-leaning figure.

Senate: Cotton, Rubio, Nunes, Cruz, Hawley, etc. all lack charisma, canny, or basic intelligence.

House: Too nutso without savvy -- Marjorie Qanon, Crenshaw, Gaetz, and a bunch of old fops.

Other political figures: Nikki Haley or Tulsi Gabbard -- both potentially could attract the Trump base. Haley moreso but I think that she would not govern in a fashy fashion. I don't think anyone from the Trump WH has a chance -- Miller, uh ... I don't know who else but they're all garbage.

Business: Elon Musk would be one I would worry over -- fortunately, he's not eligible. Same with Peter Thiel. Maybe Zuck?

The Trump kids are going to be tarred with criminal litigation (god willing). Ivanka is the strongest of them and, again perhaps my naivete, I would not expect her to install an administration with the penchant for cruelty and mendacity of her father. Dishonest for sure -- not gas-lighting (i.e. drain the swamp by installing lobbyist at every level) to the same degree.

To summarize -- Haley is the only politician that I think could take up that mantle and she would not be nearly as bad. Outside of politics, it would need to be a very wealthy business person -- similar to Trump (allegedly) -- and I don't see many US-born billionaires willing/able to make that leap.

Other thoughts of -- essentially -- unscrupulous, charismatic, fascist douchebags? Or am I think about this wrongly (other than my egregious bias).

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5 minutes ago, Week said:

  From last thread:

I see this mentioned -- I cannot think of a single example of an US-born intelligent, charismatic young republican or right-leaning figure.

Senate: Cotton, Rubio, Nunes, Cruz, Hawley, etc. all lack charisma, canny, or basic intelligence.

House: Too nutso without savvy -- Marjorie Qanon, Crenshaw, Gaetz, and a bunch of old fops.

Other political figures: Nikki Haley or Tulsi Gabbard

Characterizing Tulsi Gabbard as right-leaning is ludicrous. You can have your criticisms of her, and I do myself, but the fact is that most of her views are mainstream-to-leftish Democratic views. 

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6 minutes ago, Week said:

  From last thread:

I see this mentioned -- I cannot think of a single example of an US-born intelligent, charismatic young republican or right-leaning figure.

Senate: Cotton, Rubio, Nunes, Cruz, Hawley, etc. all lack charisma, canny, or basic intelligence.

House: Too nutso without savvy -- Marjorie Qanon, Crenshaw, Gaetz, and a bunch of old fops.

 

Other thoughts of -- essentially -- unscrupulous, charismatic, fascist douchebags? Or am I think about this wrongly (other than my egregious bias).

Nunes is in the House, not the Senate.

Kristi Noem has been mentioned as a possibility. There are also some Fox TV personalities like Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, though I have no idea if they would be at all interested in running for any political office. I do think this is unpredictable, though -- especially after Trump dies, there could be someone who has no fame at all now who comes out of the woodwork to take over his mantle. You never really know if someone has "charisma" or not until they get enough media attention to see how average people will react to them. 

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Ah, Ted Cruz, what could be said about him, that hasn't been said...

I'll give it a try.

Republican Corey Booker. On paper he looks great, ok, Booker, is also not bad looking in person. But what I mean is, it all feels fake. While some Democrats on this board, mentioned that, I guess that's what Republican feel about Ted Cruz, and he even has that face to go with it. So no, he definately couldn't lead them.

Graham? Not really charismatic either, but he tries hard. Of course, his sexual orientation might be a disadvantage for the die hard wing nuts on the right, which leaves them wondering, when Lindsay gets on stage on threatens to do the Charleston with Joe Biden (or any other Democrat) whether he means to get physical with him, or whether he means to get physical with him.

Cotton? Lacks basic intelligence.

Pence? Maybe, but nobody has bothered to tackle him as hard he deserved. But given the media's inability to basically fact check on his lies. He could. Personally I find his Jesus gig to be a political turn off, but I am not part of the Republican base.

Media personlities: Carlson comes to mind. But whether he actually want to stick his neck out instead of hackling from sidelines, that is open for discussion. Vince McMahon, maybe? Checks quite a few of the boxes that base seems to like.

I'd rather look at Governors. Maybe DeSantis?

As for the Trump brood. Isn't Ivanka facing legal problems in NY (what she calls harassment)?

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9 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

Graham? Not really charismatic either, but he tries hard. Of course, his sexual orientation might be a disadvantage for the die hard wing nuts on the right, which leaves them wondering

Never underestimate the right-wing capability of hypocrisy. Remember Trump is an adulterer (and most likely a rapist, but when has *that* ever been an issue with most of these people?).

As long as he didn't ever mention it or lobby for GLBT+ rights (and we know he won't), he'd be fine.

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31 minutes ago, OnionAhaiReborn said:

Characterizing Tulsi Gabbard as right-leaning is ludicrous. You can have your criticisms of her, and I do myself, but the fact is that most of her views are mainstream-to-leftish Democratic views. 

Right-leaning compared to most Democrats. Not to mention her previous history of Assad apologia and anti-LGBTQ views (that have evolved - though only recently). She's frequently cited as a bit of a darling to the Right.

@Ormond, correct, thankfully Nunes is not in the Senate. He's in the looney bin of folks that could not win a statewide race.

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4 minutes ago, Mindwalker said:

Never underestimate the right-wing capability of hypocrisy. Remember Trump is an adulterer (and most likely a rapist, but when has *that* ever been an issue with most of these people?).

As long as he doesn't ever mention it or lobby for GLBT+ rights (and we know he won't), he'd be fine.

Your point being? Remember this is about toxic masculinity, and alpha maleness.

So Trump banging a playboy model, and a porn star, while his trophy wife is pregnant is living the dream.

I don't think Graham banging rent boys (pardon my language here) has the same sway.

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My point is that they would willingly overlook it, as long as he gave them their trumpist politics. Nohing else. Just like many female right-wing nuts or evangelists overlooked TrumP's little issues. I don't think he was living *their* dream.

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8 minutes ago, Mindwalker said:

My point is that they would willingly overlook it, as long as he gave them their trumpist politics. Nohing else. Just like many female right-wing nuts or evangelists overlooked TrumP's little issues. I don't think he was living *their* dream.

Imperfect vessel and judicial appointments. He delivered the goods for them, and remember the walking ghost of pilgrim father, who suffocated on a turkey bone on the first thanksgiving, Mike Pence, is not just a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order. He basically, is a homophobe, and a mysoginist, who uses his bible to beat minorities with it. In that order. So he is one of those.

Anyway, they wanted those SCOTUS seats, and they got drunk frat boy, and Serena Joy.

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10 minutes ago, Mindwalker said:

My point is that they would willingly overlook it, as long as he gave them their trumpist politics. Nohing else. Just like many female right-wing nuts or evangelists overlooked TrumP's little issues. I don't think he was living *their* dream.

Wasn't that Jerry Falwell Jr.'s dream? 

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18 hours ago, FalagarV2 said:

Like any 18th century politician, Madison would presumably be comparing it to the Athenian example, by which standard almost no modern democracy is a democracy. Which is fair, but not in accordance with common usage

It's not "fair," it's factual.

Interestingly enough, originally democracy (rule of the people) was opposed to aristocracy (rule of an elite), though today we would no doubt talk of the oligarchy.

Do we live in democracies or oligarchies? Methinks that's not a very difficult question to answer.

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2 hours ago, OnionAhaiReborn said:

Characterizing Tulsi Gabbard as right-leaning is ludicrous. You can have your criticisms of her, and I do myself, but the fact is that most of her views are mainstream-to-leftish Democratic views. 

I strongly disagree. Tulsi is absolutely right leaning in some ways. She certainly has some ideas that are in line with the Democrats, and even the left wing, but ultimately she falls much more on the authoritarian side of things than most Democrats. Tulsi's defending of Assad and her connections with Hindu nationalists in India are both indications that she either has authoritarian leanings, or she does not see a problem with authoritarians in other countries.  Also, her main supporters tend to be Jimmy Dore/Dumb dumb left types

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3 minutes ago, GrimTuesday said:

I strongly disagree. Tulsi is absolutely right leaning in some ways. She certainly has some ideas that are in line with the Democrats, and even the left wing, but ultimately she falls much more on the authoritarian side of things than most Democrats. Tulsi's defending of Assad and her connections with Hindu nationalists in India are both indications that she either has authoritarian leanings, or she does not see a problem with authoritarians in other countries.  Also, her main supporters tend to be Jimmy Dore/Dumb dumb left types

Gabbard also has quite a history on gay rights and not the kind one would want to see in Democrat.

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Michigan elector.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/11/michigan-lawmaker-who-met-with-trump-pushes-constitutional-crisis-to-overturn-election-on-fox-news/

Had a bad feeling about them going to D.C. If no means no, don't leave the door open for him to apply more pressure. Have a hunch their decision will be weighed more on what they think they can get away with.

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2 hours ago, OnionAhaiReborn said:

Characterizing Tulsi Gabbard as right-leaning is ludicrous. You can have your criticisms of her, and I do myself, but the fact is that most of her views are mainstream-to-leftish Democratic views. 

Agreed - she's backed some crazy right-wing assholes around the globe but so do like 90% of Dems, it's just different shitty regimes.  Same goes for the LGBTQ stuff - she was part of her father's anti-gay organization when she was younger but has apologized for it and explained how her views changed.  Again, this isn't that different a path from many other Dems over the same time period, except by maybe how far into the shitty zone she was starting from.  Look where the party was as a whole 15-20 years ago.

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