US Politics: Dark Days at Parler

[Teng Ai Hui]

5 minutes ago, Fragile Bird said:

I just had this vision of Trump supporters demanding that, after his death, he be heavily embalmed and put on display, like Lenin.

His kids will probably push to have him buried at Arlington National Cemetary, a thought which is making my stomach turn at the moment.

[DMC]

2 hours ago, Simon Steele said:

Maybe compromise with the left side of the party instead of the Republicans in and out of the party would be my suggestion (when you're coalition building)

I don't understand the point of this suggestion, it's obviously not an "either or" proposition.  Get all the leftist votes you can first, absolutely, but you're still at 49.  The choices are either Manchin or the Collins/Murkowski/Romney bloc to get to 50, not Manchin or the left.  And Fez is inarguably right - call Manchin disgusting all you want, but the fact is he's much more likely to vote/compromise than those three (especially Romney, if you base it on DW-NOMINATE scores).  And Murkowski, btw, is running for reelection next year.  In Alaska.

[Zorral]

2 hours ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

 I will reiterate that I think a much better use of the money would be to extend/expand unemployment benefits

There is no reason though we can't have both a $2000 stimulous and unemployment benefit expansion.

The thing is that stimulus would actually help people to get ahead a little bit, whereas unemployment alone is doled out, a little at time and people who are behind are still, at the very best, only treading water, and without a job and end of unemployment they're right back where they are.  A $2000 stim, for a working household way behind, each for the couple, could so easily be used to actually catch up on unpaid rent.  Unemployment benefits showing up so much later, alone -- they're going to literally be eating that, and the rent they are behind on still won't be paid.  That's for starters.

~~~~~~~~

In the meantime, Pence, the only guy who could save us from this guy sticking around planning his next attack, is too cowardly to do anything.  Even though shoggoth told his people to go look for him, and now they are still expecting to take Pence out as a traitor to their greatest, sweetest, nicest, fairest, most law abiding, constitutional person who ever lived.  I looked at that Nye thing linked to above -- and o my goddessa, they are indeed talking about Pence going, as part of the long conspiracy that allowed antifa to storm the Capitol while shoggoth, knowing all, kept them with him, while he spoke -- Protecting Them!

What in the world does one do with this stuff?

In the meantime a North Dakotan distant relative told me there is nothing to worry about.  The 6th never happened. It was staged like the moon landing and a hoax like covid-19.

Again, what in the world does one do with this??????

 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

In other news.

This is sorta vampire vs. werewolves thing.

https://twitter.com/AynRandPaulRyan/status/1348377713149571073

 

Alex Jones screaming at QAnon wacko, that QAnon is all lies.

Just when you thought things could not possibly get any weirder. I think they should put that on a t-shirt.

QAnon, too crazy for Alex Jones.

[Jaxom 1974]

18 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

It seems not everyone made it to the Airport before the Feds started taking action.  This guy was kicked off a plane after being added to the “no fly” list:

https://twitter.com/RayRedacted/status/1348388601118273537?s=20

I cannot tell a lie - that was glorious the first time I saw it. And every after.  Not all who need to be arrested and sent to jail will be, but there needs to be some form of consequences.

[Mindwalker]

Meanwhile, on the gievance front:

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1348407655392440320/photo/1

"So when does C get added to the LGBTQIA?" C for conservatives. Handle: "Gulag inmate..."

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

5 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

Alex Jones screaming at QAnon wacko, that QAnon is all lies.

Just when you thought things could not possibly get any weirder. I think they should put that on a t-shirt.

QAnon, too crazy for Alex Jones.

If Alex Jones is raging about QAnon, We have truly crossed a threshold here.

I think he just had his, "Are we the baddies?" moment.

The Donald is truly fucked.

[Winterfell is Burning]

A major landmark, no doubt.

[Zorral]

2 hours ago, Mindwalker said:

There is a rumour on twitter that Pelosi will delay passing it to the Senate in order so as not to endanger Biden's policies in his first 100 days.

I heard that on both NPR and the BBC this afternoon.  Myself, it seems to be a pretty good plan, under the circumstances.  The first half would be accomplished while we're at white heat -- and while we know they are planning to do it again and the sooner the better.  "So close," see them saying.  "Next time we'll get all the way."  They are still planning to execute Pence since it seems this is what fuher wants.

[Fury Resurrected]

12 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

In other news.

This is sorta vampire vs. werewolves thing.

https://twitter.com/AynRandPaulRyan/status/1348377713149571073

 

Alex Jones screaming at QAnon wacko, that QAnon is all lies.

Just when you thought things could not possibly get any weirder. I think they should put that on a t-shirt.

QAnon, too crazy for Alex Jones.

QAnon is absolutely not too crazy for Alex Jones, don’t give him any credit. He was the main driver of pizzagate. Jones’ problem is he doesn’t like the wackjob limelight stolen from him. The success of QAnon has come at the expense of other shit peddlers like Alex Jones.

[Fragile Bird]

27 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

It seems not everyone made it to the Airport before the Feds started taking action.  This guy was kicked off a plane after being added to the “no fly” list:

https://twitter.com/RayRedacted/status/1348388601118273537?s=20

I don’t know if you saw it, but I was saying there are people who need to be on the no-fly list.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

1 minute ago, Fragile Bird said:

I don’t know if you saw it, but I was saying there are people who need to be on the no-fly list.

I did.  Thought that video might be rather satisfying.

[Mindwalker]

10 minutes ago, Zorral said:

I heard that on both NPR and the BBC this afternoon.  Myself, it seems to be a pretty good plan, under the circumstances.  The first half would be accomplished while we're at white heat -- and while we know they are planning to do it again and the sooner the better.  "So close," see them saying.  "Next time we'll get all the way."  They are still planning to execute Pence since it seems this is what fuher wants.

I'm probably missing a piece here.

If it truly means what I think it means, they are lying to the public right now*, claiming they want to impeach to get him out of office as soon as possible. (Among other things.) Because he is dangerous. They may not succeed, or be too late, but withholding it deliberately is just... double speak at a time when trust in politicians and institutions is at a low anyway.

 

* On tv, social media etc.

[Fury Resurrected]

I think holding off on se ding it to the Senate for 100 days is a mistake. Consequences for this need to be strong and swift, and currently leaning supportive Republicans will fall off by then

[Centrist Simon Steele]

2 hours ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

I will point you, mildly, to my suggestion up-thread, that I actually don’t personally agree with $2,000 indiscriminate stimulus, even if “phased out” at certain income levels.  I will reiterate that I think a much better use of the money would be to extend/expand unemployment benefits and/or support particularly affected industries (I think the latter is harder, so we are clear).  The letter of this particular economic time is “K” and we should be helping those on the lower leg to the extent we can.  I also think that we urgently need Covid policy on the national level and vaccine distribution.  I would without hesitation prioritize these two items over $2,000 indiscriminate stimulus.  And, if we were in congress/senate together, calling me “disgusting” or “evil” isn’t the way to get my vote.  Seems like there’s maybe a fair bit of common ground?

That's where we disagree. Super specific, targeted stimulus overlooks tons of people already suffering but may not appear to be on paper. I didn't lose my main job, but it pays shitty, and the extra tutoring I did at tutoring centers completely dried up during Covid. I will make 10,000 dollars less this year than last, but again, right now on paper, I look like I'm "doing fine." Also, the inflated costs associated with Covid have so easily been overlooked. I'm immuno compromised, but if I want to be safe and not go into busy stores, etc., I could order food for a premium. Or I could risk going out and getting Covid and then having even higher costs. 

Vaccine distribution is important and needs immediate attention. But so does stimulus. 

1 hour ago, larrytheimp said:

@Simon SteeleSteele

100% agree on means-testing being a wedge issue.  Totally anecdotal but the number of my customers (many of whom are proud Dems) who have lamented that people made more collecting unemployment than they did while employed or that the stimulus checks were a handout to the rich is very high.  

And don't even get me started on my GOP customers.  

If you think you don't need a check you can always donate it to someone who does.  Additionally, the UI extensions and bonuses are great but are also at the mercy of the states to some degree.  NY has made it really easy for people to stay in the system once you're in it, according to a couple of friends.  But some states aren't.  The amount of direct aid that has been given out is shameful.  

That's exactly what I think too. The idea of means testing is a Republican talking point that discounts the lived reality of people in this country. The idea that unemployment pays too much is also US Republicans'' version of austerity politics at its finest. The real issue is that massive amounts of people in this country were already financially fucked over long before Covid, and this has only made that worse. The politicians who say shit like "oh, lots of people actually still are working in the same jobs" are the same ones who equate American prosperity with a good stock market. 

1 hour ago, Fez said:

That's not fair to Manchin at all. Throughout his career he's done as much as he could to improve the lives of people in West Virginia; beginning with trying to actually regulate the coal industry when he was governor. And while he's certainly conservative for a Democrat, he's more liberal than any elected Republicans these days; and his seat is West Virginia! If he wasn't there, we'd have another Shelley Capito in the seat.

As a senator, he's voted to preserve the ACA, he's voted to protect Planned Parenthood funding (even though he personally is pro-life), he voted against the Trump tax cuts, has opposed any cuts to Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security, and pushed a gun control plan. Plus he regularly votes with Democrats on all sorts of less-publicized issues (e.g. homelessness, opioids, veteran care, etc.). And of course he voted to convict Trump.

Be annoyed by him when he stymies progress, sure. But its real fucked up to call him 'disgusting.'

Great for him doing things for W.V. But if he's now a guy, representing W.V. but getting in the way of helping the rest of the country, then he's a disgusting asshole who lacks the morality to see beyond his own future election prospects. He's useless to the democrats, but again, if you try coalition building with the right, this is what you get.

[Zorral]

1 minute ago, Mindwalker said:

I'm probably missing a piece here.

If it truly means what I think it means, they are lying to the public right now, claiming they want to ipeach to get him out of office as soon as possible. (Among other things.) Because he is dangerous. They may not succeed, or be too late, but withholding it deliberately is just... double speak at a time when trust in politicians and institutions is being destroyed anyway.

They don't have the votes in the senate to impeach him, but they may get them in the House.  He's half impeached at that point.  If the articles are immediately then forwarded to the Senate, the Senate cannot conduct any other business, including bills for covid, for unemployment assistance -- everything.  100 days doesn't mean dropping it, and if the lord is willing and the crick doesn't rise, things may be more settled and progressing on all the endless fronts the administration needs work done.

It would be so easier if Pence just invoked the 25th.  Which he won't because he's so terrified of the man who asked he be killed.

 

[Mlle. Zabzie]

1. This I believe echos everything @Fury Resurrected and others were saying. It is harder since so many were allowed to walk out. https://apple.news/AgwJANbcqTgyWdzPNugwArg (I am trying this from my phone but it is an NPR story where DC US Atty mentions how much harder it is...)

2  To @Zorral point, yes in an ideal world your could hand people cash and get them the 2000.   But the substantive argument wasn’t really my point.  My point was that where you have people who have similar goals on a macro level maybe it is worth discussing the micro implementation details and compromising rather than calling them despicable  sort of with @Fez on that  

3  Colin Powell?!?

 

[Centrist Simon Steele]

29 minutes ago, DMC said:

I don't understand the point of this suggestion, it's obviously not an "either or" proposition.  Get all the leftist votes you can first, absolutely, but you're still at 49.  The choices are either Manchin or the Collins/Murkowski/Romney bloc to get to 50, not Manchin or the left.  And Fez is inarguably right - call Manchin disgusting all you want, but the fact is he's much more likely to vote/compromise than those three (especially Romney, if you base it on DW-NOMINATE scores).  And Murkowski, btw, is running for reelection next year.  In Alaska.

I'm talking about coalition building going forward, not what we have now. Relying on DINOs to support Democrat policies is a failing strategy. Biden often ignored the left (in debates, he fully distanced himself from the left) and instead worked to build coalitions with Republicans. This isn't a surprise as Biden is one of the most conservative Democrats of the last thirty years, but the people he builds coalitions with will only get in the way of what he claims he wants to do.

There are plenty of states out there that could be turned blue, as opposed to relying on a place like W.V. to continue to elect Manchin. Colorado did it, and it's a long-term change. But it took a lot of work after Cory Gardner got elected. We did tons of things here to help voters--like mailing out ballots to all registered voters. Once that happened, Colorado went from purple to decidedly blue. There are plenty of states Dems could focus on going forward.

 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

54 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

It seems not everyone made it to the Airport before the Feds started taking action.  This guy was kicked off a plane after being added to the “no fly” list:

https://twitter.com/RayRedacted/status/1348388601118273537?s=20

I can't tell you how much this pisses me off.

This guy allowed himself to get caught up in conspiratorial nonsense. To tacitly accept the lies and bullshit of an obvious incompetent narcissist. To uncritically accept all the hysterical bullshit the looney right has been shoveling for years. And when the fringe came to dominate the center, I bet he fucking cheered.

Why? because it fit with his conception of the world. Because he wanted to pwn the libs. because it felt good. Even while he's whining, he still isn't even wearing his mask properly (in the middle of a pandemic). He's the one being victimized?

Fuck him and fuck his tears. His life's ruined? good. I hope he starves.

[Zorral]

Respectully, 1st, I don't know what you're trying to say here? What do those words actually mean within the context of the macro level of people with back rent because they lost their jobs?

2nd I never called anybody despicable, so don't know what you mean by that either!

2 minutes ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

here you have people who have similar goals on a macro level maybe it is worth discussing the micro implementation details and compromising rather than calling them despicable