US Politics: What will the InJustice League do next?

[Ran]

54 minutes ago, Zorral said:

I highly suggest for such to read in detail the accounts of Europe in the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries, for almost everyone, not only the vast majority of the truly immiserated in terms of food, clothing, housing, climate crash, disease, constant war, and the rest.

What a bizarre comparison. The US isn't going to go anywhere, it's not going to vanish, the globe is not going to plunge into a dark age, it'll keep ticking along as it always has. 

This thread is giving me serious doomsday cult vibes.

[JGP]

Doth the King troll

[Corvinus85]

1 hour ago, Zorral said:

Those who say 'this too shall pass,' seem to have no idea how long this is likely to last.  I highly suggest for such to read in detail the accounts of Europe in the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries, for almost everyone, not only the vast majority of the truly immiserated in terms of food, clothing, housing, climate crash, disease, constant war, and the rest.  As Poobah says.

Unless we get a massive volcanic eruption or a meteor strike that darkens the skies over half the planet, this comparison is not so good. Yes, climate change is happening, but it's at a steady(ish) state over many decades. That being said, I also agree with the above message from Poobah.

[Zorral]

The latest says otherwise, that it is a steady state over many decades.  The climate experts think 2050 is fairly likely for full climate collapse.

You think it can't really be that bad, that fairly comfy conditions will still be in place for many?  Look at what just 4 years of romperisto and 3 years of covid have done to living standards of so many, right here in River City, er, the USA.

 

[Ran]

13 minutes ago, JGP said:

Doth the King troll

Nope. People are entering increasing states of hysteria when they start talking about a Supreme Court ruling as harbinger of some sort of Fall of the Roman Empire-like dark ages to come. It’s being blown wildly out of proportion. 

 

[JGP]

That surprises me dude.

[King Ned Stark]

3 hours ago, Poobah said:

I've seen this sentiment a few times in reading the past couple of threads over the past week so I feel I have to ask: Those minimising current events and mocking posters pointing out/worrying about how bad things have gotten for US democracy and the current trajectory, you realise that there are more states than "the end of the world" and "not the literal end of the world so it'll be alright eventually" right? When you say "this too shall pass" you gotta consider the fucking cost of the passing, sure bad times have never lasted forever, sure authoritarian regimes may eventually fall but you do realise that they tend to do all kinds of abhorrent shit in the meantime, kill a lot of fucking people, right?

I have to wonder how many people advising stoicism in the face of "hard times" will actually be facing those hard times? Are you straight? White? Cisgendered? Relatively affluent? How many of you will merely be uncomfortable in for foreseeable future, and while you're uncomfortable how many people will die? How many people of colour? How many women? How many queer people? How many trans people? How may poor people? How many more jailed, harassed, and discriminated against?

There is possibly 10% of the population that’s believes the opposite; that if the democrats controlled all three branches of government, and the Supreme Court, then the end is here for humanity.  Ran’s posts are some of the most reasonable, and intelligent, I have seen in the politics thread in years (granted I seldom visit and post less).  Things will swing back, as he said “this will pass”.  Nothing so far; WW2, the Cuban missile crisis, the Black Plague has ended us.  I disagree with a lot of you of some issues, but don’t let this cause you trouble, it will swing back in your favor in a few years.  

[Corvinus85]

6 minutes ago, King Ned Stark said:

There is possibly 10% of the population that’s believes the opposite; that if the democrats controlled all three branches of government, and the Supreme Court, then the end is here for humanity.  Ran’s posts are some of the most reasonable, and intelligent, I have seen in the politics thread in years (granted I seldom visit and post less).  Things will swing back, as he said “this will pass”.  Nothing so far; WW2, the Cuban missile crisis, the Black Plague has ended us.  I disagree with a lot of you of some issues, but don’t let this cause you trouble, it will swing back in your favor in a few years.  

Sure, but Poobah's post is clear - what will be the cost? Because WW2 killed about 60 million people. That's how it passed.

We must look at all aspects of history, the good and the bad, when we attempt to make judgements about our current situation and how it will evolve in our lifetimes. 

[JGP]

3 minutes ago, Corvinus85 said:

We must look at all aspects of history, the good and the bad, when we attempt to make judgements about our current situation and how it will evolve in our lifetimes. 

Try to be encouraging. Please.

[Zorral]

There is this other thing too -- that for girls and women the collapse of this world will be far, far worse than for men.

Which, one cannot help but suppose, is the point.  Cruelty is always Their point.  They say so, you know.

Hours after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week, a man with a wiry, squared-off beard and a metal cross around his neck celebrated with his team at a Brazilian steakhouse. He pulled out his phone to livestream to his followers.

“We have delivered a huge blow to the enemy and to this industry,” the man, Jeff Durbin, said. But, he explained, “our work has just really begun.”

“Even the states that have trigger laws,” which ban abortion at conception without exceptions for rape or incest, did not go far enough, Mr. Durbin, a pastor in the greater Phoenix area, said. “They do not believe that the woman should ever be punished.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/us/abortion-abolitionists.html

Been hearing the same thing all my life from everyone who want to look away: "Be more hopeful.  Things aren't that bad. Things can't get that bad." And then, by golly they do get that bad, and keep getting worse.  I'm tired of listening to people who put their fingers in their ears.
 

 

[King Ned Stark]

2 minutes ago, Corvinus85 said:

Sure, but Poobah's post is clear - what will be the cost? Because WW2 killed about 60 million people. That's how it passed.

We must look at all aspects of history, the good and the bad, when we attempt to make judgements about our current situation and how it will evolve in our lifetimes. 

I agree.  But what can you do (vote, protest, donate aside) except try to be happy with who and what you have.  People, by and large, in my bitter and cynical opinion; are selfish and greedy, and pretty terrible when it comes to concern for their fellow person.  I love history, but reading this thread I know I’m not as smart as any of you.  However, my novice study of history has led me to believe that humanity is brutal and cruel.  I think that’s why in 1996 when I was in high school detention, I read Game of Thrones straight through. Brilliant book, Martin is brilliant.  That’s why I picked my username, though, I was kind of old and outdated, “too serious”, when I was a teenager.

I could be wrong, normally am, but I believe that things will swing back closer to what you want.  And if not, just be a good person (I’m sure you are).  Don’t let the dealings of those in power ruin how you feel.

[Tywin et al.]

26 minutes ago, Ran said:

Nope. People are entering increasing states of hysteria when they start talking about a Supreme Court ruling as harbinger of some sort of Fall of the Roman Empire-like dark ages to come. It’s being blown wildly out of proportion. 

 

Are you not taken aback at all by the increase in speed everything's moving at? I recall being at Obama's Minneapolis HQ a decade ago and some of the junior staffers were saying that if Romney won it would be the end of democracy. I thought it was a shockingly dumb comment. Five years ago around this time I thought Trump was a wannabe autocrat and that's why it was a dangerous mistake to ever let him win the presidency, but I didn't think he could actually end our democracy. That seemed like a fairly common opinion among the academics on TV. Now it seems like it's a certainty Republicans will do this the next time they have unified power and that opinion is widely shared. And it's not just happening with free and fair elections. Across the board Republicans are turning things up to eleven and are moving with alarming speed. I do think we over state how individual acts are leading to America's downfall, but when you combine everything and look at the direction it's moving it's hard not to conclude that this country is about to enter a very dark period of time with no end in sight.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Some actual good news?

 

[Jace, Extat]

Ran, how are things going to swing back? Dems are about to get swept out of the Senate and house in a few months. Two years after that they'll be swept out of the WhiteHouse. 

How do things swing back???

You may or may not have noticed, but there is no plan to save Roe. There is no plan to stop the next coup, or even to act after the most recent one. There is no plan to forestall climate catastrophe. There is no plan to protect voting rights or to stop the incessant massacring of innocents by madmen or to help the economically wretched.

 

THERE IS NO PLAN there's no roadmap for getting to 'this too has passed' except that you think it's some kind of litany against subjugation. The only response by the only people legally empowered to do something about these crises is to hold out their cup for more of our money and then read a fucking poem.

[King Ned Stark]

Should’ve been more clear, I’ve had a few bourbon drinks.  Hate who you want  to hate, just don’t let it affect your mental well-being.  Fight where you can, as long as it doesn’t cause you undue stress or depression.  I’ve struggled with that myself; quite debilitating.

[LongRider]

19 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Some actual good news?

 

He must be pissed, $19,000 is barely worth stealing. 

[Kalbear]

Obviously the solution is to marry a total babe in Sweden and emigrate to there 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

44 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Some actual good news?

 

Depends on where that money flow is headed now. 

Somehow I doubt it's gonna be donations to Unicef or Southern Poverty Law Center.

[Jaxom 1974]

1 hour ago, King Ned Stark said:

I agree.  But what can you do (vote, protest, donate aside) except try to be happy with who and what you have.  People, by and large, in my bitter and cynical opinion; are selfish and greedy, and pretty terrible when it comes to concern for their fellow person.  

No. Not exactly. I can accept, if it comes to it, being happy with what I have, but I'll be damned if I ever think that's good enough for my children.  That's supposed to worth fighting for.

54 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Some actual good news?

 

100% think it's under reported because the rest was diverted for private use.  Trust no one.

17 minutes ago, KalVsWade said:

Obviously the solution is to marry a total babe in Sweden and emigrate to there 

Could work. If my current wife is okay with a little extra excitement... 

[King Ned Stark]

4 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

No. Not exactly. I can accept, if it comes to it, being happy with what I have, but I'll be damned if I ever think that's good enough for my children.  That's supposed to worth fighting for.

100% think it's under reported because the rest was diverted for private use.  Trust no one.

Could work. If my current wife is okay with a little extra excitement... 

fair enough.  I have children too; five of them.  That’s a great point, though.  Looking back, I think that’s what got me twisted up, “fighting the world”.  For my kids.  In my lone experience, the harder you fight the world, it will fight back even harder.  Sounds cowardly, I know, but a person can only take so much.  Fight softly, in the shadows, keep a reserve.  Fight the good fight, just don’t ruin yourself doing it.  Not great wisdom, I know.  I’ve never met a single person on this website, but I don’t think you guys should feel so badly.  The world sucks, IMHO, always has, and always will.  We have a short time on it, just don’t let whoever is in charge wreck your life.   Again, not great wisdom, just take care of yourself first; there will always be a battle to fight.