US Politics: We Don’t Need No Stinking Lawyers

[Wade1865]

58 minutes ago, James Arryn said:

Imo, you are pretty far to the right, not unlikely to be someone who’d normally consider yourself a libertarian or more likely objectivist but probably with specific enough objections to either to actually sign up. I say this courteously, as you are always courteous and respectful, that I think you are an absolutely end-justifies-means person who fwiw seems to be willing to give the benefit of the doubt to virtually any end, and again imo it would not take too much to nudge you to fascism (the political ideology, not the Hitlerian version with all the Jewish stuff) though to be clear I don’t think you are one at present. 
 

My main guide for these observations, aside from you directly ~ defending anything so long as the person is pursuing self-interest, is your frequent, possibly conscious use of false equivalence…or in the words of the nice guy you admire, ‘on many sides’. That’s a very big, possibly the biggest rhetorical tool used by fascists in their rise in all three countries they historically occupied and even more so by those attempting to reinvigorate the ideology*. That alone does not a fascist make, of course, and that’s one of the reasons I see you as more potentially open to it than actually supporting it, if you get me. It’s very hard to say this without making it sound like a pejorative, but I  sincerely mean it from a purely political POV. 

* https://prospect.org/politics/false-equivalence-destruction-of-american-democracy/

James Arryn -- that's an excellent analysis, and much appreciated given my current phase of reflection. Prior to retirement, assessing others and determining motivations was paramount given the prevalence of the realpolitik practiced around me (ironically, it proved more useful negotiating with Americans (i.e., hyper-competitive peers and the occasional senior of dubious motivation), rather than foreigners). Back then, avoiding being read was a practicality; here now, it's fascinating to be the subject of one, albeit anonymously online. This explains why I'm so interested in personality tests at the moment, hahaha.

I confirm, your overall assessment is correct. I have some inherent affinity with fascism as you observed; specifically, far right, ultranationalist, militarist, and natural social hierarchy. On the other hand, I don't align with authoritarianism, centralization, suppression of the opposition, or racism (though my outlook is culturalist). Of course, I don't and never will practice fascism in America because it's incompatible, and I don't like the idea of marginalizing others of different origin and identity (beyond amicably-intended teasing). Instead, I actively practice capitalism given my will and capacity to secure a meritocratic position within it for me and my family, which overrides any of the benefits fascism might provide.

My political origin is, I'm sure, a product of nature and nurture. My mother's particular family~clan (historical fascists) originated in Laos. Post-WWII, her minority branch relocated across the Mekong into Thailand where they established themselves into the military and judicial spheres of power. The other majority branch remained in Laos where they continued to operate as Royalists within the military and associated criminal spheres, profiting off gambling, human and drug trafficking, and -- amusingly -- a vertically integrated seafood company operating between Bangkok and Vientiane. At the time, both branches remained closely integrated.

Enter my father, a progressive Democrat from New England, and career airman. My parents met in the early 70s, towards the close of the Vietnam War. They both enjoyed the status, glamor, and high privilege associated across the Thai military and judicial; Lao military and criminal; and US military and imperial domains. I experienced it as well, to a lesser degree during my youth, and a greater degree as an adult.

Unfortunately, in 1975 the Communist Pathet Lao defeated the Royal Lao Government and slaughtered that branch of my mother's family. Survivors fled to Thailand, France, and America. The branch in Thailand remained there, improving their positions of power to this day. I went with my immediate family to America, and eventually into the US Army; did my time in the US wars of imperialism; secured a little status and a lot of money; retired as a private citizen with no political ambitions; and, now I'm writing this to you. Overall, those were strange and interesting times; exciting, too.

[Zorral]

Can anyone show any example of anywhere where fascism avoids authoritarianism and racism?

[A Horse Named Stranger]

1 hour ago, Firebrand Jace said:

I have never been okay with the government absorbing the final costs of these wealth redistribution schemes laughably called 'college'. How so many young people got mindswiped into defending the institutions that have beggared then blows me away.

If you ever wondered about the thought process behind Trump U (apart from ripping people off)... Without further ado, welcome to Jace University. I am Professor Horse. I am holding the introductory lecture on everyday cynicism.

On Sunday, I am also holding the sermon at the Church of Jacetology. Which is in no way totally made up for tax purposes. There you can call me Reverend Horse.

[Zorral]

They always can go lower, and they do, despite already being spreading puddle of turds.

2 plead guilty in scheme to sell Biden's daughter's diary (msn.com)

Two Florida residents have pleaded guilty in a scheme to peddle a diary and other items belonging to President Biden’s daughter to the conservative group Project Veritas for $40,000, prosecutors said Thursday.

These items were STOLEN.

 

[Wade1865]

5 minutes ago, Zorral said:

Can anyone show any example of anywhere where fascism avoids authoritarianism and racism?

Zorral -- you bring up a good point; I really do ack the disconnect. More interestingly, it demonstrates just how on-target @James Arryn was in his assessment. I carried my own experiences, beliefs, and principles, et al., yet never accurately translated that into a well-defined category.

Thus, not a fascist. And though I'm not quite sure, I might be an Objectivist at this point in my life? Capitalist, yes, but not an industrialist-capitalist. I refuse to do anymore labor; so ... I wonder if rentier-capitalists are Objectivists?

[ThinkerX]

I can, with some reluctance, get behind the 10 grand forgiveness of student loan debt - as a one off. Partly as a lingering effect of the pandemic and partly because college costs seem to have gone from 'steep but doable' to 'utterly insane.'  

That said, I have noted a breathtaking lack of even basic financial awareness amongst younger folks. To me, that should be a *MANDATORY* high school class. Case in point: Every few months, my lovely young daughter calls me up for advice about how to deal with this or that financial issue - almost all of which stem from budgeting issues. She's not far shy of thirty. 

That said, I have to take the stance that college degrees should not be necessary in many instances. In my state (Alaska) and several others, substitute teachers (and maybe some regular teachers) are no longer required to have college degrees. A number of my younger relatives are well-paid caregivers for elderly folk - positions they attained not by attending college, but by taking a handful of special classes straight out of high school. This also applies to some industrial positions: the employers look for skill specific certifications (Hazardous Waste, CDL, something similar) instead of college degrees. 

There used to be (and maybe still are) programs for college students in certain tracks (medical and education) where they'd get a free ride on tuition - but also get stuck teaching or practicing medicine for a few years afterward at a place (usually in the middle of nowhere) of the governments choosing. Might be worth looking into.

 

[Ormond]

It's been a while since I shared one of the Trumpist fundraising emails I get with you. That's not because they've stopped -- for a while I was getting a lot fewer, but since the Mar-A-Lago FBI event they are back up to ten to twenty a day. I am sharing the following because to my mind it's just about the most outrageous one -- and notice it's from the NRSC, not from the Trump organization. The NRSC and the Trump organization are obviously co-operating on email lists and fundraising -- I saw somewhere online yesterday an article mentioning how many Republicans are upset with Rick Scott, this year's chair of the NRSC, because he hasn't done anything to stop Trumpian "poor quality" candidates from winning. (The other group besides the NRSC which Trump has obviously shared my email with is the Dr. Oz campaign. Though the Oz emails call Fetterman a socialist, they are actually way less offensive than either the Trump or NRSC emails.)

Any way, the NRSC using Dr. Fauci's retirement in this way makes me angrier than almost anything else I've gotten in one of these awful emails.

 

Quote

 

BUREAUCRAT DR. FAUCI RESIGNS
SIGN HIS GOODBYE LETTER >>

Ck,

FINALLY. DR. FAUCI IS RESIGNING. 

Far-Left activist and FREEDOM hater Dr. Fauci has resigned from his post after DECADES of leeching off the American public with HORRIBLE “public health” advice. 

Here are some of Fauci’s “greatest” achievements: 

• Misleading the American people
• Destroying the middle-class through lockdowns 
• INFRINGING on our freedoms 
• Devastating our children’s education 
• Lying to elected officials 

Fauci was doing everything in his power to gain TOTAL control during the pandemic and ERASED OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS. Let’s send a strong message to the Fauci-loving mainstream media that Americans are HAPPY HE’S GONE.

We need 50 more patriots to secure our goal of 5,000 signatures from YOUR state. Will you be one of them?

Add YOUR NAME to Fauci’s Goodbye Letter and stand with President Trump and the GOP against tyrannical bureaucrats. >>
 

 
Our team will be reviewing Dr. Fauci’s letter VERY SOON, and there is no time to waste. Will we see YOUR NAME on the letter, Ck?

Sign the letter NOW.

Thank you,

Team NRSC

 

 

[LongRider]

hmmmm, 

 

[TormundsWoman]

2 hours ago, Martell Spy said:

 

And your solution and Tywin's is to turn to the U.S. Congress. The same body notorious for not passing things, most especially economically progressive things. And the same ones that made student loans not dischargeable in bankruptcy. They were key in creating the problem. And they chose purposely not to address the problem. 

Biden, too didn't want to act at first. And he said Congress should address this. It's a great excuse not to act at all to kick it to these jokers in the Senate. Do you really trust Sinema to do what's right? More like she will give a thumbs down.

It’s a moot point at this moment, the way I understand, no? The decision is already made and the debt is more or less forgiven. Me not finding it a sustainable solution and saying so, does not mean Jack shit. Bitching about it makes no difference and I can only hope that once precedents like these are set, they will do it on a regular basis as so to be fair with everyone in the future. Or just decide to do something about it in Congress.
 

That being said, are we talking about the same Sinema? Back in her earlier career wasn’t she the one with the bill to freeze student loan interest rates? Student loans was a big thing for her. Sure it never gained traction what with a Repub House but I would think she hasn’t changed that much. 

[TormundsWoman]

27 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

If you ever wondered about the thought process behind Trump U (apart from ripping people off)... Without further ado, welcome to Jace University. I am Professor Horse. I am holding the introductory lecture on everyday cynicism.

On Sunday, I am also holding the sermon at the Church of Jacetology. Which is in no way totally made up for tax purposes. There you can call me Reverend Horse.

You’d think no one would pay for this shit, but I’d totally pay to see Professor Horse give one of those everyday lectures in cynicism! 

[Jace, Extat]

33 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

If you ever wondered about the thought process behind Trump U (apart from ripping people off)... Without further ado, welcome to Jace University. I am Professor Horse. I am holding the introductory lecture on everyday cynicism.

On Sunday, I am also holding the sermon at the Church of Jacetology. Which is in no way totally made up for tax purposes. There you can call me Reverend Horse.

It's nice to know there's someone out there who gets me.

[Jace, Extat]

Seriously, though. How does it make any sense at all to create a system where the government backs (then absolves) the accumulation of debt for the purposes of creating a character who is incapable of repaying the debt?

There is something wrong with college and its costs in this country.

[Zorral]

Other, like her, even women -- voted against health care expansion -- and said they believed the Kavanaughs of this SCOTUS who said they wouldn't mess with Roe. 

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

3 hours ago, Zorral said:

This is now how it is. Any reichlican who loses any election, even to another reichlican, howls the election is stolen,  a fraud and that s/he won, and it belongs to him/her.

Failed Trump-loving candidate declares 'I am the Congresswoman' despite clear defeat: "It Is MINE!"

 

She’s an idiot.  Even if she won the Primary… she would still have to compete in the general election… and win… before she could be sworn in as the FL-11 Congressional Representative.

[Zorral]

43 minutes ago, ThinkerX said:

(and maybe still are) programs for college students in certain tracks (medical and education) where they'd get a free ride on tuition -

Those are long gone. Decades already.  Another reason for the teacher shortage crisis.

[Zorral]

1 minute ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

she would still have to compete in the general election… and win… before she could be sworn in as the FL-11 Congressional Representative.

No not at all.  She just told you.  It's hers because she decided it was and she wants it. And if she isn't getting what's rightfully hers -- shoot to kill.

[LongRider]

4 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

She’s an idiot.  Even if she won the Primary… she would still have to compete in the general election… and win… before she could be sworn in as the FL-11 Congressional Representative.

 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

30 minutes ago, Firebrand Jace said:

Seriously, though. How does it make any sense at all to create a system where the government backs (then absolves) the accumulation of debt for the purposes of creating a character who is incapable of repaying the debt?

There is something wrong with college and its costs in this country.

And here I was lead to believe you didn't feel the Bern.

[Kalbear]

Damn, the white house press social media intern needs a raise. They brought receipts. 

 

[Wade1865]

Uncle Joe is back up to 44% approval, highest in a year (Gallup). He's racking up successes, and I'd even include the improving conditions in UKR as one. I wonder if the student loans forgiveness applied to it. If not, that'll give him another boost in the near future. Additionally, he may be moving toward campaigning for 2024.

 

Ratings and campaigning!