Maithanet Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 18 minutes ago, Phylum of Alexandria said: That's fair. There are different talents underlying campaigning and governing. It's clear Obama was the better campaigner, and arguably helped Democrats win more seats in Congress. I lean toward saying that Biden has proved more impressive than Obama at governance while in office, though perhaps he could have done even more if he had inspired enough voters to turn more seats around. There's also the fact that Biden was able to learn from Obama's term and apply that later on, whereas Obama's chance to learn was strictly during his time in office. I think you might be right about this, and it's kind of funny, because it really illustrates something about human nature. If you ask me "would you prefer a President who is good at governing or good at campaigning?" I would absolutely pick governing (almost everyone would). And yet, I have a lot more positive feelings about Obama than Biden, and am a lot more enthusiastic about the thought of doing phonebanking or something for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martell Spy Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Quote This should probably be something Congress decides, but of course Congress can't do much of anything. If Republicans wouldn't pass their own goddamn border bill because Trump was opposed, they certainly won't move to disquality Trump from office. This is John Roberts favorite trick. See gerrymandering. Any policy he wants killed, send it to Congress to decide, At which point he may overrule them anyway if a court case it brought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 30 minutes ago, Fragile Bird said: I’m not going to be foolish enough to say I will never set foot in the uS again, but there are states I will definitely not visit. Like Alabama and Florida. Back in the day I wouldn't go to TX or Mississippi, or any of those southern states. Things seemed to improve, and then -- bam. I'm back to refusing to go there even when invited to do something at UT. Fragile Bird 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durckad Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 3 hours ago, The Grey Wolf Strikes Back said: I doubt they've thought that far ahead. "Thinking?" Sounds like some lib-commie bullshit to me! 3 hours ago, Maithanet said: Basically Biden is relying heavily on voters to give him credit for context because the actual results aren't that great. Inflation did hurt most Americans. High interest rates make housing unaffordable. COVID killed nearly a million Americans since Jan 2021. A ton of problems like guns, climate change, immigration, wealth inequality, and college costs have had either band-aid solutions or no progress at all. tbf, housing was largely unaffordable BEFORE the interest rates went up. That just exacerbated an already bad situation. Honestly, the Biden Admin seems to be perpetually assaulted by the ol' chickens coming home to roost. Over a decade of hollowing out the middle-class and obsequious subservience to capitalism resulting in rotten to the core housing and banking systems? Hey, housing prices are going up and no one can afford them! Trump was a feckless dipshit on COVID? Hey, COVID dragged on far longer than it should have and destroyed the supply chains leading to rising inflation. Afghanistan was a shit show? Hey look back on the 3 previous administrations that "managed" the occupation. Countless refugees and asylum seekers coming to our borders resulting in endless racism and culture war clutching of skirts? Hey, let's look at good ol' climate change and decades of the war on drugs destroying South American countries. Gun crimes endlessly killing American citizens? When the fuck haven't they? Wealth inequality? Thanks Reagan and more capitalist bootlicking. College costs? Fucking capitalism. Even the response to Israel, which I am very willing to lay at Biden's feet, is still laden with decades of subservience to Israel both as a concept and as an extension of US military power in the region, so it's very hard to imagine someone else doing much better in this regard. It sucks, it's infuriating, but it's still so much decades of bad decisions leading to rot eating away at the limbs. But yes, tldr, context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 30 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said: Reminds of a Canadian joke (I just came up with). What's the difference between a fragile bird and snow bird. The Fragile Bird has enough sense not to go to Florida. If you don't get the joke, you didn't factor in the effect on the targeted audience. DMC screaming at his screen. I simply can’t understand how many Canadians still go to Florida, even with everything going on. Travel to Florida by Canadians dropped dramatically due to Covid, leaving Floridians crying in their beer. Before Covid they got 4 M plus visitors a year. The low point was less than 500,000. In mid-2023 Florida crowed that numbers in the fourth quarter of 2022 were almost at pre-Covid levels, with a million visits. Ron desatan announced visitor numbers were up sharply, but 91% are from the US, so, meh. Americans don’t seem bothered about what Florida does. More interesting to me is the fact fewer Canadians are interested in visiting the US. Once upon a time the number was close to 60%, the most recent survey I saw said the number is about 48%. I’m surprised it’s that high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 3 hours ago, Maithanet said: Biden gave us...the Inflation Reduction Act and pardoned federal marijuana possession cases? Don't undersell the IRA, which shoveled an awful lot of money to Americans who can really use it. For example, expanding the child tax credit did an awful lot to ameliorate poverty. And if we're to speak of social issues, there's also the Restoration of Marriage Act, which finally repealed DOMA and makes clear that "full faith and credit" really does apply to same-sex marriages. Those seem pretty important to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phylum of Alexandria Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 4 minutes ago, Fragile Bird said: I simply can’t understand how many Canadians still go to Florida, even with everything going on. It is a great place to visit, despite all the Trumpy weirdos. I left my heart at Weeki Wachee Springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 11 minutes ago, Phylum of Alexandria said: It is a great place to visit, despite all the Trumpy weirdos. I left my heart at Weeki Wachee Springs. You wouldn’t believe how relentless the Florida commercials are on Canadian tv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) 59 minutes ago, Zorral said: I'm back to refusing to go there even when invited to do something at UT. I found Utah to be one of the most georgeous and friendly places Ive ever been. Both the scenery and people were top notch. Definately a case where the pre-imagine and my anticipation of the politics DID NOT match the experience on the ground for me and I ended up working a few years out there. It was a striking difference between preconceived notion and what my actual experience ended up being, interestingly. Lovely place. Edited February 21 by DireWolfSpirit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I refuse to spend money in those states if I can help it, unless this money directly goes to something like an African American history museum, something like that. Long have been that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 6 minutes ago, Fragile Bird said: You wouldn’t believe how relentless the Florida commercials are on Canadian tv. Florida cannot do without Canadian snow birds/ retirees, and their money. It's the same in the northern midwestern states, those commercials aimed at retirees. And so many are down there, retired. No property tax! No shoveling snow! OMIGAWD how unbearably hot! OMIGAWD hurricanes! OMIGAWD flooding! The other day we saw a caravan of cars that were wheeled commercials for St. Kitts tourism -- come and get warm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 6 minutes ago, Zorral said: Florida cannot do without Canadian snow birds/ retirees, and their money. It's the same in the northern midwestern states, those commercials aimed at retirees. And so many are down there, retired. No property tax! No shoveling snow! OMIGAWD how unbearably hot! OMIGAWD hurricanes! OMIGAWD flooding! The other day we saw a caravan of cars that were wheeled commercials for St. Kitts tourism -- come and get warm! The climate in the US South would kill me. If I moved to the US, it would have to be New England, or a Rocky Mountain State. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chatywin et al. Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 1 hour ago, Fragile Bird said: More interesting to me is the fact fewer Canadians are interested in visiting the US. Once upon a time the number was close to 60%, the most recent survey I saw said the number is about 48%. I’m surprised it’s that high. You'll be a part of the US soon enough after we help *cough* steal all your water *cough* liberate you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 1 hour ago, SeanF said: The climate in the US South would kill me. If I moved to the US, it would have to be New England, or a Rocky Mountain State. It will not kill. As much as I whine… I’m used to it. A True Kaniggit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altherion Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 2 hours ago, Durckad said: Honestly, the Biden Admin seems to be perpetually assaulted by the ol' chickens coming home to roost. Every leader must deal with the consequences of prior leadership. The issue is that Biden has been either unwilling or unable to... chase the chickens off, so to speak. He has arguably not created any major new problems directly, but his responses to unfolding events have not been notably effective. There's war in Europe, there's war in the Middle East, there's inflation at home, many cities are overwhelmed by the influx of migrants... and there's simply not much Biden appears to be willing or able to do curtail any of this (well, maybe except for the immigration -- there are rumors he's considering executive action). Biden is very, very lucky that his opponent this fall will almost certainly be Trump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkerX Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 11 minutes ago, Altherion said: Every leader must deal with the consequences of prior leadership. The issue is that Biden has been either unwilling or unable to... chase the chickens off, so to speak. He has arguably not created any major new problems directly, but his responses to unfolding events have not been notably effective. There's war in Europe, there's war in the Middle East, there's inflation at home, many cities are overwhelmed by the influx of migrants... and there's simply not much Biden appears to be willing or able to do curtail any of this (well, maybe except for the immigration -- there are rumors he's considering executive action). Biden is very, very lucky that his opponent this fall will almost certainly be Trump. Biden does have a long string of modest positive successes. Republicans, though, have nothing but complete failures and downright hateful policies and laws to put forth. Hence, Biden wins, not so much on merit, but because the other side is that horrible. I am starting to think there will be eight or twelve 'surprise upsets' for Republicans in supposedly safely red seats (R +10 or better) this year - House and Senate both - as a direct result of their policies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A True Kaniggit Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 3 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said: It will not kill. As much as I whine… I’m used to it. I love the heat! It’s winter I despise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 37 minutes ago, A True Kaniggit said: I love the heat! It’s winter I despise. I hate hot weather. Always have… always will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chatywin et al. Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 33 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said: I hate hot weather. Always have… always will. Why stay in the south then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A True Kaniggit Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Mr. Chatywin et al. said: Why stay in the south then? South? What do you mean south? Fairly certain he lives in one of the Carolinas. Get that Northerner outta here! Edited February 22 by A True Kaniggit LongRider 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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