US Politics Thread

FogBlueInSanFran said:
The entirety of the GOP platform is now “own the libs”. That’s it. That’s all. Nothing else. It’s not facism per se IMO. It’s the embracing of authoritarianism and the politics of absolute cowardice.

I personally wouldn’t conclude they aren’t being “punished” — they lost the Presidency, apparently to a “perv”, underperformed dramatically at the midterms, have completely lost the young when the largest cohort of Americans in history turn 18 before 2024, have had to gerrymander the hell out of any state looking like it might go purple to retain power to avoid the fate of CA, OR, WA and CO, are now at each others throats, and have to line up behind a man under indictment and facing scores of other potential criminal charges in order not to upset the cult that follows him.

As I’ve written here many times, these aren’t the signs of a movement gaining power. These are the signs of a movement desperately trying to hang on to the power it had. GOPers are behaving just like the cornered rats that they are. Hang in, keep the faith, and do the basics: vote them ALL out, every one of them, everywhere, in every race, until they get the message. Then we can go back to discussing conservative policy, progressive policy and the like.
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You make very fair points on their sustained losses. And though I have a lingering concern about 2024, it gives me hope. I do believe the young vote could be crucial not just at that election but for the next two to three decades. I hope the same for the UK and have posted that the Tories are similarly doomed in that regard. The youth despise these types and it’s a time bomb.

I just wonder how deep do the cuts need to go before the GOP gather what remains of their brain trust and realise they will never win again if their only policy position is to shout louder than the last guy.
 
SkyBlueFlux said:
You make very fair points on their sustained losses. And though I have a lingering concern about 2024, it gives me hope. I do believe the young vote could be crucial not just at that election but for the next two to three decades. I hope the same for the UK and have posted that the Tories are similarly doomed in that regard. The youth despise these types and it’s a time bomb.

I just wonder how deep do the cuts need to go before the GOP gather what remains of their brain trust and realise they will never win again if their only policy position is to shout louder than the last guy.
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It’s a good question and the difficult part is that we can expect the rhetoric to get more and more divisive and extreme as each courtier plays “can you top this” to grab the brass ring nearest the cult leader (thereby potentially being elevated to cult leader).

But at the same time (1) it comes apart at the seams (witness the “boycott” of “trans-loving” Anheuser-Busch, who — oops — turns out to be a major GOP donor — d’oh!!) and (2) the cult leader tosses each one under the bus if they look like a threat and (3) not calling out the evil, the criminality, makes the courtiers look like cowards among not cult-members (which they of course are) and (4) the whole shit show results in literally no good government and is grist for the mill to other side, which just has to sit back and watch the fireworks. FFS Boebert — that fucking idiot — almost LOST her district which went, what, 80/20 for Trump? That’s not a strong party — that is a fucking disaster.

Vote vote vote vote vote. Why the hell else does one think they’re trying to call out the efficacy of the electoral process? Why are their candidates increasingly absolute dumbshits? Because they’ve got NOTHING. No policies, no leadership, no platform, no way to get moderates/independents near them — unless the dumbest and most cowardly of all (the both-sidesers) come in for them.
 
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FogBlueInSanFran said:
It’s a good question and the difficult part is that we can expect the rhetoric to get more and more divisive and extreme as each courtier plays “can you top this” to grab the brass ring nearest the cult leader (thereby potentially being elevated to cult leader).

But at the same time (1) it comes apart at the seams (witness the “boycott” of “trans-loving” Anheuser-Busch, who — oops — turns out to be a major GOP donor — d’oh!!) and (2) the cult leader tosses each one under the bus if they look like a threat and (3) not calling out the evil, the criminality, makes the courtiers look like cowards among not cult-members (which they of course are) and (4) the whole shit show results in literally no good government and is grist for the mill to other side, which just has to sit back and watch the fireworks. FFS Boebert — that fucking idiot — almost LOST her district which went, what, 80/20 for Trump? That’s not a strong party — that is a fucking disaster.

Vote vote vote vote vote. Why the hell else does one think they’re trying to call out the efficacy of the electoral process? Why are their candidates increasingly absolute dumbshits? Because they’ve got NOTHING. No policies, no leadership, no platform, no way to get moderates/independents near them — unless the dumbest and most cowardly of all (the both-sidesers) come in for them.
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The GOP is deliciously calamitous.

Four words: Huge Blue Wave 2024.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
The entirety of the GOP platform is now “own the libs”. That’s it. That’s all. Nothing else. It’s not facism per se IMO. It’s the embracing of authoritarianism and the politics of absolute cowardice.

I personally wouldn’t conclude they aren’t being “punished” — they lost the Presidency, apparently to a “perv”, underperformed dramatically at the midterms, have completely lost the young when the largest cohort of Americans in history turn 18 before 2024, have had to gerrymander the hell out of any state looking like it might go purple to retain power to avoid the fate of CA, OR, WA and CO, are now at each others throats, and have to line up behind a man under indictment and facing scores of other potential criminal charges in order not to upset the cult that follows him.

As I’ve written here many times, these aren’t the signs of a movement gaining power. These are the signs of a movement desperately trying to hang on to the power it had. GOPers are behaving just like the cornered rats that they are. Hang in, keep the faith, and do the basics: vote them ALL out, every one of them, everywhere, in every race, until they get the message. Then we can go back to discussing conservative policy, progressive policy and the like.
Click to expand...
A question for you because these days I have not been able to analyse things quite as closely as I have in previous years:

How much of the GOP’s current march to fully realised authoritarian (I would actually call it Fascist, but I understand you don’t believe that to be the case) governance and war on secular culture—at local, state, and federal level—is influenced by extreme gerrymandered that they perceive not only largely insulates them from popular opposition to their policies and actions at the voting booth (i.e. many of their disciples and leaders will get elected regardless of how unpopular they are now, at least through 2031, as the voting maps are locked till then), but also drives them to courting the militant base within the party (mostly created and continually groomed by the likes of Trump and DeSantis) to ensure they receive their votes in the many gerrymandered districts?
 
mancity2012_eamo said:
I don’t know where the ‘perv’ accusation comes into it, especially when making a comparison with Trump.
Trump! For ‘chrissake’ ! I, like a lot of Irish people, would boycott Dunbeg because of his involvement with it.
Biden on the other hand?
Well I didn’t really know what to expect. The geriatric tag is force fed at every opportunity on the likes of Fox and other outlets, but to be as fair as possible to the man….
Yes, there was Paddywhackery.

Yes, there was a couple of minor gaffes. He playfully readdressed the All Black gaffe in Dáil Éireann.

Yes there was the customary Catholic angle, but again tbf, there was a very personal angle to this with the meeting with the priest who gave his son last rites.

Yes there was the schmaltz. The homecoming. Look at me now Mom.
There was also excellent script writing from his team. There was potential banana skins skilfully dealt with. There was more carrot than stick regarding Ulster Unionism.

But here is the thing that surprised me, for a supposed geriatric.
I listened to quite a bit of the coverage and apart from the Black and Tan gaffe at Carlingford, he delivered what always appeared as genuinely heart felt, off prompter, one on one with us.
He quite believably came across as one of us. That’s an achievement for any American. Let alone the President.

I thought his speech to the joint house in Leinster house was excellent if I’m being honest. I was really pleasantly surprised.
Whether he’s the man for America for the next 4 years or not, is a matter for Americans.
But from where I’m seated and I’m guessing a lot of the rest of the world, I’d have him over Trump any day of the week. It’s no contest.

And regarding the content of his speech to government. If I was part of Britain or the UK looking on, I would be listening intently to the economical message he conveyed regarding stability and predictability in society and governance that is required before American companies will invest.
Before they will choose where to invest, as their gateways into the EU market.
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He did say "Mayo for Sam" though, the man's obviously senile.
 
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