AdamSmith Posted February 18, 2018 Posted February 18, 2018 Meanwhile, the 'good news' out of all this... Trump and the GOP are making the Republican brand toxic for a generation https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16/opinions/trump-gop-making-their-brand-toxic-opinion-zelizer/index.html Quote
Members RA1 Posted February 18, 2018 Members Posted February 18, 2018 I read this same piece. Amazing how two people can come to different conclusions from the same words. The Democrats used to suffer from the "white right" point of view and they survived. I am willing to suppose the Republicans can do the same. As you know, I am an independent and not happy with any party and not very happy with any pol. Best regards, RA1 Quote
Members tassojunior Posted February 18, 2018 Members Posted February 18, 2018 I'd say Trump, the GOP, the Democratic party, and Hillary are making political parties toxic for a generation. George Washington's farewell address warned against political parties and that they would destroy democracy and the nation. It took 200 years but here we are. It's going to be a lot harder escaping this political party trap than it was sliding into it. But authoritarianism isn't the answer. Quote
Members RA1 Posted February 18, 2018 Members Posted February 18, 2018 Rome, anyone? Best regards, RA1 AdamSmith 1 Quote
Members Latbear4blk Posted February 18, 2018 Members Posted February 18, 2018 Pay attention the the new American grassroots movement. Women, ethnic minorities, plus now teen agers. This is a very interesting moment. AdamSmith, TotallyOz and boiworship 3 Quote
TotallyOz Posted February 18, 2018 Posted February 18, 2018 2 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said: Pay attention the the new American grassroots movement. Women, ethnic minorities, plus now teen agers. This is a very interesting moment. Women will play a big part in the next election. IMHO I hope the teens get together and organize as well. I'd love to see some minority organizing. If those three things happen, the end of the R party. But, as always, it will try to shift to meet the demand. Not now. But, not far into the future. IMHO Latbear4blk 1 Quote
Members boiworship Posted February 21, 2018 Members Posted February 21, 2018 On Point had three 17 yo candidates on this morning, all running for Kansas posts. I realize that NPR devotees like me are a self-sorted cohort, but the call-in folks were very excited. I’m getting to the point that I won’t vote for any Baby Boomers. I’m reading A Generation of Sociopaths by Bruce Cannon Gibney. Eye-opening. AdamSmith 1 Quote
AdamSmith Posted February 21, 2018 Author Posted February 21, 2018 https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/20/mueller-charges-attorney-with-making-false-statements-about-rick-gates-communications-417117 Quote
AdamSmith Posted February 21, 2018 Author Posted February 21, 2018 On 2/18/2018 at 1:47 PM, tassojunior said: It's going to be a lot harder escaping this political party trap than it was sliding into it. You think? I don't. Quote
Members tassojunior Posted February 21, 2018 Members Posted February 21, 2018 I can't ever remember a time when Americans were so at each other's throats in both directions (possibly '68) No one on either cares about facts or truth, just what rationalizations fits the hate they feel. The poor whites detest the educated middle class who they see as favoring blacks and foreigners over struggling whites. The bourgeious detest the white rabble they see as being uncouth and not knowing their place. Our gay libertarian Peter Thiel says it may be time to abandon democracy before the peasant rabble take over. A lot of things may come out of this but more democracy may not be one of them. If anything both sides seem to favor authoritarianism over democracy if it means their side will win but lose in a democratic process. Its easy to think of fascism resulting from class warfare as a trick on the masses by the rich. But fascism is usually sought after strongly when people are distressed. They are sick of freedom, especially other people's to oppose them. Today there were two of the best columns on how fascism comes I've ever read. https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/02/20/trump-putin-and-nikolas-cruz-walk-into-a-bar/ https://www.truthdig.com/articles/how-we-fight-fascism/ Quote
Members boiworship Posted February 21, 2018 Members Posted February 21, 2018 @tassojunior enjoyed the links, although we’ll probably end up either in a state of chronic breakdown, likely civil conflict and ultimately some sort of authoritarian state. A “soft” totalitarianism perhaps. I hope the center can hold, but in many ways I feel like we’re seeing the last days of the Weimar Republic. When the majority, for disparate reasons, loses faith in the liberal state, all hell can break out. tassojunior 1 Quote
Members Suckrates Posted March 10, 2018 Members Posted March 10, 2018 TotallyOz and AdamSmith 1 1 Quote
AdamSmith Posted March 10, 2018 Author Posted March 10, 2018 The millennials and post-millennials are about to become the electoral power, and will not stand for the current stupidity to happen ever again. Quote
Members tassojunior Posted March 10, 2018 Members Posted March 10, 2018 "Electoral power" is in who you allow to vote. Quote
AdamSmith Posted March 10, 2018 Author Posted March 10, 2018 13 minutes ago, tassojunior said: "Electoral power" is in who you allow to vote. ...meaning? We have pretty universal enfranchisement here today, to my understanding. What am I missing? There are to be sure big problems with racially biased districting, but even that the courts are -- slowly -- starting to sort out. Quote
Members tassojunior Posted March 10, 2018 Members Posted March 10, 2018 Especially in red and purple states, to vote you usually have to take off work and go down to the courthouse months before an election with an original birth certificate. Then on election day you have to take off work again, stand in line often for hours, and hope you're listed correctly. "Voter Fraud" cries are going to make it worse. Some places drop your registration if you don't vote for a couple elections. This means most voters are conservative retired people. Even Peter Thiel, our gay Trumper, has said it may be time to think about abandoning democracy. Quote
AdamSmith Posted March 10, 2018 Author Posted March 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, tassojunior said: Especially in red and purple states, to vote you usually have to take off work and go down to the courthouse months before an election with an original birth certificate. Then on election day you have to take off work again, stand in line often for hours, and hope you're listed correctly. "Voter Fraud" cries are going to make it worse. Some places drop your registration if you don't vote for a couple elections. This means most voters are conservative retired people. Even Peter Thiel, our gay Trumper, has said it may be time to think about abandoning democracy. What drugs are you on? Quote
Members tassojunior Posted March 10, 2018 Members Posted March 10, 2018 1 hour ago, AdamSmith said: What drugs are you on? Sorry if you've never heard of "voter suppression". A little education on that, and manners, would do you a lot of good. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression_in_the_United_States Quote
AdamSmith Posted March 11, 2018 Author Posted March 11, 2018 8 hours ago, tassojunior said: Sorry if you've never heard of "voter suppression". A little education on that, and manners, would do you a lot of good. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression_in_the_United_States I do, really, apologize for my rudeness of manner. That was uncalled for. But the documentary evidence presented in that article seems somewhat weak, as I read it through. tassojunior 1 Quote
AdamSmith Posted March 11, 2018 Author Posted March 11, 2018 5 hours ago, AdamSmith said: I do, really, apologize for my rudeness of manner. That was uncalled for. But the documentary evidence presented in that article seems somewhat weak, as I read it through. I get that there is a pretty fair effort to suppress the vote of various parties. I just don't, in the current age, see it working all that well. Quote
