2020 US Election

[Nebraska]

On 9/30/2023 at 9:12 PM, ignatius said:

all were shills. it was a non-union shop that wasn't striking or supporting the strike. they make parts or something.  and yeah.. a bunch of them were apparently paid to be there. 

it's all a facade.. an act as usual and some people will buy it. 

correct- the UAW president said he wouldn't meet him and had called him out for holding "a rally for union members at a nonunion business"

also: another day, another lawsuit. this time it's rudeboi going after biden for ruing his life

 

[ignatius]

[Nebraska]

she should have added a "or else..." somewhere in there for emphasis

[Rubin Farr]

 

[ignatius]

https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1710453703642092001?s=20

 

MAGA 'We are the world' featuring Mike Flynn

 

Edited October 8, 2023 by ignatius

[Nebraska]

https://www.cenkforamerica.com/

this cannot be happening. 

oh god, this is happening.

[Rubin Farr]

On 10/12/2023 at 2:51 PM, Nebraska said:

https://www.cenkforamerica.com/

this cannot be happening. 

oh god, this is happening.

People on YouTube are fucking delusional.

[zero]

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/15/trump-fec-polls-funding-00121681

Quote

The $24.5 million Trump’s campaign reported raising during the third quarter is more than double what any of his Republican rivals reported over the same period.

 

grift

[ grift ]SHOW IPA

See synonyms for grift on Thesaurus.com

---

noun

1. (sometimes used with a plural verb) a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.

2. money obtained from such practices.

verb (used without object)

3. to profit by the use of grift:a man known to have grifted for many years.

verb (used with object)

4. to obtain (money or other profit) by grift.

 

[zero]

ugh...I've had a few irl encounters with trump supporters lately. one was a very well educated guy I've known a long time, who fell down the right wing rabbit hole years back. don't know how it came up (we were drinking, always the best time to discuss politics lol) and I saw the "switch" in his personality as soon as the election and all that shit came up. the aggressiveness came out big time. not willing to listen to any points I made. his logic fell apart when trying to defend that stuff, but he kept repeating stuff over and over. like robotic scary. I finally had to go down the path of least resistance - fuck all this politics shit, I love you maaaan - in order to get back to some state of calmness. 

another dude was a bar denizen who came up to a table I was at with friends. he made some comment about one of my friends having hair like trump (my friends hair was salt and pepper grey, longish, but nothing like big T's classic combover) and then it all starts getting into politics. the bar dude just kept repeating over and over "he's my guy. don't care what anyone says, trump's my guy." this dude was definitely looking to fight if we wanted that, which we didn't. dealing with dipshits like this...it's almost like being a parent who is forced to placate an upset toddler so they don't continue to throw shit around the room. 

Maga-ism is 100% a cult. this is what happens to people in cults. they may act normal for the most part, then boom, some trigger hits, some synapses in their brain start misfiring. they no longer are accepting of logic. I know most of us know this by now, see it day in day out online. but dealing with people like this irl is a reminder that brainwashing is real. 

[may be rude]

sidney powell, trump's kracken lawyer, flipped. plead guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties.

Edited October 20, 2023 by trying to be less rude

[may be rude]

7 hours ago, zero said:

ugh...I've had a few irl encounters with trump supporters lately. one was a very well educated guy I've known a long time, who fell down the right wing rabbit hole years back. don't know how it came up (we were drinking, always the best time to discuss politics lol) and I saw the "switch" in his personality as soon as the election and all that shit came up. the aggressiveness came out big time. not willing to listen to any points I made. his logic fell apart when trying to defend that stuff, but he kept repeating stuff over and over. like robotic scary. I finally had to go down the path of least resistance - fuck all this politics shit, I love you maaaan - in order to get back to some state of calmness. 

another dude was a bar denizen who came up to a table I was at with friends. he made some comment about one of my friends having hair like trump (my friends hair was salt and pepper grey, longish, but nothing like big T's classic combover) and then it all starts getting into politics. the bar dude just kept repeating over and over "he's my guy. don't care what anyone says, trump's my guy." this dude was definitely looking to fight if we wanted that, which we didn't. dealing with dipshits like this...it's almost like being a parent who is forced to placate an upset toddler so they don't continue to throw shit around the room. 

Maga-ism is 100% a cult. this is what happens to people in cults. they may act normal for the most part, then boom, some trigger hits, some synapses in their brain start misfiring. they no longer are accepting of logic. I know most of us know this by now, see it day in day out online. but dealing with people like this irl is a reminder that brainwashing is real. 

yes, brainwashing is real, and it is wild to see

if you give someone a piece of information they didn't have before, you can help. try to figure out which piece of information they'd take the best. 

unfortunately, we're forced to debate. jumping into the fray is doing god's work

[zero]

10 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

yes, brainwashing is real, and it is wild to see

it is. especially when it's someone you've known for a long time. 

 

10 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

if you give someone a piece of information they didn't have before, you can help. try to figure out which piece of information they'd take the best. 

this requires the other side to actually listen though. seems to me we're passed that point. there is the side of logic/common sense/decency, and there is the other side starring back angrily with fingers plugged in their ears. society has become far more immature after social media started.

 

10 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

unfortunately, we're forced to debate. jumping into the fray is doing god's work

debate only works if the other side is mature enough to reply back with a take that is rooted in reality. the maga tribe have all completely lost touch with the real world, thanks to FB/twitter/Fox news and con man don filling their heads with non stop BS over the years. 

also, gotta be careful about crossing the streams of politics/religion. doing "gods work" is what the red hats all say trumpo is doing. IMO it's this type of thinking, i.e. believing to be acting on behalf of an imaginary omniscient eye in the sky, that causes more bad deeds to occur on this planet than good.

[Nebraska]

13 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

sidney powell, trump's kracken lawyer, flipped. plead guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties.

chesboro also just pleaded guilty

we're 2 down and still more to go!

 

[may be rude]

6 hours ago, zero said:

 

17 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

if you give someone a piece of information they didn't have before, you can help. try to figure out which piece of information they'd take the best. 

this requires the other side to actually listen though. seems to me we're passed that point. there is the side of logic/common sense/decency, and there is the other side starring back angrily with fingers plugged in their ears. society has become far more immature after social media started.

i know what you mean. you've got to assess on a case by case basis whether and how to engage. definitely some people at some times are dangerous and should be left alone. and some people are toward the dense and hopeless end of the spectrum. 

one thing about brainwashing is that it can be a step on the way to war. you say "seems to me we're past that point" and this the reasoning in the minds of people who become willing to resort to deadly violence. this is a really unfortunate place to be in. we should keep this is in mind as a motivator to find opportunities to move the ball forward where we can. you don't have to win each battle with each person, it is enough to just move the ball forward some amount. and really this is the better approach, which is recommended when dealing with cult members: not too confrontational. ask questions and sincerely listen. sharing a single piece of information can help. especially if it is relevant, significant, and well supported. try to find a piece of information that the person would find interesting. some things are just interesting, and not too objectionable, but can help people think in a better direction.

6 hours ago, zero said:

17 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

unfortunately, we're forced to debate. jumping into the fray is doing god's work

debate only works if the other side is mature enough to reply back with a take that is rooted in reality. the maga tribe have all completely lost touch with the real world, thanks to FB/twitter/Fox news and con man don filling their heads with non stop BS over the years. 

also, gotta be careful about crossing the streams of politics/religion. doing "gods work" is what the red hats all say trumpo is doing. IMO it's this type of thinking, i.e. believing to be acting on behalf of an imaginary omniscient eye in the sky, that causes more bad deeds to occur on this planet than good.

i say doing god's work jokingly, and as a way of saying that this is the frontline, and this is where the work of improving society occurs.

i say it's unfortunate that we're forced to debate because it is so difficult and painful. and yeah in some cases it's not appropriate. and i am talking about a very large time frame. we are in a 100 year crucible. it's important to remember that the more conflict we can resolve through debate, the less conflict energy will manifest as force. 

4 hours ago, Summon Dot E X E said:

17 hours ago, trying to be less rude said:

yes, brainwashing is real, and it is wild to see

if you give someone a piece of information they didn't have before, you can help. try to figure out which piece of information they'd take the best. 

unfortunately, we're forced to debate. jumping into the fray is doing god's work

Tribalism is the intentional result of wedge politics and the "culture war" (divide and conquer by agitprop).

certainly people are being played against each-other. there is no doubt about this. existing fissures in society are exploited. prigozhin's Internet Research Agency easily manipulated americans with things like racism

Edited October 20, 2023 by trying to be less rude

[zero]

38 minutes ago, trying to be less rude said:

one thing about brainwashing is that it can be a step on the way to war. you say "seems to me we're past that point" and this the reasoning in the minds of people who become willing to resort to deadly violence. 

I can see that what I said there could be interpreted that way... but I was meaning that it's been many, many years now since the rise of trump and maga-ism. there have been numerous opportunities for his supporters to "snap out of it," realize that him and his whole schtick is a giant con game. that's the "point" I was meaning. the kool aid should've worn off by now...how anyone can still straight faced say that the election was stolen, etc., after all the evidence presented, means that those on team maga are never going to come around. ever. they will go to their graves believing trump was the best thing that happened to America. and all the debating/trying to snap them out of it, seems futile...

but I don't have any other solution to present as an alternative to the debating method you mentioned...this is the part in the movie when a deus ex machina is supposed to happen. 

 

55 minutes ago, trying to be less rude said:

i say doing god's work jokingly, and as a way of saying that this is the frontline, and this is where the work of improving society occurs.

gotcha. yeah the humans inhabiting this planet are in dire need of a massive sea change right about now. and it isn't going to come from more technology being thrown at us (AI), if you ask me.

[zlemflolia]

On 8/1/2023 at 5:20 PM, Upset man said:

It’s pretty fucking weird how half the country thinks trumps the hero and Biden is the villian

both viallains, olnly the real ones know

[Satans Little Helper]

On 10/19/2023 at 10:49 PM, zero said:

ugh...I've had a few irl encounters with trump supporters lately. one was a very well educated guy I've known a long time, who fell down the right wing rabbit hole years back. don't know how it came up (we were drinking, always the best time to discuss politics lol) and I saw the "switch" in his personality as soon as the election and all that shit came up. the aggressiveness came out big time. not willing to listen to any points I made. his logic fell apart when trying to defend that stuff, but he kept repeating stuff over and over. like robotic scary. I finally had to go down the path of least resistance - fuck all this politics shit, I love you maaaan - in order to get back to some state of calmness. 

another dude was a bar denizen who came up to a table I was at with friends. he made some comment about one of my friends having hair like trump (my friends hair was salt and pepper grey, longish, but nothing like big T's classic combover) and then it all starts getting into politics. the bar dude just kept repeating over and over "he's my guy. don't care what anyone says, trump's my guy." this dude was definitely looking to fight if we wanted that, which we didn't. dealing with dipshits like this...it's almost like being a parent who is forced to placate an upset toddler so they don't continue to throw shit around the room. 

Maga-ism is 100% a cult. this is what happens to people in cults. they may act normal for the most part, then boom, some trigger hits, some synapses in their brain start misfiring. they no longer are accepting of logic. I know most of us know this by now, see it day in day out online. but dealing with people like this irl is a reminder that brainwashing is real. 

you and your buddies kept your cool! well done. not being triggered is like a victory

On 10/20/2023 at 5:02 AM, trying to be less rude said:

sidney powell, trump's kracken lawyer, flipped. plead guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties.

the walls are finally starting to crumble. this georgia case looks like it will get there

18 hours ago, Nebraska said:

chesboro also just pleaded guilty

we're 2 down and still more to go!

 

yes yes!

[may be rude]

3 hours ago, Satans Little Helper said:

On 10/19/2023 at 11:02 PM, trying to be less rude said:

sidney powell, trump's kracken lawyer, flipped. plead guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties.

the walls are finally starting to crumble. this georgia case looks like it will get there

it's looking bad for the dorito. hard to imagine him pleading, himself. which means we'll likely see televised testimony from powell and whoever else flips. will be wild.

 

and this means new evidence that can be used in the federal case, if i'm not mistaken, which was already apparently a very solid case. 

 

i'm hearing that the likely republican presidential nominee for 2024 may be sentenced with time by the election. 

Edited October 21, 2023 by trying to be less rude

[may be rude]

biden is quite great. a lifelong public servant who always avoided corruption. after decades in congress, he was famous for being poor. the money biden has made has been from his book. don't buy the horse shit

[ignatius]

i wouldn't say he's 'great'. he's tolerable and does less harm than the other option. his admin just did approve a big pipeline in the PNW that officials from multiple states objected to as well as numerous environmentalist groups. 

he's firmly in the neoliberal camp which isn't really a good thing. sometimes he gets it right with domestic policy and there's been a few solid and positive legislative achievements during his turn as president so far. 

anyway.. he could be a lot worse but could be better. i vote mostly based on harm reduction and he's definitely pointed in the direction of reducing harm.. at least domestically. though there's a lot to debate but that's boring as shit really and is like pissing in the wind. 

fingers crossed the orange one gets disqualified or if he gets the nomination he gets defeated. i don't think we'd survive another 4 years of that guy. 

[may be rude]

 

the bulwark is doing some of the best stuff these days, and they're conservative

[ignatius]

6 minutes ago, trying to be less rude said:

 

the bulwark is doing some of the best stuff these days, and they're conservative

this is some really mainstream democrat talking points ball licking. i made it through some of it but couldn't listen to the whole thing. it's also full on democrat echo-chamber type stuff. 

[zlemflolia]

4 hours ago, ignatius said:

i wouldn't say he's 'great'. he's tolerable and does less harm than the other option. his admin just did approve a big pipeline in the PNW that officials from multiple states objected to as well as numerous environmentalist groups. 

he's firmly in the neoliberal camp which isn't really a good thing. sometimes he gets it right with domestic policy and there's been a few solid and positive legislative achievements during his turn as president so far. 

anyway.. he could be a lot worse but could be better. i vote mostly based on harm reduction and he's definitely pointed in the direction of reducing harm.. at least domestically. though there's a lot to debate but that's boring as shit really and is like pissing in the wind. 

fingers crossed the orange one gets disqualified or if he gets the nomination he gets defeated. i don't think we'd survive another 4 years of that guy. 

harm reduction?

hes a supporter of israel's genocide of the palestinians, and said he would veto medicare for all if it was signed by congress on his desk

this harm reduction fallacy is such bullshit because he doesnt reduce any harm whatsoever, he exists to justify the two-party system by acting as a faux-left option when hes really far right

"could be a lot worse"
could be a lot better too. not him though. capitalists are fundamentally incapable of making things better longterm.

Edited October 21, 2023 by zlemflolia

[Hi Guys]

13 hours ago, zlemflolia said:

both viallains, olnly the real ones know

I think most people recognize that Biden is the pathetic status quo, nobody’s first choice for the democrat nominee turned president with obvious clear issues that will come to a head sooner than later and accept that because the alternative was/is something that poses a much more immediate threat to democracy, the foundations of stability… an overall toxic megalomaniac who cannot function without sycophantic praise while in a complete detachment from reality. You have a “villain” and a total fucking maniac capital V Villain psycho. At least with Biden you get the feeling some of the people he has working for him have somewhat of an idea of how things work etc. 

[ignatius]

4 hours ago, zlemflolia said:

harm reduction?

hes a supporter of israel's genocide of the palestinians, and said he would veto medicare for all if it was signed by congress on his desk

this harm reduction fallacy is such bullshit because he doesnt reduce any harm whatsoever, he exists to justify the two-party system by acting as a faux-left option when hes really far right

"could be a lot worse"
could be a lot better too. not him though. capitalists are fundamentally incapable of making things better longterm.

yes. and somehow he was the better option. 

same w/obama. millions of more people got healthcare in USA because of him but he also went hogwild with drone strikes. the domestic side of things is the harm reduction in this case.. but we could look at every act of policy both foreign and domestic and tally up a pros/cons chart.. seems pointless though.  just know that there's often a better choice in any election (federal, state, local).. and that no one can see the future so you do your best and hope they prove you right more often than they prove you wrong. 

harm reduction.. when someone makes life better for some people.. it reduces harm. things like child tax credits... that pandemic stuff massively reduced childhood poverty. 

i'm ok taking what opportunities come along to make things a little better and i know that i'll not get everything and society won't be greatly changed and we'll only get incremental change. 

i don't need to have a litmus test and i don't expect every politician in the mainstream.. part of the system or whatever.. to be revolutionary and bring on some kind of socialist mutual aid based system based on anarchic principles with no hierarchies.. 

that's just not gonna happen... so why not do the best we can and try to at least make life less cruel for as many people as possible?

also, sometimes they do make things better longterm for some people. it happens in small ways.. sometimes by accident or the by-product of some other action. 

i reject the idea that we should all should abandon the system because it isn't exactly the thing we want or the thing we know is better.  i've had conversations w/people who i'd characterize like that. all or nothing. burn it all down. fine. go ahead. in the meantime i think it'd be cool if some kids got free school lunches and didn't go hungry or some people got health care or tax credits or whatever... or that there was better public transportation or a few more public parks. 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by ignatius