American Politics 3.0 - Back to Brunch

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Aging boomers/Gen Xers who think they're enlightened moderates because they're pro-choice but also think trans people are gross.

You should put a warning on your posts before someone cuts themselves on that edge.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

Pointing and lol’ing at the sad state of US politics would be so much easier if only we didn’t share 8,891 km of border, economic, and social influence. The fact that we have local leaders that idolize the worst of them…just sucks all the fun right out of it.

True, and also our government isn't exactly not a turd pile either.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by Azure

True, and also our government isn't exactly not a turd pile either.

Holding your nose and voting against somebody rather than for somebody is sadly far from an experience exclusive to down south. It's basically what I had to do for 2 of the 3 most recent elections. I imagine there's a lot of voters that were 3 for 3.

[4th Line Goon]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I don’t know why being critical of Biden is so taboo around here. I was that person too, once, and honestly afterward you just end up feeling like an idiot for defending someone who sucks because they suck less than the other one.

Plus, it’s not like 99% of you can vote in the election. So, who cares? Who is actually at risk of voting for Trump if people are mean to Biden in this thread?

I care. I'm not interested in Canada becoming Trump-Lite.

There's a famous quote about America by Pierre Elliott Trudeau:

"Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast… one is affected by every twitch and grunt."

I have never seen more proof of Trudeau's statement than I have since Trump was carried down that escalator in Trump Tower in 2015 like it was some kind of grotesque assembly line for dictators.

A mere eight days after the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, a Canadian Trump supporter in Quebec City went into a mosque and murdered six Muslims. Canada has seen a dramatic rise in racial and religious motivated hatred and violence towards Muslims and Asians since Trump was elected.

We saw radicals in that truck convoy in 2022, many of them Trump supporters, take over and occupy Ottawa. Like the resurrectionists of January 6th, 2021 in Washington, these a-holes wanted to overthrow the duly elected Canadian government and install their own. Authoritarianism is on the rise not only in the United States but also in Canada. Those trucker did not believe in democracy. Additionally, many of the truck convoy leaders and lead organizers were white supremacists. Yes, many of the foot soldiers were only ignorant, willing fools, but so were many citizens of historical authoritarian regimes. They were enamoured with the cult of personality, but they were ignorant of the character of the personality they supported.

And yes, Canada had racists and bigots before 2015, but it was not this bad. They were in the closet so to speak. Upon observing what was happening in the U.S., the worst elements of Canada received tacit approval from Trump to step out of the closet and began to see their bigotry as mainstream. Trump not only gave the racists and bigots and haters a popular cause to unite and rally around in America, but he also united them outside of the U.S. Yes, we need to care, because Donald Trump's brand of authoritarianism is a global industry, and it is far more successful than any of his businesses ever were.

[Azure]

So which account got banned and made you make a new one?

[4th Line Goon]

Originally Posted by Azure

So which account got banned and made you make a new one?

Trump fan, are you?

None. I'm new here.

Your post really pisses me off. You forced me into issuing a denial but you've planted the seed in front of everyone. That can't be undone. If I didn't deny it you and some others would assume you're right. I've seen accusations like yours snowball and follow people around before.

If you have any evidence that I'm a returning, banned account, report me to site admins. They just spent a week vetting me on Facebook where I use my real name, on Twitter where I use my real name, and via text message where they know my real name and my phone number. Otherwise, back off.

[Sultan]

Originally Posted by Azure

So which account got banned and made you make a new one?

Go back to your incessant whining and spewing right wing propaganda and maybe don't attack new arrivals to the forum. Like, what happened to you?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by 4th Line Goon

I care. I'm not interested in Canada becoming Trump-Lite…

Neither am I, what a nightmare.

I just don’t buy why anyone would care about avoiding criticism of Biden in this thread, here. Every poster here that I’m aware of with the ability to vote in the US isn’t voting Trump regardless of how hard people trash Biden.

I feel like, sometimes, people think the impact here is bigger than it is. Not a lot of what we discuss is going to convince anyone but the people discussing it. So when it comes to Trump vs Biden, it’s pretty unlikely that criticism of Biden on CalgaryPuck is going to have any measurable impact on voting in the US. You know?

Originally Posted by 4th Line Goon

Trump fan, are you?

None. I'm new here.

Your post really pisses me off. You forced me into issuing a denial but you've planted the seed in front of everyone. That can't be undone. If I didn't deny it you and some others would assume you're right. I've seen accusations like yours snowball and follow people around before.

If you have any evidence that I'm a returning, banned account, report me to site admins. They just spent a week vetting me on Facebook where I use my real name, on Twitter where I use my real name, and via text message where they know my real name and my phone number. Otherwise, back off.

If it makes you feel better, he didn’t plant any seeds because nobody respects Azure and nobody takes seriously anything he has to say.

90% of his posts are frantic arm waving and eye-roll emojis as he proceeds to put together some of the dumbest points you’ll ever read on this site. Once you get used to it and realize nobody actually takes it seriously, you’ll laugh it off.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

You should put a warning on your posts before someone cuts themselves on that edge.

Found one.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Found one.

See, when you make stupid blanket statements like people who happen to watch a television show are...

Originally Posted by rubecube

Aging boomers/Gen Xers who think they're enlightened moderates because they're pro-choice but also think trans people are gross.

... then you should expect to be called out for saying stupid things. What you shouldn't do is double down on the stupid thing you said.

Now, you can apologize for baselessly accusing me of the above all because you don't like being called out for saying stupid sh-t, given that I'm neither a boomer nor Gen Xer, nor do I "think trans people are gross". Best part is that I don't even watch the show, I occasionally see clips but I haven't watched an entire episode literally in years.

F--k me, you can be a real ignorant ass sometimes. JFC.

[Red Slinger]

Besides policy, one of the fundamental differences between the modern political left and right is how they support and rally around their leaders. The right will parrot the agreed upon talking points and support their guy (or gal but usually guy) no matter what. It's rare that they go off script. Whereas the left makes everyone take an ideological purity test. The problem is, nobody can agree to what the right answers are and nobody is ever satisfied with any leaders. So, the right are in lock step (occasionally of the goose variety) and consistent and loud in their messaging. Whereas the left usually can't respond effectively to the loud, emotionally charged messaging from the right because they're too busy arguing among themselves what 'means' means. It's built into the ideologies. Most influencers on the right don't care about governing or making their country or the world better. They care about themselves or the relatively small group they are part of. So, it's easy to parrot messaging when you're only concerned with one preferred, narrow outcome. Whereas the left tend to be more concerned with the welfare of the wider collective, which is much more difficult to accomplish.

Of course it's true that criticizing Biden on CP will move the needle exactly 0% in the US Presidential election. But as 4th Line Goon mentioned, this stuff doesn't stop at the US border. It affects how we think, behave and vote in Canada and most of the world. It's no surprise that the rise of Trump and the alt-right in general also led to pseudo-fascists being elected elsewhere in the world. The left needs to take every small win to push the agenda and momentum forward, rather than bickering publicly about the delivery of Tik Tok videos. The gradual move forward is how Roe v. Wade and just about every other progressive law came to be. It's not just about elections. These conversations, even here, push the agenda progressively. If I had my way Biden would quit and be replaced with someone younger, progressive and inspiring. But at the moment, he's all that stands between the world and an ever increasingly unhinged Trump.

[4th Line Goon]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Neither am I, what a nightmare.

I just don’t buy why anyone would care about avoiding criticism of Biden in this thread, here. Every poster here that I’m aware of with the ability to vote in the US isn’t voting Trump regardless of how hard people trash Biden.

I feel like, sometimes, people think the impact here is bigger than it is. Not a lot of what we discuss is going to convince anyone but the people discussing it. So when it comes to Trump vs Biden, it’s pretty unlikely that criticism of Biden on CalgaryPuck is going to have any measurable impact on voting in the US. You know?



If it makes you feel better, he didn’t plant any seeds because nobody respects Azure and nobody takes seriously anything he has to say.

90% of his posts are frantic arm waving and eye-roll emojis as he proceeds to put together some of the dumbest points you’ll ever read on this site. Once you get used to it and realize nobody actually takes it seriously, you’ll laugh it off.

Thanks.

We can do something though.

In Canada, we can vote for people who believe in democracy. We can reject propaganda sources like Rebel News, Tucker Carlson, and various right-wing propaganda media sources like Breitbart. We must fact-check sources we see on social media or Facebook. We must not put people in power who reject democratic ideals. Those people must remain on the fringe, never rising to power, no matter how charismatic they are. We must be intelligent, informed voters. Otherwise, what's happening in the U.S. could happen here. And if Trump wins in November, it's not only the U.S. that's in trouble.

We are in a new chapter in the history of the United States. And as my Trudeau quote above alludes to, this affects Canadians. With authoritarianism openly supported by millions of Trump supporters who don't have the wherewithal to recognize an autocrat, or to recognize they are members of a cult of personality — and with MAGA members actively stalking and hunting members of the Democratic Party, as well as actively and openly encouraging civil war, if Trump is re-elected, this does not bode well for the United States. Therefore, it does not bode well for Canada.

[4th Line Goon]

Trump has gone full dictator. Never go full dictator.

[The Fonz]

Makes me want to donate to Haley

[Barnet Flame]

Imagine being barred from the MAGA camp.

For life!

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

Imagine being barred from the MAGA camp.

For life!

I’d pay for a certificate of MAGA Excommunication

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

See, when you make stupid blanket statements like people who happen to watch a television show are... ... then you should expect to be called out for saying stupid things. What you shouldn't do is double down on the stupid thing you said.

Now, you can apologize for baselessly accusing me of the above all because you don't like being called out for saying stupid sh-t, given that I'm neither a boomer nor Gen Xer, nor do I "think trans people are gross". Best part is that I don't even watch the show, I occasionally see clips but I haven't watched an entire episode literally in years.

F--k me, you can be a real ignorant ass sometimes. JFC.

Pepsi just posted a statement that applies to rubecube equally well so I'll just copy his words

90% of his posts are frantic arm waving and eye-roll emojis as he proceeds to put together some of the dumbest points you’ll ever read on this site. Once you get used to it and realize nobody actually takes it seriously, you’ll laugh it off.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Pepsi just posted a statement that applies to rubecube equally well so I'll just copy his words

Nah, those two don’t post anything alike.

I wouldn’t mind in most cases if you’re feeling a bit shy and need to hide behind my words. But you should at least make sure it’s on point.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Nah, those two don’t post anything alike.

I wouldn’t mind in most cases if you’re feeling a bit shy and need to hide behind my words. But you should at least make sure it’s on point.

The point still stands, both are #### posters here just from different angles and ideology.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Pepsi just posted a statement that applies to rubecube equally well so I'll just copy his words

I was going to do something similar with Pepsi’s post that it’s pointless to criticize people complaining about Biden because there’s nothing we can do about it, by pointing out that it’s equally useless for posters like PsYcNeT to complain about Biden in the first place. And yet those earlier posts about Biden didn’t seem to bother Pepsi at all.

It’s always comical when people police the behaviour of other posters in such a transparently partisan manner.