American Politics 3.0 - Back to Brunch

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Azure

Yes, she resigned because she had to dot the Is and cross the Ts, and not because both Democrats and Republicans put her on the stand and made her answer questions, which she completely and miserably failed at.

Amazes me how 'not a big deal' people think this all is.

It is a big deal. Head of SS resigned. What do you want us to do, though? Trump is fine. He went on to the RNC a week later. Problems with SS have been identified and will have to be addressed. Scary to think this could happen. Should high-level politicians start doing speeches behind bullet proof glass? I'd think so. Maybe even from a pope mobile-type enclosure so they don't have to worry about drones dropping explosives or exploding themselves. Things will change.

Is there something more you want to talk about with this? We acknowledge it's crazy it happened. It should not have. Okay...and? What more do you want here lol?

Bigger story right now is the POTUS just announced he isn't running again and the democrats look to be elevating Harris to run for president. That's a big deal, too. And it's happening in real time. It's actually the bigger story right now.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Itse

It's honestly extremely hard to sympathize or understand Republican voters these days (and many other conservative voters, because the Republicans are hardly the only conservative party that has been going full loco in the last 20 years).

Sure, there have always been crazy people in every party making crazy suggestions, and there's always been some quotes that have either aged terribly or were terrible to begin with, but were said a decade+ ago. To some extent you have to learn to ignore that because it's not representative of the party as a whole.

That's not what's going on with the GOP. The outright crazy people with incredibly disturbing suggestions in that party are governors and senators and presidential candidates, and they are saying the crazy stuff in the official campaign rallies and the RNC. The list of people suggesting that they use violence against their opponents of start a civil war if they lose is worryingly long by now. Many of the "anti-trans" laws they've already passed in many states are just straight up undiluted fascism with zero caveats.

Yeah it's a big party and not everyone in it is crazy or dangerous, but the current leadership most certainly and very obviously is a danger to the basic functions and overall stability of the nation.

Of course we already live in incredibly effed up times. In my nerdy circles, a common joke these days is that most past dystopias are incredibly optimistic by today's standards. Back in 1979, Weyland-Utani might have been a ruthless corporation that would willingly sacrifice the lives of it's workers to smuggle an alien lifeform on to Earth for study, sure, but the least credible part of that movie today is that the crew are employees with a bonus system.

The crap that Republicans spew is so incredibly deranged that you could not have credibly put it in a satire in the 90's.

I'm going to have to step up my questioning of my Republican female friends/colleagues. I mean, Trumpers are going to Trump, but how tf could any rational, thinking female even consider voting for these misogynistic, controlling ####s?
It's mind bottling

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Swift

4 months before the election and the Republicans already sound like sore losers - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...-election-2024

The usual GOP bullsh1t. The only fair election is when we win; the other guys win, it was stolen. We’ll do all we can to cast doubt on election integrity. I hate those people.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Azure

Not sure, maybe should should ask Sliver.

They need to figure out the anatomy of that day that resulted in a guy getting so many shots off at a former POTUS and current frontrunner. Hard to do that if the head of the SS quits and then decides to unwind at her family cottage for a few weeks to relax into her new-found unemployment.

Her staying to offboard herself, help with the initial investigation of the event and be available to whoever is taking over is completely rational.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by Azure

Where did I say that?

Oh right, I didn't.

Also, the secret service director resigned. I guess it was because she did such a stellar job, and nothing 'wrong' happened.

You appear to be unnecessarily defensive. When you said “But hey, literally nothing strange about what happened” that implies to the reader you believe there’s something else beyond the official explanation of incompetence going on. Considering your long term and certainly your more recent posting history along with your temperament it isn’t irrational to conclude you might mean something of a more conspiratorial nature happened.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Azure

With what specifically?

The assassination attempt?

Likely reason is complete and utter stupidity by the people in charge on the ground, and then politics by the people above them to restrict protection details, etc, etc. And then an attempt at a coverup of it all. I posted a few days ago that I wouldn't be surprised if the roof wasn't covered because someone wanted to sit in the shade and eat their twinkies.

As for Biden, likely in worse shape than the media and the cover up gang wants to admit. The fact that he can't even hold a press conference to tell everyone he is not running is pretty ridiculous. The fact that most here think its no big deal is hilarious. I mean its only the most important position in the world.

I have realized that people don't actually care that the position is held by someone who actually has the capability of running it, and instead its like cheering for a hockey team. No matter what, your team is good and the other team (the oilers), suck, are terrible, no good, etc. Even if they make it to finals.

If we are all of a sudden limiting the office of presidency to 'someone who actually has the capability of running it', there is still one more letter that needs writing.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

If we are all of a sudden limiting the office of presidency to 'someone who actually has the capability of running it', there is still one more letter that needs writing.

Well sure, I've been saying that for months. Big reason I wanted the Democrats to rally behind someone like Dean Phillips.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

You appear to be unnecessarily defensive. When you said “But hey, literally nothing strange about what happened” that implies to the reader you believe there’s something else beyond the official explanation of incompetence going on. Considering your long term and certainly your more recent posting history along with your temperament it isn’t irrational to conclude you might mean something of a more conspiratorial nature happened.

And another addition to the ignore list.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Azure

And another addition to the ignore list.

Gonna start calling you Draisaitl because of how pissy you are.

[ResAlien]

lol that was as polite as it gets. What a child

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

lol that was as polite as it gets. What a child

I'll quote your next 5 posts for him to see... lol

[nik-]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

lol that was as polite as it gets. What a child

What's a visibility quote?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

lol that was as polite as it gets. What a child.

You forgot the period, I've fixed it for you.

[Looch City]

....so it was DEI in the end??

[SutterBrother]

Originally Posted by Azure

Who knows. I mean right now it seems like Harris is the best candidate ever because look at all the money flowing in and how happy all the Democrats are.

She had the worst approval rating in history for a vice president for a reason, and it sure ain't because everyone thinks she's a great candidate.

She doesn't have to be. She just needs to be better than Trump, which clearly she is.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Clearly there isn’t going to be any kind of clear cut data on it. So we have to make inferences.

The majority of Americans who earn in the top 40 per cent support the Democrats.

https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-b...ection-1806747

65 percent of taxpayer households that earn more than $500,000 per year are in Democratic districts.

https://www.thenation.com/article/so...h-party-obama/

I don’t think it’s a stretch to think there’s a strong correlation between earning in the top 10-40 per cent of income and being in the managerial class.

I wonder how much of that is blue state/red state and urban/rural disparities being amplified over time. For instance, in 2010 California's median household income was 15% higher than the national state average whereas now it's 22% higher. Or Washington, where it was 11% above the average in 2010 and now it's 21% higher. Whereas a place like Wyoming, which is considered the reddest state, has seen its household income go from 107% of the national average to only 94%.

That obviously doesn't totally explain the shift, but when regions (particularly populous ones) that were already voting Democrat see their incomes rise faster than regions that vote Republican, then it's going to show up as stronger support among high earners, even if few people are actually changing their votes.

Just to use another example. In 2010 the median Oregon household earned about 9% more than the median Louisiana household; now they earn almost 40% more. If you compare the 2012 election to the 2020 election though, those states didn't see big shifts in Presidential party support. But if you tied it to income, then there would be a noticeable shift, simply due to Oregon incomes rising much faster than Louisiana ones.

Again, I don't think that explains all or even most of the effect, but it is part of it.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Azure

Well sure, I've been saying that for months. Big reason I wanted the Democrats to rally behind someone like Dean Phillips.

Yeah, Dean Phillips really had the star power and national recognition that would have put the Democrats over the top, LOL.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Azure

Well sure, I've been saying that for months. Big reason I wanted the Democrats to rally behind someone like Dean Phillips.

Originally Posted by opendoor

Yeah, Dean Phillips really had the star power and national recognition that would have put the Democrats over the top, LOL.

Azure, just stop lol.

I googled: Fox News "Dean Phillips"

Low and behold, this dude has been ripping on the DNC and Biden for months and Fox loves him.

Yeah, sounds like a great candidate for democrats...a guy Republicans like.

What a dork.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Yeah, Dean Phillips really had the star power and national recognition that would have put the Democrats over the top, LOL.

You keep going with that sass and you’re gonna end up on the ignore list, buddy.

Dean Phillips is an amazing candidate as far as right wingers are concerned. I’ve never heard a single liberal breathe word of him but he’s gotta be good

[Senator Clay Davis]

Having never heard of Dean Phillips until 7 minutes ago, Google tells me his family has the biggest distillery in Minnesota. When you consider he could have ran with a "Make America Drunk Again" slogan, Dems really missed the boat there.