Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.

Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.

If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.


In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#133401: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:27:34 PM

Maybe you could reformulate that free trade isn't bad, but today's so-called "free trade" agreements are not actually about free trade.

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133403: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:35:22 PM

What did Ann Coulter say this time?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Blueeyedrat Since: Oct, 2010
#133404: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:37:11 PM

[up] See above, in response to Khizr Khan's speech at the DNC.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#133405: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:39:16 PM

Free trade itself can also be bad. One, the statements of economists about it bringing a net economic benefit are an averaged number, it does not imply that all or even most people profit from it. Second, most politicians pushing them are either not willing or not capable of handling problems from free trade agreements. Third, they tend to be loaded up with intellectual property and jurisdictional issues (the dreaded ISDS) which do not have demonstrated economic or social benefit but are liked by powerful lobbys.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133406: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:39:52 PM

Fucking hell, how the fuck is Bill Maher friends with Ann Coulter?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#133407: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:41:51 PM

[up]Because Bill Maher is simply the liberal Anne Coulter. It's not like he's less of a dick, he's just a dick in the name of a cause most of us agree with. He's also near as bigoted as she is when it comes to the subject of Islam.

Shawnsummer7 Since: Jan, 2016 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
#133408: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:43:44 PM

I'm guessing she's like this often?

edited 29th Jul '16 1:45:21 PM by Shawnsummer7

randomdude4 Since: May, 2011
#133409: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:44:24 PM

[up][up][up] Bill Maher is scum as far as I'm concerned. He's practically the posterboy of everything wrong with the extremely far left and an incredibly intolerant bigot.

Why my dad loves watching his show is beyond me.

edited 29th Jul '16 1:45:41 PM by randomdude4

"Can't make an omelette without breaking some children." -Bur
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#133410: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:45:31 PM

[up]What killed it for me was his constantly mocking Americans for eating badly...while bragging about getting stoned every night. When it comes to brilliant lifestyle choices, Bill, you're not doing so hot yourself.

PhiSat Planeswalker from Everywhere and Nowhere Since: Jan, 2011
Planeswalker
#133411: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:50:05 PM

I'm much more concerned with outsourcing of labour as opposed to free trade. With free trade the consumers are often able to vote with their wallets as to which products they want to buy. With outsourced labour you lose jobs and people in other countries are given scraps for doing a whole steak's worth of labour.

Maybe that should be emphasized. 'It's not immigrants taking your jobs, it's greedy CEOs exporting jobs to people working slave wages overseas so they can line their pockets with fat bonuses.'

Oissu!
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133412: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:53:43 PM

What are some really bad things Maher as said about Islam? I remember him bitching about how we need to be harder on Muslims after the Orlando shooting.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#133413: Jul 29th 2016 at 1:54:05 PM

Trump calling Clinton the devil. Pot, kettle. Or perhaps more accurately, pot, mildly stained cut glass.

I remember him bitching about how we need to be harder on Muslims after the Orlando shooting.

You just answered your own question there. Maher, like his buddy Sam Harris, treats Islam as a monolith, in which all the members must denounce every single act of terrorism ever or be part of the problem.

Forget that there's massive divides within the religion, forget that members of one sect denouncing members of another sect is meaningless, forget that in cases like Orlando religion is only a fraction of the problem...clearly all Muslims everywhere in the world must stand up and say "Islam as a collective does not approve of this".

I don't remember anyone demanding that all Catholics everywhere denounce the IRA—or even that the Pope (who is ostensibly in charge of that religion) do so. I don't remember anyone demanding that all Anglicans (or even the archbishop) denounce to the UVF and UDA. Or all American Protestants denounce the Klan. Yet somehow, when a Muslim commits a crime, it's an acceptable part of political discourse on right and left alike to demand that all Muslims, regardless of sect or proximity, apologize for it.

The Orlando shooter's own imam denounced what he did. Somehow that wasn't enough for Maher.

edited 29th Jul '16 1:59:07 PM by AmbarSonofDeshar

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#133415: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:00:09 PM

[up][up]

In fairness, the text (can't see the video) reads more like he's saying Sanders had made a Deal with the Devil, which is not literally meant in most cases.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133416: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:00:11 PM

So Stein is an anti-vaxxer?

Just fucking great.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
randomdude4 Since: May, 2011
#133417: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:01:58 PM

Some Maher quotes:

"With guests Michael Moore and Richard Dawkins, Maher suggests liberals are afraid to criticize Muslims “because they’re a minority and because they’re brown. It doesn’t matter. Pernicious beliefs are pernicious beliefs.”"

"The Koran is a hate-filled holy book."

"P.C. has made America a pussy nation, and there are no great religions, they’re all stupid and dangerous."

"Islam is the only religion that acts like the mafia that will fucking kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture or write the wrong book."

"When it comes to scary-ass religions, extremist Muslims are like Godzilla and we're like, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret."

"1 out of 4 Americans believes Jesus will return in their lifetime. See, that's religion: ego masquerading as humility." (not Islam I know, but still shows how bigoted he is against religion itself).

edited 29th Jul '16 2:03:06 PM by randomdude4

"Can't make an omelette without breaking some children." -Bur
Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#133418: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:04:12 PM

"The Koran is a hate-filled holy book" - Let me point at large sections of the Old Testament where God was all "kill all these people to claim your holy land"...

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133419: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:04:14 PM

Makes it weird that my parents listen to his drivel even though they're proud Christians.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
randomdude4 Since: May, 2011
#133420: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:05:46 PM

[up][up]How about instead you point to all the places in both books that promote love and tolerance. Saying "this one's just as evil" makes things worse, not better.

Plus Maher is a very staunch, arrogant, and bitter atheist, so you'd probably just be helping his point.

edited 29th Jul '16 2:07:22 PM by randomdude4

"Can't make an omelette without breaking some children." -Bur
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#133421: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:07:49 PM

"Islam is the only religion that acts like the mafia that will fucking kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture or write the wrong book."

This right here is a classic example of bigotry from Maher. "Only religion that acts like the mafia". Been to Belfast, Bill? Been to Uganda? Been to Burma?

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133422: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:09:41 PM

Maher is like a less funny version of George Carlin.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#133423: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:10:07 PM

The thing about militant atheists is that they claim that religions are evil, because they try to destroy each other, while declaring that we therefore need to destroy all religions.

"Any campaign world where an orc samurai can leap off a landcruiser to fight a herd of Bulbasaurs will always have my vote of confidence"
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#133424: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:10:48 PM

I've literally seen people on Facebook saying "We don't need freedom of religion, we need freedom from religion!"

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#133425: Jul 29th 2016 at 2:11:25 PM

@Elle: That doesn't help refute Maher's incredibly bigoted point, that's more implicit agreement with "and let's talk about how this other religion is just as terrible." Because Maher is an atheist, to go by his commentary, and not of a mind to defend Christianity for any reason.

This is also the guy who said a school age boy deserved to be bullied by a teacher for building a clock the teacher mistook for a bomb. Because he was Muslim. I think Ben Affleck tore into him for that.

edited 29th Jul '16 2:14:21 PM by AceofSpades


Total posts: 417,856
Top