TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

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

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#177826: Mar 12th 2017 at 8:22:26 PM

https://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/fired-us-attorney-bharara-was-pursuing-multiple-investigations-against-fox-news/

Fired US Attorney Bharara was pursuing multiple investigations against Fox News

Also, on the short list to replace Bharara is Marc Mukasey, a former member of Rupert Murdoch’s personal legal team

ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#177827: Mar 12th 2017 at 8:57:29 PM

[up]Because firing a prosecutor and replacing them with a lawyer who works for the people being investigated is now reality, rather than a background note in a setting to tell the viewer this world is a dystopian hellscape.

BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#177828: Mar 12th 2017 at 9:10:40 PM

The attorney was investigating sexual harassment of female employees at Faux News, and payment of hush money towards them.

This is happening under the administration of a guy who's supposed to be amazing for women.

Do not obey in advance.
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#177829: Mar 12th 2017 at 9:13:11 PM

Concerning that Tim Canova tweet...

Yeah, I can see why this guy lost to DWS of all people.

If memory serves he said some pretty unacceptable, cryptoracist or sexist crap when running agianst her too. At the time the Sanders fanboys and the other "revolutionaries" shrugged it off because they claimed no one could be worse than DWS.

Seems to me that being a conspiracy theory nut is, in fact, worse. Between him and Gabbard could the "anti-establishment" part of the party please start vetting their people?

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#177830: Mar 12th 2017 at 9:21:27 PM

[up] I recall hearing that a number of Sanders' fans said some pretty disgusting things about DWS during the primaries, up to and including death threats (I think maybe you mentioned this in the thread?). If that's true, is it any wonder that DWS wasn't particularly eager to support their candidate? It's almost like being a bullying little shit is a terrible way to get people on your side.

[up][up] "Amazing" as in "amazingly bad".

edited 13th Mar '17 2:22:30 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#177831: Mar 12th 2017 at 10:07:24 PM

All of this is making SNL's last skit about Ivanka less funny and more prescient. Eesh. So I guess this means that any investigation and prosecution into Fox News is now ended for the time being?

BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#177832: Mar 12th 2017 at 10:11:04 PM

What skit did SNL do about Ivanka?

Do not obey in advance.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#177833: Mar 12th 2017 at 10:51:40 PM

Last night they did a perfume commercial parody about a scent called "Complicit". "Also comes in a version for Jarrod" was end of the bit. Well, I guess it wasn't a skit so much as one of the pre-recorded bits.

Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#177835: Mar 12th 2017 at 11:59:36 PM

[up]Oh, the silly goose. Actually, the laptop and living room tv take turns. tongue

CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#177837: Mar 13th 2017 at 2:39:41 AM

I can't imagine what Conway's microwave/driver-side front tire/office desk lamp/paranoia fuel du jour would find on her. She's the one person who can't be spied on, not because she won't talk, but because what info would ever be useful from someone with a proven tendency to say anything and everything, all with equal conviction.

Steve King: Geert Wilders tweet sparks a social media backlash

Senior Republican congressman Steve King has sparked a backlash on social media after tweeting his support for the Dutch anti-Islam politician, Geert Wilders.

"Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny," Mr King wrote on Twitter.

"We can't restore our civilisation with somebody else's babies," he added.

The US Republican Representative of Iowa is a strong advocate of putting a stop to birthright citizenship...[pushing] for radical reform of the interpretation of the 14th amendment of the US constitution so that it no longer gives the children of undocumented migrants the right to a US passport.

Congressman Steve King has a history of walking on the edge of white nationalist rhetoric, and on Sunday afternoon he once again hit the hornet's nest, perhaps in his most direct manner yet.

The outrage from Democratic politicians and commentators across the political spectrum was quick, ferocious and entirely expected. The bluntness of Mr King's message, the talk of "our destiny" and "other people's babies", ensured a vigorous response.

Of greater interest will be how Republican officeholders handle the controversy. So far they have remained silent. That may be increasingly difficult, as this is yet another indication of the growing bonds between the Trump wing of the Republican Party and white nationalist movements in Europe.

Speaking to the BBC's Adam Smith last year, Mr King said that "millions" of people were expected to enter the US "illegally and unlawfully" in the years to come, with "a birth rate that exceeds that of the American citizen by a factor of two or more".

"That their children would all be citizens would be beyond the pale of the imagination of the people who ratified the 14th amendment," he said.

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
math792d Since: Jun, 2011 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#177838: Mar 13th 2017 at 2:47:54 AM

Whaaaaaat, a Republican politician turns out to be a white supremacist, what an unprecedented turn of events.

Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#177839: Mar 13th 2017 at 3:42:09 AM

[up] His fellow GOP Congresscritters being tight-lipped about this is also a huge surprise.

edited 13th Mar '17 3:42:38 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#177840: Mar 13th 2017 at 3:50:25 AM

[[up]]One wasn't, I think.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Linhasxoc Since: Jun, 2009
#177841: Mar 13th 2017 at 4:45:25 AM

I mean, it's Steve King. Over the past 8 years he's basically established himself as a Jesse Helms/Strom Thurmond Type for the modern era

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#177842: Mar 13th 2017 at 6:51:41 AM

So here's what Last Week Tonight had to say on the AHCA aka Trumpdontcare aka "Shitty ACA"

Yeah, it's bad. Higher costs for poor older people and millions losing coverage. It's really bad.

edited 13th Mar '17 6:53:27 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#177843: Mar 13th 2017 at 6:54:30 AM

And if that does manage to pass, there's no way it won't hurt the GOP electorally. People refused to vote Clinton because they associated her indirectly with lost jobs. If the Republicans blatantly and directly take away their healthcare, they can kiss the Rust Belt, the suburbs and a lot of swing states goodbye. Even their gerrymandered maps might not be enough.

edited 13th Mar '17 6:54:48 AM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#177844: Mar 13th 2017 at 6:55:51 AM

[up] And this is the best the GOP could come up with to replace the ACA. After six years or so of bluffing with a shitty hand, now they're forced to play it.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#177845: Mar 13th 2017 at 6:57:17 AM

Hmm, is there a polite and non-offensive way to translate "We told you so" into a campaign slogan?

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#177846: Mar 13th 2017 at 6:58:24 AM

[up] Not really, no.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#177847: Mar 13th 2017 at 7:03:06 AM

[up][up] No, and why should they bother with the "non-offensive" part?

edited 13th Mar '17 7:03:18 AM by Reflextion

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#177848: Mar 13th 2017 at 7:05:01 AM

Because openly calling voters idiots for voting against you isn't going to win them over, and winning is what matters?

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#177849: Mar 13th 2017 at 7:15:35 AM

Not to mention that's essentially part of what cost Hillary the election in the first place.

i'm tired, my friend
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#177850: Mar 13th 2017 at 7:27:34 AM

Those "miss me yet" shirts tend to have that effect. Plus the news—the actual news not Fox and Breitbart—will be shame enough. But flipping trumpists is less the goal than keeping them at home while turning out everyone else.
Still, I suspect a unity message will work better, as even trumpists are struggling to believe that he's bringing everyone together. (At least as indicated by AJC comments). Also:note 

I think that's very important to remember. Many of the white Trump-voters in the north actually voted for Obama before - they're not the truly deplorable racists and neo-fascists of the so called alt-right (which is just a nicer name for the far-right, which in turn is just a nicer name for neo-fascists). Those that far out on the extreme right will never repent so fuck them - but there are many decent people who have just been filled with Fox News lies and fooled into voting for something that will only make their lives worse. We who saw this coming shouldn't make them eat crow over that when they realize their mistake but welcome them back to the sane side of the debate.


Note: I just saw an Ossoff ad that started with the "work together" theme and even absorbed some republican talking points, e.g. "wasteful spending is not a partisan issue." (He is running in Georgia). Time will tell how it works.

edited 13th Mar '17 7:50:23 AM by CenturyEye

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives

Total posts: 417,856
Top