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Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#269576: Jan 31st 2019 at 2:46:36 PM

They're not suggesting giving him the wall,they're attempting to deceive him by making him think he's approving a wall related bill

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#269577: Jan 31st 2019 at 2:47:02 PM

That's the point. Mitch has little control on Trump and his fanboys and eating the blame for Trump not getting his wall is a big liability for any Republican. Besides, there is little other way to get HR1 passed into law.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#269578: Jan 31st 2019 at 2:51:54 PM

The flip side of that is that no matter how good the deal is and little chance it has of making it through the Senate, approving The Wall is an awful situation for any Democrat.

Which is what I think Trump doesn't quite grasp- the Democrats have no room for negotiation on The Wall. If any of them appear to be even neutral on it, it'll cost them their jobs.

Trump might believe that he also has no room for negotiation, because his base really wants The Wall for some inexplicable reason, but that's another area where he's mistaken. It's not like his base would not vote for him over The Wall not happening.

Edited by Gilphon on Jan 31st 2019 at 5:54:27 AM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#269579: Jan 31st 2019 at 4:00:46 PM

IINM Trump's problem is not him falsely believing that he has room for negotiation, but rather an inability to stomach the idea of doing anything that would make him look "weak" in any way, shape or form, especially since as POTUS he has the eyes of not just the whole country's population on him, but much of the population in the rest of the world.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#269580: Jan 31st 2019 at 4:47:09 PM

[up]And therein lies the tragedy at the core of narcissism. It is, fundamentally, an illness.

Trump didn't ask to have a brain that's got faulty wiring. But, we're all getting hit with the sparks as it attempts to function.

Edited by Euodiachloris on Jan 31st 2019 at 12:48:55 PM

BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#269581: Jan 31st 2019 at 5:16:05 PM

It's also the day a lot of people in the USA go to their place of worship.
You'd think there'd be plenty of time to vote after you leave church.
That's not the only concern there; some municipalities use churches as voting centers because they have large rooms that are convenient to set up voting machines, and areas to set up tables for the city officials to verify people's identity and such. Other places use libraries and schools, but as those are normally in use on Tuesdays it impacts the students and patrons, whereas using as empty church doesn't really impact the general population.
Is there any reason why in the US (and Germany, which I think is where Swanpride lives) eletronic ballots aren't used?
Because nobody trusts it to be fairly representative of the actual votes. Given how 2016 went, and the amount of foreign hacking that happened to various agencies and organizations, I don't really want us to try a solely electronic vote, either.
I've always found it completely appalling how inconvenient voting can be in the US. It should not be difficult to exercise your fundamental civil rights.
From the Foudning Fathers on down, it's a feature, not a bug.
I wonder if any of them are aware of the irony that making voting difficult makes them a far greater threat to the democratic values like free speech that they love to parrot around so much.
A GOP politician recognizing the irony of their own position? Pfft.

Edited by BlueNinja0 on Jan 31st 2019 at 5:16:29 AM

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#269582: Jan 31st 2019 at 5:20:33 PM

How big would the backlash from republicans be if Election Day was made a holiday? I imagine they’d find ways to weasel out of it, especially at the local level.

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#269583: Jan 31st 2019 at 5:39:37 PM

Trumps core voters support him because they think he's a strong leader who will protect them from foreigners and liberals (ie, minority advocates). They come from an authoritarian perspective in which followers exchange their loyalty for protection. Trumps followers will overlook many flaws, but the one thing they wont forgive is the appearance of weakness, esp in the face of the enemy. They liked him because he claimed to be a winner, if he loses its the final straw. Like all "alpha males" before him, Trump understands this, so he cant appear to lose, or its over.

From our pov, we do not merely wish to defeat Trump, but Trumpism. Therefore, a symbolic victory is exactly what we must not give him. He drew this line in the sand, now let him die by it.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#269584: Jan 31st 2019 at 5:44:36 PM

From the Foudning Fathers on down, it's a feature, not a bug

I don't think this is actually true, the Founding Fathers only gave the franchise to wealthy white men. They didn't need to make it difficult, not when the other groups were just legally barred from voting.

I imagine the system worked better back then and post-Founders it hasn't changed because of tradition and later electoral strategy.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Jan 31st 2019 at 8:44:54 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#269585: Jan 31st 2019 at 5:50:09 PM

It is worth noting that certain policies made more sense in the past. For example, part of the purpose of the Electoral College is that information traveled slowly so having representatives vote instead of individuals allowed for a quick change of plans if something came up.

Leviticus 19:34
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#269586: Jan 31st 2019 at 5:51:23 PM

Imma repost this here since it seems a lot of people didn't read, but TL;DR: US election are held Tuesdays because everyone was a country bumbkin back in the 19th century.

(I was gonna say "hillbilly", but I believe that's a slur nowadays).

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#269587: Jan 31st 2019 at 8:24:49 PM

And therein lies the tragedy at the core of narcissism. It is, fundamentally, an illness.

Trump didn't ask to have a brain that's got faulty wiring. But, we're all getting hit with the sparks as it attempts to function.

Yeah, but narcissim doesn't by definition make it impossible for the afflicted person to seek help. And even if the condition was so severe that it's genuinely impossible for them to willingly make that choice, the people around them that are aware of their condition have the responsibility as fellow human beings to seek help for said person on their behalf.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#269588: Jan 31st 2019 at 8:34:11 PM

I'm also going to remind everyone that we should refrain from playing armchair internet psychiatrist.

Disgusted, but not surprised
SilentColossus (Don’t ask)
#269589: Jan 31st 2019 at 8:49:48 PM

Isn't it actually impossible to (properly) diagnose someone with a mental illness without tests in a clinical environment? Like even professionals can't watch Trump on tv and declare he is ill.

It's like saying someone has skin cancer because that mole looks funny, without bothering with the biopsy and tests.

Furthermore, people can be as cruel, self-centered, and dim as Trump without having an illness.

MrHellboy The Shadow from A world of my own Since: Dec, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
The Shadow
#269590: Jan 31st 2019 at 9:10:07 PM

Uh, not to seem like I'm pressing the panic button, but this definitely doesn't sound good: Trump Administration Set to Suspend U.S. Nuclear Treaty With Russia

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/trump-u-s-intermediate-inf-nuclear-treaty-russia-europe-cold-war.html

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#269591: Jan 31st 2019 at 9:32:06 PM

Also interesting:

Senate Rebukes Trump Over Troop Withdrawals From Syria and Afghanistan – The 68-to-23 vote marks the second time in two months that a Republican-led Senate has admonished the president on foreign policy.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/us/politics/senate-vote-syria-afghanistan.html

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#269592: Jan 31st 2019 at 9:43:18 PM

Trump also doesn't act substantially different from a lot of rich racist scumbags.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Imca (Veteran)
#269593: Jan 31st 2019 at 9:45:41 PM

Uh, not to seem like I'm pressing the panic button, but this definitely doesn't sound good: Trump Administration Set to Suspend U.S. Nuclear Treaty With Russia

Stopped Clock Syndrome.

Russia has been breaking the treaty since the turn of the decade and waving it in the United States face, a treaty is no good if the other end isn't going to uphold it.... so it really should have been nullified back then.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#269594: Jan 31st 2019 at 9:57:55 PM

[up]Also, this is still a countdown to stopping the treaty. The treaty itself won't truly be undone for another 6 months.

MrHellboy The Shadow from A world of my own Since: Dec, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
The Shadow
#269595: Jan 31st 2019 at 10:00:03 PM

Oh, well, that's comforting /s

I guess, since Trump and Putin are so buddy-buddy right now, at least there's less of a chance we won't get bombed...? *shrug*

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
Imca (Veteran)
#269596: Jan 31st 2019 at 10:09:30 PM

There is no chance of being bombed, the treaties don't really do any thing except preventing runaway spending on weapons no one needs.

The use of nuclear weapons is under a philosophy called MAD for a reason.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#269597: Jan 31st 2019 at 10:30:46 PM

Russia also has a nuke that can destroy all of North America in one blast.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-satan-2-icbm-nuclear-weapon-works-2018-3

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Jan 31st 2019 at 10:33:10 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#269598: Jan 31st 2019 at 10:35:59 PM

Hyperbole. First you claimed the Tsar Bomba was capable of destroying North America (which it's not unless NA is smaller than Paris), and a 100-megaton one wouldn't do it either. The article you just linked says it would kill eight million people if dropped directly on NYC, which is not North America either.

Edit: Okay, well, now you've changed your link twice.

Edited by RedSavant on Jan 31st 2019 at 1:40:12 PM

It's been fun.
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#269599: Jan 31st 2019 at 10:39:08 PM

Basically the treaty has in effect been dead for several years now on Russia's end, and yet MAD is still alive and well. Ending what had already started shouldn't change that.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#269600: Jan 31st 2019 at 10:58:22 PM

I was trying to get the link to the right bomb.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

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