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

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#272851: Feb 26th 2019 at 10:52:53 AM

While I definitely see that (after all, "a personal fuck you" to someone who is dead set on voting in someone who is at the kindest wildly unqualified for the position due to party politics is pretty reasonable), it's also a "fuck you" to his family and daughter and that's... well, iffier.

Having a husband and father who defends rapists is already a "f*ck you" to his family.

If Murkowski didn't abstain, then all she'd be doing is putting the choice in front of him. It'd still be his decision to be a terrible human being.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 26th 2019 at 11:53:49 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#272852: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:00:57 AM

Something interesting may be brewing:

Bernie Sanders staff shake-up: Top strategists leave his presidential campaign
The chief strategist of the Vermont independent's 2016 campaign and two other aides cited creative differences as they parted ways.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/bernie-sanders-staff-shakeup-top-strategists-leave-his-presidential-campaign-n976221

In a major shake-up to Bernie Sanders' just-launched presidential bid, some of his top strategists have left the campaign.

Tad Devine, Mark Longabaugh and Julian Mulvey, colleagues in a political consulting firm who all played leading roles in Sanders' 2016 campaign for the White House, are parting ways with the senator, citing creative differences.

"The entire firm has stepped away. We're leaving the campaign," Longabaugh told NBC News on Tuesday. "We just didn't have a meeting of the minds."

Not much more detail than that but story seems to still be breaking.

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#272853: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:03:24 AM

Probably Bernie realizing "hey, I didn't win 2016. Maybe I shouldn't go with the same guys?"

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#272854: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:06:35 AM

Tad Devine is an awful human being, and Bernie should never have hired him in 2016. So.... yay, I guess.

Edited by wisewillow on Feb 26th 2019 at 2:08:43 PM

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#272855: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:08:25 AM

I don't think we should be encouraging politicians to be petty dicks to each other, they're bad enough already.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#272856: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:11:52 AM

Fun fact, during the elections in November US Cyber Command targeted a Russian troll farm which had a history of electoral interference.

So it's nice to know that even under Republicans they're still able to attack Russia, imagine what they could do with a President who actually cares about Russian interference.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#272857: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:17:27 AM

[up][up]

Yeah, that'd be a Race To The Bottom situation, and if you abandon your morals to better combat your opponent, that's another negative trope.

And because it kinda got glossed over, the Cohen testimony news should be considered a lot bigger due to one simple part (if true, of course):

At that session, Cohen is prepared to present evidence, including documents, related to what Cohen says is criminal conduct by Trump from both before and after he became president, the person said. The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the planned testimony.

So if he's able to offer up concrete evidence of this shit...

Also, gotta love this shit from Huckasans:

"Disgraced felon Michael Cohen is going to prison for lying to Congress and making other false statements," said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

"Sadly, he will go before Congress this week and we can expect more of the same. It's laughable that anyone would take a convicted liar like Cohen at his word and pathetic to see him given yet another opportunity to spread his lies."

She "cleverly" omitted the fact that Cohen lied to Congress to defend Trump.

Edited by ironballs16 on Feb 26th 2019 at 2:22:41 PM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#272858: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:20:41 AM

Making someone be present for a vote is not being a dick. Mc Connell scheduled the vote, not Murkowski. She has no obligation to spare someone else from being inconvenienced.

Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#272859: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:27:07 AM

@Noname: We should institute a rule that any news about Sanders needs to come with a quote because, surprise, yet again, personal bias and that's not what he said.

He was talking about how most Trump voters were motivated by economic factors in the last election and some by bigotry. Which I disagree with, but there's no "unfairly racist" or "unique appeal" there: the transcript.

Life is unfair...
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#272860: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:31:50 AM

Except the economic anxiety narrative has been debunked, repeatedly. It’s not a few racists and lots of economic anxiety. And EVEN IF economic anxiety was involved, they still decided they could excuse Trump’s blatant racism.

Edited by wisewillow on Feb 26th 2019 at 2:32:00 PM

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#272861: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:37:03 AM

So the economic anxiety myth come up again? I knew I had the "Trump voters are fucking racist" folder for a reason smile

It has been extensively proven by multiple separate studies that Trump voters were primarily driven by racial resentment, alongside sexism and other -isms associated with mouth breathing reactionaries.

This is why I don't like Sanders, he is the exact type of tone-deaf class focused progressive who ignores racism and thinks its merely derivative of classism. Which is why we get things like the New Deal which helped many people but markedly failed to fight racial inequality. Intersectionality should be king and Sanders just isn't intersectional.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Feb 26th 2019 at 2:40:03 PM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#272862: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:38:21 AM

Making someone be present for a vote is not being a dick. Mc Connell scheduled the vote, not Murkowski. She has no obligation to spare someone else from being inconvenienced.

When you have well-established mechanisms for allowing someone to attend to family business, not using them is essentially pure spite. You get a pointless feeling of moral vindication, and then in the long term you've decided to foster a more hostile environment (including WITHIN your own party), and given someone an excuse to not play by the same rules when you actually can't make the vote.

Since the breakdown of this sort of pairing mechanism in the UK House of Commons has lead to people who should be in hospital being dragged through the chamber, I wouldn't encourage it.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#272863: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:42:48 AM

Regarding Trump 2016 and racism, there are other studies that might be worth noting.

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Feb 26th 2019 at 8:43:44 PM

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#272864: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:47:07 AM

Since we're talking about it, Kamala Harris: Trump is a racist

Obviously not a new idea, but I'm genuinely curious if she's the first major candidate to explicitly say it. Usually they just sort of dance around it (for reasons I understand), while clearly implying it.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#272865: Feb 26th 2019 at 11:48:31 AM

Well, not necessarily the first one, although not as direct.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
NoName999 Since: May, 2011
#272866: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:01:31 PM

@Noname: We should institute a rule that any news about Sanders needs to come with a quote because, surprise, yet again, personal bias and that's not what he said.

He was talking about how most Trump voters were motivated by economic factors in the last election and some by bigotry. Which I disagree with, but there's no "unfairly racist" or "unique appeal" there: the transcript.

Okay first off: Why are you acting as if you know me?

Second off: I copied/pasted the tweet. So blame the CNN correspondent.

Third off:

"I'm not going to say that within Trump's camp there aren't some people that are racists and sexists. There are. We have seen that. But I don't believe that is the case for most of those folks"

Q.E.D., he thinks Trump voters are unfairly painted as racist.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#272867: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:07:47 PM

Nope, some of them are simply ignorant.

If you vote for Trump, you can be either a good but ignorant person or a smart racist. Though I fear a lot of Trump voters are both, since ignorance and racism go hand in hand.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#272868: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:14:23 PM

I would argue a smart racist wouldn't support Trump, hence the #Never Trump Republicans. They're still Republicans and thus at-least defacto supportive of racist policies but they opposed Trump because they disliked his blatancy and incompetence.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#272869: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:17:54 PM

Top Democrats want 2020 candidates to sign no disinformation pact. Note that I've misquoted the headline to make it more accurate.

Kamala Harris supports decriminalizing sex work. OK, but I am pretty sure that this is a state thing.

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Feb 26th 2019 at 9:18:07 PM

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#272870: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:21:43 PM

Top Democrats want 2020 candidates to sign no disinformation pact. Note that I've misquoted the headline to make it more accurate.

I really like that, it's one thing to compete and go against one another but we shouldn't do the Republican's work for them.

That's great.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#272871: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:27:08 PM

[up][up] Both of those are pretty great. I didn't know this myself until recently, but the competition between Obama and Hillary got really heated because of stuff like that, leading her to publicly call out her adversary. Not a pretty primary.

Life is unfair...
Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#272872: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:28:04 PM

Voting for Trump requires a combination of ignorance, malice, or selfishness.

You could, theoretically, be not-a-racist and vote for him due to a combination of selfishness and ignorance, but they'd have to be either pretty goddamn selfish or incredibly ignorant.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
Oruka Since: Dec, 2018
#272873: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:28:55 PM

OK, what is Beau of the Fifth Column (linked to in this post by Oruka) like? The self-description of "a southern journalist who is tired of a lack of common sense" can go either way, and I don't want to waste my time listening to the ravings of a fundamentalist right-winger who tries to masquerade as a "centrist"/"moderate" or something like that if I can help it.

Funny thing is, he knows that's what people expected of a rural Southerner, and he's exactly the opposite. I don't want to tell you, though, because discovering his content piece by piece was a fascinating and rather rewarding experience. There's some positions he takes that I am strongly skeptical of, but overall he brings a fresh perspective and makes some great points. He makes abundant use of sarcasm and satire, true, but he also makes it very clear what he's doing if you pay the slightest attention.

Here's wholehearted recommendation: give him a shot. If you're disappointed, I'll take full responsibility.

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#272874: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:35:38 PM

As much as I like the idea of decriminalizing sex work, the timing is rather unfortunate given that the owner of the New England Patriots is being charged with solicitation at a Florida massage parlor in which the women were trafficked from China and forced into sex work to repay their debts - one of the most common forms of modern-day slavery.

And according to this Deadspin article, there have been no charges of human trafficking filed in this situation. That said, apparently they've got 1 confirmed victim of trafficking, and a suspected 1-5 others based on beds and dressers present within the parlor(s). Anyone able to find more information about this, or are the only existing charges against the johns that frequented the Orchids of Asia massage parlor?

Edited by ironballs16 on Feb 26th 2019 at 3:41:30 PM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#272875: Feb 26th 2019 at 12:38:24 PM

https://www.apnews.com/a73a52b86a2d41b7be72662660f5abf7

Michael Cohen has been officially disbarred. As the article opens, "President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer is now an ex-lawyer."


Total posts: 417,856
Top