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

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#287126: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:29:06 AM

I think that's a ridiculous reason to call him the Democratic version of Trump, I mean his specific gaffe was about repudiating racism and/or classism.

It was clueless and problematic but that's not a reason to view him as our equivalent of Trump.

Yes, he's a bad candidate who shouldn't win but he's not the Democratic version of Trump.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Aug 9th 2019 at 8:30:50 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#287127: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:29:08 AM

[up][up]Nope, that's not a fair comparison at all. And I really don't want Biden to be the candidate.

I'd say Williamson is more the Democratic version of Trump.

Edited by M84 on Aug 9th 2019 at 11:29:33 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#287128: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:34:38 AM

Biden's more like a Democratic version of Dubya than Trump...

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#287129: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:36:47 AM

I doubt Biden will win the primaries as long as he keeps this up. This is like his fifth big fuckup since announcing his candidacy, and I’m sure there’ll be more.

GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#287130: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:38:01 AM

Certain people can fuck up A LOT and still win, so I wouldn't call it yet. Doesn't help him though.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#287131: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:39:33 AM

[up][up]If you're right it would certainly fit with his prior performances, he starts off strong and then gaffes himself into the ground.

Hopefully, he will continue that pattern.

"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!
#287132: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:41:53 AM

Yeah, Williamson would be a democratic Trump. I think a good argument someone once made is that Trump is like your racist grandpa, whereas Williamson is like your hippy aunt.

Leviticus 19:34
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#287133: Aug 9th 2019 at 8:45:18 AM

[up]Yeah, I think that's the strongest example yet.

Both are dangerously anti-intellectual populists who exemplify the failing's of their respective political parties.

Of course, the fact that Trump is President and Williamson is a nobody with no chance of winning really shows how Bothsides aren't alike wink

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#287135: Aug 9th 2019 at 9:42:08 AM

Both are dangerously anti-intellectual populists who exemplify the failing's of their respective political parties.

And both of them ended up being turned into memes which trivialised how abhorrent their views are.

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#287137: Aug 9th 2019 at 10:07:16 AM

Its pretty telling that Trump considers the fact that Blagojevich got caught before selling Obama's seat to mean he didn't actually commit a crime.

And he thinks everyone else is doing the same thing, so corruption shouldn't be treated too harshly.

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#287138: Aug 9th 2019 at 10:08:34 AM

@Fourthspartan 56 Well, with Williamson and Trump, you do have to keep in mind that there's also some differences of circumstances here. Williamson isn't half as famous as Trump (I've never heard of her until the debates), nor does she have as much resources as Trump.

Though to be fair, some other factors in Trump's victory do involve circumstances of the parties they're apart of. The problem with the Republican party as it stands is essentially that they've been trying to distance themselves from more mainstream conservatism ever since W, and their attempts to rebrand themselves have largely made them worse.

Leviticus 19:34
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#287139: Aug 9th 2019 at 11:16:29 AM

Walmart pulls violent video game displays from its stores, but it will still sell guns

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/business/walmart-violent-video-games/index.html

A USA TODAY analysis found Trump used words like 'invasion' and 'killer' at rallies more than 500 times since 2017 – Trump often uses words like 'invasion' and 'alien' to describe immigrants. After shootings in El Paso and Dayton, he's facing criticism for his words

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2019/08/08/trump-immigrants-rhetoric-criticized-el-paso-dayton-shootings/1936742001/

Edited by sgamer82 on Aug 9th 2019 at 12:19:54 PM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#287140: Aug 9th 2019 at 11:21:42 AM

Basically they're trying to be seen doing something by doing n o t h i n g

And it works every time,as soon as the talk of guns dies down they'll go back to regular business

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#287141: Aug 9th 2019 at 11:22:09 AM

[up][up]

Reading the article, though, I can kind of see the point. It's not to prevent the sale of the games (they're still available for purchase), it's to keep customers from panicking from the sound of the guns being fired from a demo version of those games.

Walmart (WMT) has previously promoted violent video games in its stores with displays that demonstrate the games. Some shoppers could conceivably mistake the soundtrack of those games for actual gunshots. Walmart and its customers are particularly sensitive to gun shot sounds following two recent fatal shootings at Walmarts in Texas and Mississippi.

"We've taken this action out of respect for the incidents of the past week, and this action does not reflect a long-term change in our video game assortment," said Walmart spokesperson Tara House.

And that isn't the only display effected:

The company will also stop playing violent movies and shows on televisions in its electronics section. It will similarly stop playing hunting videos in its sporting goods section. A memo to store personnel directing the change in policy was first publicly disclosed on social media Thursday.

Apparently Walmart is telling its employees to take down displays that show violent video games, specifically shooters, as well as movies and hunting videos. pic.twitter.com/2N3t4B86tf — Kenneth Shepard (@shepardcdr) August 7, 2019

The memo follows a statement from Walmart CEO Doug Mc Millon earlier in the week in which he vowed a "thoughtful and deliberate" response to the shootings. "We will work to understand the many important issues that arise from El Paso and Southaven, as well as those that have been raised in the broader national discussion around gun violence," Mc Millon said in a memo to employees.

Edited by ironballs16 on Aug 9th 2019 at 2:23:17 PM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#287142: Aug 9th 2019 at 11:28:06 AM

Basically they're trying to be seen doing something by doing n o t h i n g

And it works every time,as soon as the talk of guns dies down they'll go back to regular business

That's corporate PR for you.

On an unrelated note, it makes my heart sigh in disappointment toward the American people to see that Gabbard's history of schmoozing with dictators and authoritarian tyrants in favor of "Tulsi Gabbard DESTROYS Kamala Harris with FACTS and LOGIC". But I guess that's what people gravitate to, so whatever. It's fine. Everything's fine.

i'm tired, my friend
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#287143: Aug 9th 2019 at 11:29:35 AM

[up][up]I hadn't had a chance to look at the Walmart thing in depth. Was mostly sharing it during my lunch after seeing the headline on CNN. Sounds like the headline is more clickbaity than I'd expected from CNN.

superboy313 Since: May, 2015
#287144: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:18:59 PM

Say, if Trump loses the election next year, what do you think he'll be doing after the end of his presidency?

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#287145: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:20:18 PM

Ranting about how he lost because the system is rigged against him or something,either way he won't quietly into the night

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
superboy313 Since: May, 2015
#287146: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:44:09 PM

He would also spend most of his time ranting about the new President. Calling him a "disgrace" or "incompetent".

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#287147: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:46:54 PM

So I did a little research on the whole Joe Rogan/Bernie Sanders thing (watched parts of the video, watched Kyle Kulinski's take on it) and honestly, if you think that the platform is bad, or that it has a big right-wing audience: That seemed to have been exactly the point.

Sanders wanted to put himself out there, even to a potentially hostile audience. And he succeeded. It was received very positively, there are dozens of comments from right-wingers/republicans who concede that he offers some very good points, or at least presents his point of view in a good way. Hell, some even say this interview is what convinced them to throw in their support for Bernie.

So like him (and this stunt) or not, but Bernie does the exact thing that many other politicans fail at, reaching out beyond his base and come out good-looking. Thats how you win over people from the other side, not by being purely confrontational.

Edited by Forenperser on Aug 9th 2019 at 9:48:55 PM

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#287148: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:53:10 PM

Hmm, I'm more ambivalent about it now.

I don't know if I like Sanders speaking on Joe Rogan but I see your point.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#287149: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:54:07 PM

its not like the other side consists largely of varying flavors of bigots or anything

Like, have we forgotten who these people are? What reason could there possibly be for trying to reach out to them?

Edited by PhysicalStamina on Aug 9th 2019 at 3:56:12 PM

i'm tired, my friend
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#287150: Aug 9th 2019 at 12:54:58 PM

Bernie has done the same on Fox News a while ago. To be fair regarding ^, convincing at least some bigots to not vote for Trump is useful in a presidential election.

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Aug 9th 2019 at 9:55:53 PM

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman

Total posts: 417,856
Top