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

thatindiantroper Since: Feb, 2015
#329026: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:21:01 PM

My usual respons to nonsense like that is "So, you are what in political science terms is known as a dumbass."

NoName999 Since: May, 2011
#329027: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:26:44 PM

Europe is very liberal... if you ignore how it's treat its refugees, developing nations, Eastern Europeans...

Edited by NoName999 on Sep 25th 2020 at 9:27:44 AM

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329028: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:28:55 PM

[up][up] That's equally unpleasant.

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#329029: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:29:40 PM

And that's great, NoName. But it's not relevant to US politics, and sitting on the sidelines going "yeah, they both suck, good luck haha" doesn't help the discourse in the US at all.

It's been fun.
CookingCat Since: Jul, 2018
#329030: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:32:03 PM

Bill Maher (my grandfather watches his show every Friday) is spouting defeatist shit.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329032: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:37:58 PM

Probably Biden, he's against Trump.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#329033: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:40:20 PM

And maher is supposedly liberal. Though I've heard mixed things about him enough I'm not aware of where he falls re: Trump

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329034: Sep 25th 2020 at 9:49:29 PM

I think anyone whose wikipedia article mentions saying recession is better than another term of Trump is pretty predictable right there.

singularityshot Since: Dec, 2012
#329035: Sep 25th 2020 at 10:09:55 PM

So with Amy Coney Barrett the likely nominee how should Democrats tackle the hearings?

Obviously there's little to no point in trying to convince Republicans not to confirm her. There's even an argument that they shouldn't show up so as to make clear that this whole thing is not legitimate.

All that aside however, if we assume an otherwise normal nomination process, what questions should the Democrats ask?

Because I would want to ask her "Is the Pope a Catholic?"

It's a serious question, because Francis is seen (actual results may vary) as a liberalising force within the Church. Laudato si' practically calls for the Green New Deal. Steve Bannon has been rabble rousing in Italy trying to push the "Benedict is my Pope" movement. It would be really interesting to see where she stands on that question.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329036: Sep 25th 2020 at 10:18:24 PM

Depends which pope you're talking about. Some are very definitely not Catholic because they belong to other denominations.

The best thing to do is probably focusing on the whole pre-existing conditions thing etc, given prior statements over the ACA.

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#329037: Sep 25th 2020 at 10:32:23 PM

"I'm sure plenty of people from all over the world get a smug sort of satisfaction in seeing Trump rape the country."

Well I cant speak from everyone but I do get a sort of satisfaction manly because some people kinda treat donald winning as THE breaking point of american politic were everything just sort of stop funtion, as is everything was all right an preachy before and now is going to shit because "how could america actually chose a populist like that?", which it have a hint of excepcionalism I always dislike, with a healthy does of "this thing never happen here".

And considering how Biden have actually good change to wining, calling "rape the country" is....well....

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#329038: Sep 25th 2020 at 10:35:02 PM

Given Benedict resigned/retired for a variety of reasons, I think Steve Bannon would be surprised by his reaction. The entire world does not revolve around people trying to cling to power by every means possible.

Trying to incite revolt in the Catholic Church seems like a good time to break out the rarely used tool of papal excommunication.

[up][up]Is there any other Popes? I thought the Pontifex of Rome was a uniquely Catholic thing.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Sep 25th 2020 at 10:37:11 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
IrishZombie Since: Dec, 2009
#329039: Sep 25th 2020 at 10:47:45 PM

a few Google searches later

The only one I know of with the official title of "Pope" is the head of the Coptic church. There are a few others that are sometimes called some kind of pope ("Greek Pope" for the head of one of the Orthodox churches, for instance), but those are just nicknames.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329040: Sep 25th 2020 at 10:49:04 PM

I'm not even sure if Pope is actually an official title for... uh, the pope. But there's the Pope of Alexandria for one and I think the various eastern denominations broke up quite a bit and they each have their own pope. The Orthodox church doesn't, though, since that schism was later. And religious history is not my forte.

[up] Ah, I checked, and it's a similar position in both—Alexandria and Africa—the Coptic Church and the Greek Orthodox church, but the latter obviously isn't the religious head.

Edited by RainehDaze on Sep 25th 2020 at 6:50:45 PM

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#329041: Sep 25th 2020 at 11:41:27 PM

Thinking about the Supreme Court again, is it just me or is "court packing" not that great a term for expanding the court/adding justices, especially from a 'we have to sell this to people' perspective?


Also the Trump admin. wants to allow logging/development in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. NPR

The Trump administration has cleared the way to open the country's largest national forest to more development and logging.

The forest is currently protected by the Roadless Rule, a 2001 policy passed in the waning days of the Clinton administration, which has long prohibited development on 9.37 million acres of roadless areas, comprising about 55% of the Tongass.

In the final EIS, the U.S. Forest Service recommends removing nearly the entire Tongass from roadless designation.

The forest plays a major role in the battle against climate change: The Tongass is an enormous natural carbon sink, holding an estimated 8% of all carbon stored in U.S. national forests.

Edited by nova92 on Sep 25th 2020 at 11:54:40 AM

TitanJump Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: Singularity
#329042: Sep 26th 2020 at 12:08:01 AM

[up] The Trump Administration are just seriously trying to burn and pillage the planet as fast as possible aren't they? (Not even Captain Planet would have spared these guys after the first confrontation. That's how evil, greedy and stupid they are...)

Not to mention destroying it all together.

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#329043: Sep 26th 2020 at 1:53:53 AM

Come on, guys, for all his flaws, Biden is still not a Trump supporter. He is a democrat, he just thinks democrats don't do enough.

And I thought US Catholics don't really listen to the pope anyway.

Edited by Redmess on Sep 26th 2020 at 10:58:12 AM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#329045: Sep 26th 2020 at 2:01:00 AM

I think that "Amy Coney Barrett will take away your healthcare for spurious reasons" is perhaps the right line of attack to use.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#329046: Sep 26th 2020 at 2:19:23 AM

Maher. I meant Maher. It's early. grin

Edited by Redmess on Sep 26th 2020 at 11:22:07 AM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#329047: Sep 26th 2020 at 2:36:17 AM

Maher is just a grifter and a gasbag

Do not obey in advance.
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#329048: Sep 26th 2020 at 2:37:57 AM

That or nail her on separation of church and state by way of her defying the constitution with her views

"You can reply to this Message!"
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#329049: Sep 26th 2020 at 2:38:46 AM

Can we maybe hope for something a bit more concrete than a gotcha soundbite over what she thinks about the Pope?

It's been fun.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#329050: Sep 26th 2020 at 2:39:12 AM

Maher calls himself a lot of things. For example he identifies as a libertarian despite not having a whole lot of views other than being antivax.

But even besides the fact that I already tend to find political labels limiting without a great deal of qualification, I can't really pigeonhole him into any particular ideological camp other than "stopped clock" and "at least he's less of an enemy than the strictly rightwing ideologues".


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