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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
#333101: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:36:04 AM

She was kinda THE obvious VP pick to balance him out, overall.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
MichaelKatsuro Since: Apr, 2011
#333102: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:36:50 AM

I'm told that Harris put trans women in men's prison because of pre-existing laws and not because of any decision of her own.

PointMaid Since: Jun, 2014
#333103: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:37:55 AM

A little early for this, but I will be interested to see who Biden taps for things like cabinet positions and advisors. If it's some of the more progressive folks, that could tell a lot.

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#333104: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:38:05 AM

She also upheld several wrongful convictions, unfortunately.

But I am willing to give her a chance.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#333105: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:38:55 AM

Can we please not throw our hands up in despair at how Biden is only a tiny scraping infinitesimal sliver better than Donald Goddamn Trump, and not limber up our sighing and eye-rolling muscles for when the first thing he passes isn't the Everything Is Fixed Forever bill? Getting Biden into office is the first step, and if people immediately start rolling on the floor whining about how the steps aren't going fast enough and aren't fixing everything all at once and Biden really is no better than Trump, then we're going to apathy ourselves right back into a red White House in 2024.

Biden getting elected is a strong start, but people have to be willing to capitalize on it. Pull with the party, don't just sit on your hands complaining, especially not with this bothsides bullshit about how a lukewarm Democrat is exactly the same as Donald fucking Trump backed up by a Republican Senate and a stacked Supreme Court. When Biden and Harris can do better, which will happen, take their hands and pull them leftward, don't just go storm off and say "see, I knew they were no better than Trump!'', because that will 99% of the time be objectively false.

Sorry for the rant, but can we not start making excuses and looking for reasons to immediately abandon Biden and his administration before the election even happens?

It's been fun.
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#333106: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:39:26 AM

The Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Senate President wants to rig redistricting

Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday she will ask the Kansas Legislature to create an independent redistricting commission.

It comes after a video surfaced Friday morning of Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, allegedly telling donors that the state GOP needed a supermajority after this election.

"During redistricting, I need to give her (Renee Erickson) some more Republican neighborhoods in order to make sure she stays elected," Wagle said in the video.

Rep. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, is currently running for Wagle's Senate seat.

"So redistricting is right around the corner, and if Gov. Kelly can veto a Republican bill, that gives us four Republican congressmen, that takes out Sharice Davids up in the 3rd (Congressional District), we can do that. I guarantee you, we can draw four Republican congressional maps, but we can't do it unless we have a two-thirds majority in the Senate and House,” Wagle said in the video.

Democrats need to gain one more seat in the Kansas House, or three in the Kansas Senate, to break a two-thirds Republican supermajority.

Republicans saying about how much they hate democracy (out loud!), part 1056.

Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#333107: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:40:15 AM

I don't think anyone here was saying that Biden was as bad as Trump

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.
#333108: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:40:28 AM

To quote a German Philosopher of Great Renown: After the Game is Before the Game.

Biden winning is not the Win, its a victory on the road forward.

"You can reply to this Message!"
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#333109: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:43:11 AM

No one is equating Biden to Trump, or saying we should abandon him.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#333110: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:45:58 AM

Yeah, please stop the strawmanning.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333111: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:49:23 AM

I feel like the thing that irritates me most is that I am a progressive who has no great love of Joe Biden or the Democratic Party as a whole. However, I feel like I'm constantly getting treated as if I don't KNOW how dangerous Trump is. That neither does Bernie or AOC or anyone else.

I feel the country is on the verge of DOOM and that somehow they think I am not willing to overlook the fact he's underwhelming to what I think is necessary versus an idiot manchild fascist.

Believe me, I can.

I just am irritated with the belief I must be enthusiastic about it.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Oct 10th 2020 at 6:50:12 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#333112: Oct 10th 2020 at 6:53:04 AM

My issue isn’t people saying he’s underwhelming or not what they’d like, it’s saying that he’s going to try and take everything back to 2016 and keep things like that.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#333113: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:01:14 AM

Not to single out RedHunter here, but "So while I voted, Biden, I don't feel like I've picked THAT much of a morally superior candidate." is the kind of thing I'm talking about here. As for the rest, all this "Biden wants to take us back to 2016 and then stop there" talk is demonstrably not true. We have a chance to make some actual progress starting in 2021, and talk like "Biden wants to bring us back to a status quo that doesn't exist" just makes it easier to give up on the administration the first time it needs a push.

I apologize for snapping, and it wasn't my intention to strawman anyone. But we cannot afford to start undermining Biden the instant he gets elected. He wasn't my first choice either, but it's either him or Trump, and I think we can make some actual progress under Biden and with his help.

It's been fun.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333114: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:03:27 AM

Being asked to love Biden before he's done anything will just make people hate him.

So let's just be content with voting and see what he does in (hopefully) his first days in office.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Oct 10th 2020 at 7:04:06 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
MichaelKatsuro Since: Apr, 2011
#333115: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:05:41 AM

I'd say, personally, that Biden is in fact "that much of a morally superior candidate." A candy bar is not nutritious, but compared to poison it's much healthier.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#333116: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:07:39 AM

Being asked to love Biden before he's done anything will just make people hate him.

Being asked not to misrepresent someone and their positions is not the same as being asked to love someone, I’m not sure how you’ve managed to conflate the two.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#333117: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:07:58 AM

No one is asking anybody to "love" Biden FFS. All he's saying is not to give up on him the instant he doesn't do everything you want him to.

i'm tired, my friend
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#333118: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:10:01 AM

Well, like I said, "better than Trump" is not exactly a high bar to clear. Can you name any candidate that would have been worse than Trump, from either party or third parties? Would Bernie be worse? Bloomberg? Jorgensen? Hawkins? Walsh?

Saying "better than Trump" is pretty much saying "better than the worst president the country has ever seen".

[up] I'm not giving up on him exactly, but I didn't find his debate performance all that encouraging either.

Edited by Redmess on Oct 10th 2020 at 4:11:29 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333119: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:10:44 AM

Dubya vs. Trump would be a site to behold.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#333120: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:14:37 AM

I think in this context, "better than Trump" can be taken to mean "will follow through on his promises and more if sufficiently pressured". So yeah, just "better than Trump" isn't ideal, but I'd argue Biden is shaping up to be more than that.

i'm tired, my friend
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#333121: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:15:06 AM

[up][up] Too much stupid to fit into 1 room, honestly.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#333122: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:20:04 AM

[up][up] I think people would be a lot less eager to use that argument if someone like Cuomo had been the nominee.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
PointMaid Since: Jun, 2014
#333123: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:21:50 AM

I'd still probably take Dubya in that match-up. And I loathed Dubya. tongue

I think the 'He's better than Trump!' thing is less about the people saying it thinking him only being incrementally better than Trump, and more, 'That's what's on the ballot, what on Earth are you dithering about voting for?'

At least I hope so.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#333124: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:29:47 AM

Biden's also better than W. if were clearing all the low bars here.

Out of curiosity, who reads the policy links some of us have been posting?

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#333125: Oct 10th 2020 at 7:29:48 AM

[up] My point is that that bar is so low to clear that practically any Democrat can do it, and arguably more than a few Republicans as well. Heck, "being a half decent politician who can deal with a crisis" would be good enough in that regard.

And yes, just to be clear, Biden easily clears that bar. But that doesn't make him an impressive candidate either.

[up] I've read that one page policy flyer someone posted a while back, and it seemed very promising indeed. Hence why I think Biden does not quite live up to his own policy platform (not yet anyway).

Edited by Redmess on Oct 10th 2020 at 4:31:43 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times

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