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

Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#333976: Oct 16th 2020 at 8:29:22 AM

"I thought that Christie was the kind of person that would rather die than admit being wrong about anything." "The prospect of that actually happening seems to have changed his tune."

Nothing makes somebody reconsider the whole "die for the cause" thing quite like the prospect of actually being made to do just that.

EDIT: Pagetopper

Edited by Reflextion on Oct 16th 2020 at 11:30:17 AM

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#333977: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:09:10 AM

Quite. Bluster is cheap. It costs literally nothing to declare, "I would sooner die than accept defeat, I'll fight anyone who wants to go, and I would take a bullet for our President!" It's literally just saying words out loud. Most don't expect to ever have to actually do it. Most, not all but most, strongman types are paper tigers.

They roar because it makes them look cool in front of their supporters and because most people that hear the roar back down. They get all the credit for being a Badass Macho Man without ever having to actually fight for it.

There is nothing more effective at silencing a paper tiger than bopping them on the nose. Calling their bluff and introducing consequences can be very effective at making them firmly reconsider just how far they're actually willing to go, while also damaging their Strongman image in front of their supporters.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Oct 16th 2020 at 9:11:10 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333978: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:14:44 AM

Cohen the Barbarian was old school. Part of Cohen's danger to normal people is that as a barbarian hero he has extreme problems interpreting such things as empty bravado — as a man of his word, he naturally assumes that anyone else saying something like 'I would rather die than betray the Emperor' fully means it. This led to the deaths of several guards and courtiers in the Agatean Empire before everyone wised up.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Dirtyblue929 Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333980: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:16:35 AM

Regarding Q Anon, seriously guys, of all the stupid things I have evert heard in my life, Q Anon is maybe the most dumbest, stupidiest and outright batshit insane one I ever heard.

And the worst part of this is the fact there's people not only in the Anglosphere, but in other countries who are falling on that shit.

I've made it a habit on Reddit to repost this every time Qanon shows up and hope it spreads:

I should point out I was on 4chan when Qanon was created. It was always a metafiction game that was meant to be a JOKE. It's no different than if Trump was suddenly fighting Slenderman except believing in a business suit wearing boogeyman (Slendy not Trump) is arguably more believable and his videos have better production values. It took 3 con artists and Patreon to turn it into the national embarrassment it is today.

NBC exposed the people behind it a long time ago: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/how-three-conspiracy-theorists-took-q-sparked-qanon-n900531

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#333981: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:16:39 AM

[up][up][up] For context, Discworld reference, so he does mean Cohen and not Conan.

Edited by sgamer82 on Oct 16th 2020 at 9:16:55 AM

Lazlo74 from A tropical hell-hole Since: May, 2018
#333982: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:19:50 AM

[up]Unfortunately, this ARG joke turned into one of the biggest right-wing conspiracy movements in recent memory. And bloody hell, are their adherents cultish to the bone in places as far away as Europe and Australia. Is there a way to silence Q into irrelevance so common sense can fare slightly better in a world already struggling for reason?

Edited by Lazlo74 on Oct 16th 2020 at 9:20:27 AM

Scaled seeker
TitanJump Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: Singularity
#333984: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:20:02 AM

[up] x 5 Trump reflects his base perfectly.

All of them, him included, being Too Dumb to Live in human society.

And if this can fool him this badly, then he stands zero chance against Putin and the rest of the dictators he is trying to get cozy with, or understand even how a Thanksgiving turkey is made.

(Won't be surprised that none of his family actually knows how to cook and they just order KFC for the "turkey" during that holiday...)

Add the massive debts he owns to "unknown" entities and his security risk factor rockets straight into the stratosphere.

Edited by TitanJump on Oct 16th 2020 at 6:20:22 PM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333985: Oct 16th 2020 at 9:26:01 AM

I mean, it's bizarrity is doubly so because of being there.

It's like if there was a cult that emerged from banned users on TV tropes.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#333986: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:02:09 AM

"The most simple explanation of the lunacy in our country is that rich people pay the Republican politicians to peddle white supremacy, religiously motivated hate against easy targets (gays, "baby killers", trans, "criminals", welfare queens, or caravans of refugees), and so on in order to create voter blocks that will allow them to carry out their financial agenda."

This, so much. Thanks Charles.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#333987: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:22:33 AM

The townhalls seemed to have killed interest in theNew York Post smear story.

luisedgarf from Mexico Since: May, 2009 Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
#333988: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:32:33 AM

I should point out I was on 4chan when Qanon was created. It was always a metafiction game that was meant to be a JOKE. It's no different than if Trump was suddenly fighting Slenderman except believing in a business suit wearing boogeyman (Slendy not Trump) is arguably more believable and his videos have better production values. It took 3 con artists and Patreon to turn it into the national embarrassment it is today.

Really? Because I heard rumors the whole Qanon thing was created by the Russian intelligence agencies, in the same way like the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zeon, taking advantage of the many quirks from the American culture that wouldn't work either in Russia or, in theory, elsewhere.

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
#333989: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:37:55 AM

With Bush and the other ‘mainstream’ Republicans I think they could prove useful yet, if Biden wins they could help scupper Trump’s inevitable shenanigans by publicly congratulating Biden.

Trump will never conceded, but if Bush effectively concedes on the Republican Party’s behalf that could help the transition of power.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
ShinyCottonCandy Everyone's friend Malamar from Lumiose City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Everyone's friend Malamar
#333990: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:47:43 AM

Thing is, I don’t trust any of the republicans like Bush to not want what Trump is doing. They just don’t want their own name on the front page.

So even a symbolic gesture won’t happen.

My musician page
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#333991: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:53:28 AM

Bronies started as a joke too.

That's the thing about these metafiction "joke" movements. You might be participating ironically and telling yourself that it's just for lulz, but other people who aren't in on the joke are watching a bunch of people suddenly flipping out over this thing. And they're intrigued and curious and want to understand what's going on.

Nobody told them that it's a joke. So you start to gather this second generation of totally sincere people who got into it because they thought you were being sincere too. They thought this was supposed to be an actual thing, and they listened to it, and they spread it to others. And that just snowballs.

Metafiction gag movements are the larval state of cults. The addendum to Poe's Law is that when a satirical riff is unrecognizable from a genuine position, it may in fact evolve into sincerity.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Oct 16th 2020 at 10:56:34 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333992: Oct 16th 2020 at 10:59:20 AM

Really? Because I heard rumors the whole Qanon thing was created by the Russian intelligence agencies, in the same way like the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zeon, taking advantage of the many quirks from the American culture that wouldn't work either in Russia or, in theory, elsewhere.

Yeah, no, that's more of their bullshit as it means they're more important than the bunch of gamers fucking around and idiot dad shares than it is. Again, I was there. So were plenty of other people.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Russians spread it, though.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Oct 16th 2020 at 11:03:07 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
#333993: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:05:24 AM

It was probably helped and pushed by the Russians, but that’s them acting on something that sprang up on its own, not manufacturing something whole-cloth.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333994: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:05:25 AM

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2020/10/16/donald-trump-has-at-least-1-billion-in-debt-more-than-twice-the-amount-he-suggested/#4f36058e4330

Trump is now a billion dollars in debt to foreign powers.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#333995: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:11:54 AM

About a million more people tuned in to watch Mr. Rogers over Racist Uncle.

Early ratings point towards roughly 14 million people watching Biden's townhall, with 13 million for Trump. This is despite Trump's townhall being on three channels.

TitanJump Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: Singularity
#333996: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:12:15 AM

[up][up] Secret Service should immediately take away all access to the nuclear codes from him.

He is the most compromised president in American History and I have zero doubt that he would try and sell the codes off to Russia just to pay his debt off, among other things of America he would sell for that purpose if he loses in November...

He is a legit threat to the entire world.

Edited by TitanJump on Oct 16th 2020 at 8:12:24 PM

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#333997: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:13:54 AM

There is not a mechanism for the Secret Service to withhold Presidential powers from a sitting POTUS if they don't like or trust them.

Nor should there be, despite Trump.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Oct 16th 2020 at 11:14:22 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#333998: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:17:55 AM

[up]

Dramatic Irony

The United States military removed Richard Nixon's capacity to launch nuclear missiles during his impeachment. This is incredibly grossly illegal but they did so without hesitation due to fear he'd start a nuclear war.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#333999: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:34:33 AM

Clarification on [up]: did they actually take away the codes from Nixon or did they just ignore him?

Edited by tclittle on Oct 16th 2020 at 1:35:04 PM

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#334000: Oct 16th 2020 at 11:37:56 AM

This is fascinating, in a "dead animal by the road" way:

"It is important to note, as Trump did Thursday night, that he also has significant assets. Forbes values them at $3.66 billion, enough to make his net worth an estimated $2.5 billion. He is not broke, despite what many critics claim." [from the article linked above]

So it's not "national security" levels of debt, but it's still significant. The net worth of his assets isn't necessarily the figure that matters—capital assets are valued for the annual income they bring in (for example, building rents), and for their worth as collateral against future loans (which can be used to expand his businesses). If he had to sell off a billion dollars worth of his assets, that could harm his credit rating enough to significantly impact his ability to borrow money—the lifeblood of a business like real estate. In fact, that may be the most plausible reason why he wanted to conceal his tax records in the first place—could he have been informally telling his business partners that he is a much better risk than he really is?

An untold aspect to this story are the tenants of his buildings—in many cases journalists have uncovered "empty storefronts" owned by foreign governments, yet paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.

Total posts: 417,856
Top