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

Imca (Veteran)
#342576: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:17:00 PM

Personaly I think the goverment should not be touching them, it just serves as a way to enforce a political will and complain because there not saying what you want them to say.

The right thinks they are too liberal, the left thinks there too conservative, and at the end of the day there is no reason to trust any one to handle them well.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#342577: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:39:16 PM

The government should definitely be putting a bit more heat on social media companies, though, they're effectively monopolies.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#342578: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:39:20 PM

I'm asking because it feels like these platforms allow (or spread) whatever harmful content they feel like they can get away with, only making a show of cracking down when it lands them in hot water.

Edited by PhysicalStamina on Dec 8th 2020 at 8:41:03 AM

i'm tired, my friend
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#342579: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:41:46 PM

I have a lot more sympathy for Twitter than I do Facebook because the reason it allows hate speech and can't just use an algorythm to remove it is because the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES and many politicians would be caught up in it. That's on the American people and taking on the President isn't something you do lightly when he has shown a willingness to destroy lives for no reason.

Which is to say, "It's courageous when someone refuses with a gun to their head. I don't blame people who buckle, though."

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
#342580: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:49:08 PM

Twitter is a big part of why those people got elected, I have no sympathy.

Nobody put a gun to Twitter’s head and made them run a platform build on misunderstanding, ignorance, stalking, misinformation and hatred, they did that themselves and the entire world has paid the price.

Edited by Silasw on Dec 8th 2020 at 1:50:41 PM

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#342581: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:54:44 PM

And no one made Facebook take money from propagandists and agitators out to undermine liberal democracy.

Its just hard to regulate them without harming other sectors, or just leading to mass censorship. And imploding the social media sector is not really an option.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#342582: Dec 8th 2020 at 5:55:07 PM

There was no chance of this going through, but honestly, I am kind of surprised that Alito didn't make a public dissent for the purpose of political signaling, after that crazy rant he gave a few weeks ago.

SCOTUS Justices don't do political signaling. There's nothing to signal. They do not have a voterbase that they need to appease. They do not have campaigns that they need support for. They do not have re-elections to be concerned with.

Once you hit the Supreme Court, nobody's opinion of anything you do will ever matter again. Party leadership doesn't matter anymore. Will of the people doesn't matter anymore. You have no boss or superior, not even the voters, and nothing you say or do will adversely affect your career or prevent you from being here next year. Ever.

The Supreme Court is the one place in the entire government where the people sitting in those chairs get to do their jobs as their absolute truest self. For better and worse. When Justice Alito goes on crazy, he's not trying to impress voters and get re-elected. He is demonstrating his absolute truest self.

There is no 4-D chess in the Supreme Court. Do not mistake anyone in the Supreme Court of trying to satisfy a hidden motive or a secret agenda. They wear their agendas plain on their face. In the Supreme Court, there is nothing you need to hide.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 8th 2020 at 5:56:38 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#342583: Dec 8th 2020 at 6:21:39 PM

They signal things to the lower courts, though.

Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#342584: Dec 8th 2020 at 6:46:46 PM

Technically the Supremes can get impeached, but don't expect that to ever happen with that Senate.

Edited by Resileafs on Dec 8th 2020 at 10:24:17 AM

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#342585: Dec 8th 2020 at 7:20:42 PM

I wouldn't count on that happening in general. Haven't we learned enough about the impotence of impeachment as a method of removing unfit magistrates?

Edited by CrimsonZephyr on Dec 8th 2020 at 10:20:52 AM

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#342586: Dec 8th 2020 at 7:24:58 PM

Which is why I said 'technically'. Because it's something that the law says is possible, but in practice will never happen.

Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#342587: Dec 8th 2020 at 9:27:17 PM

It would take a justice doing something absolutely insane on the bench or breaking the law in a way too big to ignore for anyone to consider it.

Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#342588: Dec 8th 2020 at 9:52:58 PM

Honestly I don't trust a Republican Senate to impeach one of 'their' justices even if they were caught red-handed stabbing someone to death.

[down]Case in point.

Edited by Resileafs on Dec 8th 2020 at 1:39:46 PM

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#342589: Dec 8th 2020 at 10:33:07 PM

Matt Shea, a literal domestic terrorist, was allowed to remain in the Washington State House, though he was kicked out of the Republican caucus. Quoth the GOP House Minority Leader:

But if Shea does not resign voluntarily, it would be premature to talk about expelling him from the Legislature, Wilcox said. That, he said, would sidestep the will of voters in the 4th Legislative District.

I'm pretty convinced nothing will cause Republican Senators to impeach a Justice.

Edited by nova92 on Dec 8th 2020 at 10:33:22 AM

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#342590: Dec 9th 2020 at 2:10:36 AM

Also making left-wing groups scared that the court will overturn the election has the potential of setting off radicalised elements who might try and take preemptive action to stop such a thing.

That's a perk from the far-right's perspective. Violent extralegal behavior gives cops an excuse to unleash the excessive force without being called on it by the middle.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#342591: Dec 9th 2020 at 2:18:18 AM

Reminds me of that time a gunman tried to kill a bunch of Republican Congresspeople.

Disgusted, but not surprised
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#342592: Dec 9th 2020 at 2:28:08 AM

[up][up] Not a perk from the right-wing elements in the middle of DC, though.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#342593: Dec 9th 2020 at 3:46:32 AM

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/08/politics/scotus-pennsylvania-supreme-court-donald-trump/index.html

A good article on the Supreme Court vs. Trump.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
HBarnill Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: All is for my lord
#342594: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:13:23 AM

“ Bill Maher is still being a defeatist shithead who thinks Trump will succeed in a coup, and thinks the military will obey Trump.”

Old post, I know, but who gives a fuck about Maher? He’s the worst talk show host right now. Forget about his horrid takes, he’s just a terrible comedian.

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#342595: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:18:09 AM

Whatever issues one might have with Maher, with people like Rick Wiles around, he is definitely not "the worst".

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
#342596: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:34:14 AM

I see we are back to "Dems should just impeach conservative judges!" again.

Lets not pretend that Democrats would even consider impeaching a conservative judge just for being conservative, even if they had the majority for it. That would be blatantly authoritarian. It shouldn't happen, it will not happen, and we should be glad it doesn't happen, because when even Democrats start doing authoritarian things, the US will truly be in deep trouble.

To reiterate: unless a judge does something illegal or corrupt, you cannot just impeach them. And just being conservative is neither illegal nor corrupt.

Edited by Redmess on Dec 9th 2020 at 1:35:56 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#342597: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:37:04 AM

Short of a Justice committing an unambiguously violent and unjustified felony, on camera and in front of multiple witnesses, I don't see impeachment coming up.

And even then, I'm not sure that the GOP would impeach a conservative justice in that scenario. At the very least they'd wait until conviction, and do their utmost to prevent a replacement.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#342598: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:37:09 AM

Brett Kavanough raped multiple women, I think that's enough to impeach him.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#342599: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:38:27 AM

Republicans are okay with domestic terrorists. (Not ones in Congress, but still elected Republicans.) I'll be surprised if anything could convince them to impeach.


AP News: Georgia Senate GOP push for end to no-excuse absentee voting

Republicans in Georgia's state Senate are calling for an end to absentee voting without cause and want to ban ballot drop boxes, after an increase in mail voting helped propel Democrat Joe Biden to a narrow victory over President Donald Trump in the state.


The state Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement Tuesday that they would push for the changes the next time the legislature convenes, while also shooting down the idea of a special legislative session - which Trump has repeatedly called for in the hopes of subverting the election results. The 2021 legislative session is set to begin Jan. 11.

Senate Republicans are also calling for a photo ID requirement for absentee voters who have a specific reason to vote by mail.

This won't affect the Senate runoffs, but Republicans' answer to Democrats winning elections is to make it harder to vote.

Edited by nova92 on Dec 9th 2020 at 4:39:43 AM

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#342600: Dec 9th 2020 at 4:43:49 AM

@Pushover, it should be enough (and the accusation enough should have goddamn scuttled his appointment), but with only witness testimony it would never happen to a sitting Justice.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

Total posts: 417,856
Top