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

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#344676: Dec 24th 2020 at 3:40:32 PM

The general impression I get with libertarians is that they're usually people who buy a little too strongly into a sort of "cult of freedom". This means a few things:

  1. They tend to buy heavily into the American Civil Religion, viewing the purpose of America to almost exclusively mean 'freedom' and that America is good as long as it stays towards that purpose. They tend to have a sort of "Paradise Lost" attitude about the US, believing it to be a fallen utopia of some kind.

  2. A deontological belief in 'live and let live' values. These morals sound good on paper, but are in practice naïve at best or callous at worst. These values are, again, deontological and are not especially flexible to

  3. As a consequence of the above, an extreme aversion to the concept of duty, viewing the idea of societal obligation as a form of evil.

  4. Nihilistic dislike of The Establishment. Note that it's a nihilistic, bothsidering dislike of the government. Both parties suck, because they hate your freedom or something.

  5. They tend to support a social policy that might be called "Social Amoralism". They oppose social Conservatism, but more because they want people to "free", not necessarily "equal".

Leviticus 19:34
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#344677: Dec 24th 2020 at 4:08:56 PM

I think its sometimes the nature of the Left to believe the Right have Delusions of Eloquence.

They assume there's some big misunderstood Well-Intentioned Extremist motivation that will allow them to be a Worthy Opponent or Noble Demon.

When, in fact, it could just be they vote for the GOP because they don't like the idea of better conditions for brown people, gays, or the poor in general. The thing is that these are very often what they openly state their reasoning for. Ronald Reagan ran against "welfare queens", "criminal slums", and "immorality"

Just like Trump and the Latins.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Dec 24th 2020 at 4:09:39 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#344678: Dec 24th 2020 at 4:25:19 PM

I have a neighbor who votes Republican because he believes in all the conspiracy theories. We aren't dealing with diabolical geniuses here.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#344679: Dec 24th 2020 at 4:45:23 PM

The are no "The" Republicans. There are a hundred different reasons to vote for that party, and some of them contradict each other.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#344680: Dec 24th 2020 at 4:45:33 PM

One also have to take in account the polarization, the rpeublican party of 30 years ago isnt the same as it is today.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#344681: Dec 24th 2020 at 4:48:45 PM

My father was an old Nixon supporter, and he despised Trump.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#344682: Dec 24th 2020 at 4:54:36 PM

The are no "The" Republicans. There are a hundred different reasons to vote for that party, and some of them contradict each other.

This isn't really meaningful when we're talking about national politics, obviously, you can find any number of individual variation of how they describe motivations but that doesn't mean they can't have common values.

Such as white grievance in the case of the party as a whole.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#344683: Dec 24th 2020 at 5:08:30 PM

Well, yes and no. "Republicans" are technically the voters, they elect the policy makers, and they have hundreds of reasons for doing so, some of which are illogical and self-contradictory (but no more so than Democratic voters). The policy makers are divided into a small number of factions: there's the evangelicals, the fiscal conservatives (ie, cut taxes), racists of various degrees, foreign policy hawks, and those beholden to the billionaire class and their interests. Many elected Republicans cross between several of these categories. At least three things unite them: Small Government (low taxes), a belief in individual responsibility (what happens to people is mostly a result of their own choices), and a low tolerance for social change and risk (no challenging surprises). A fair number of them feel greater loyalty to their locality than to the country as a whole.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#344684: Dec 24th 2020 at 5:58:23 PM

On the 2021 copyright bill, I'm worried if the democrats in the house and senate will actually say no or not. I've noticed that many politicians just don't really seem to understand the internet and if they even realize how bad it could be.

The_MJP Flip you Kansas City from Utah, cause nothin' bad ever happens in Utah. Since: Jul, 2020
Flip you Kansas City
#344685: Dec 24th 2020 at 6:47:31 PM

I'm sort of a centrist (lean right on some issues and left on others) and think Liz warren should have won the democratic nomination over biden anyone else agree

Edited by The_MJP on Dec 24th 2020 at 7:53:50 AM

Taichibana-san are you really a traitor?
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#344686: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:12:53 PM

I would have preferred Warren; it does warrant consideration, however, that our opportunity to retake the Senate right now wouldn't exist if she or Sanders had beaten Trump in Biden's place.

Without the Senate, a sitting President will be paralyzed no matter who they are.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#344687: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:15:51 PM

The thread as a whole seemed to have preferred Warren. But when it became obvious that wasn't going to happen most of us adapted pretty quickly.

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
#344688: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:21:51 PM

Democrats as a whole preferred Warren for president and Biden for presidential candidate. Polling consistently showed that if Democrats could just make one of the primary candidates president they’d have picked Warren. But Biden was seen as more electable, which considering how close things were, might well have been key.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
coruscatingInquisitor circumlocutory square Since: Dec, 2013
circumlocutory square
#344689: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:28:25 PM

She was my fave as well, but I think relitigating the primaries is a common enough thread-derailer that maybe we should try to avoid it...

EDIT: darn triple-[nja]s invalidatin’ me arrows

Edited by coruscatingInquisitor on Dec 25th 2020 at 2:29:50 AM

My first launched Trope!
Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#344690: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:32:31 PM

So, are people expecting Harris to be active and visible for this term, right?

Wake me up at your own risk.
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
#344691: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:35:50 PM

Yeah if Dems win the senate than she will be active there as the tiebreaker, if the Dems loose the senate I’d personally like to see her try and reclaim some of Mitch’s powers that technically are VP powers.

Edited by Silasw on Dec 24th 2020 at 3:36:12 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
#344692: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:38:55 PM

I wonder what domestic portfolios she'll get unofficial control/influence over?

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#344693: Dec 24th 2020 at 7:58:02 PM

Basically the feeling during the primaries was that Warren would make the best president, but Biden had the best chance of beating Trump.

In retrospect, I feel like Warren also would've beaten Trump, but I can hardly blame the Democrats for wanting to play it safe on that front.

Steven (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#344694: Dec 24th 2020 at 8:05:22 PM

Would Warren run again for President in the future?

Remember, these idiots drive, fuck, and vote. Not always in that order.
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
#344695: Dec 24th 2020 at 8:09:17 PM

When she dropped out she did make mention of “in four years”, so I could see her running against Harris is Biden doesn’t run for a 2nd term.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#344696: Dec 24th 2020 at 9:23:22 PM

I remember hearing that Harris has a reputation for being a hardliner, how true is this?

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#344697: Dec 24th 2020 at 9:37:03 PM

That depends on what you mean by hardliner.

Disgusted, but not surprised
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.
#344698: Dec 24th 2020 at 9:45:20 PM

A lot of her record as a prosecutor was exagerrated or taken out of context. That said, she seems to be left. Not moderate left or far left, but somewhere in-between those.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#344699: Dec 24th 2020 at 9:51:03 PM

She at least has consistently been against the death penalty, something she has in common with Joe Biden.

Disgusted, but not surprised
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#344700: Dec 24th 2020 at 9:57:37 PM

I don't know everything about Harris' history and policies, but I think she's to the left of Biden, to be honest.

Do not obey in advance.

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