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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

Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#352501: Jan 21st 2021 at 8:00:06 PM

@LSBK: Technically, how you figure out it out depends on where you're from.

I'm pretty sure when January 1st, 2000 hit, people were celebrating "The 21st Century." Not to mention all that crap about Y2K.

The first year of a century is the one ending in a multiple of 100 for most people.

Edit: nvm, that got explained XD

Edited by Pendrake on Jan 21st 2021 at 8:01:32 AM

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#352502: Jan 21st 2021 at 8:03:57 PM

Y2K is a programming thing, it doesn't matter when the century actually starts—just where it conflicts with representing the year with two digits. tongue

ScubaWolf from South Carolina Since: Feb, 2020
#352503: Jan 21st 2021 at 8:50:35 PM

Seeing Doctor Fauci happy is definitely a crowning moment of heartwarming.

Like, I swear he looks ten years younger.

That's definitely a case of When He Smiles there. I want to see it happen more.

"In a move surprising absolutely no one"
Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#352504: Jan 21st 2021 at 8:59:51 PM

Funny how much better you feel when you don't have to deal with a guy who constantly belittled you for four years.

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#352506: Jan 21st 2021 at 9:14:02 PM

Pretty sure that's what roused that whole "Biden Erased Women" hasthag from TER Fs that I mentioned earlier.

Edited by LSBK on Jan 21st 2021 at 12:34:10 PM

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#352507: Jan 21st 2021 at 9:16:38 PM

Alt-right tears are delicious.

vjoi The first Stealth Fighter! from The South. Since: Feb, 2016 Relationship Status: Mu
The first Stealth Fighter!
#352508: Jan 21st 2021 at 9:18:45 PM

Ben shaprio talks fast.

Cornelius, but do not waste in useless pity the few moments left in which to escape from the hands of the enemy.
Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#352509: Jan 21st 2021 at 9:30:04 PM

Honesty, I think Joe was kind of Obfuscating Stupidity just to make the newer Republicans think he was easy prey.

The man knew how to play the long game.

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
NickTheSwing Since: Aug, 2009
#352510: Jan 21st 2021 at 10:41:22 PM

Ben also squeaks when he talks.

A fast way to get blocked by Ben Shapiro on Twitter is to point out that he sounds like a squirrel hopped up on ritalin, and uses software to artificially deepen his voice.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#352511: Jan 21st 2021 at 10:49:28 PM

Funny, it just occurred to me that Joe Biden was born in Pennsylvania, same as me. Y'know, the Vampire State.

President Biden also has the dubious honor of being the best POTUS to ever come from Pennsylvania - because the only other one was James Buchanan, the only President who could give Donald Trump competition in a "Worst President Ever" contest.

Edited by M84 on Jan 22nd 2021 at 2:51:42 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#352512: Jan 21st 2021 at 10:59:31 PM

I'd actually say the worst was Andrew Jackson.

Well, the evilest was Andrew Jackson (a genocidal lunatic), the most incompetent was Buchanan (basically responsible for The Civil War). Trump is evil and was incompetent, but not as bad as the previous two.

Edited by Protagonist506 on Jan 21st 2021 at 11:00:06 AM

Leviticus 19:34
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#352513: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:01:23 PM

If you consider the bare minimum of the POTUS's duty as "maintain the Union", then Buchanan was the only one who failed at that.

Trump can give him a run for his money though, given the whole insurrection thing. Buchanan at least tried to keep the Union together. Sort of. Kind of.

Disgusted, but not surprised
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#352514: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:02:54 PM

Instead of going down the rabbit whole of "worst President ever" again, could we all just agree he's the worst one in our lifetimes' and near adjacent times?

Edited by LSBK on Jan 21st 2021 at 1:05:13 PM

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#352515: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:03:42 PM

Well, we can now consider his entire term in hindsight rather than considering what he might continue to do as president.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#352516: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:04:48 PM

"Hindsight".

I admit it does feel a bit refreshing to be able to think of Trump's presidency in terms of past-tense now. Even if we are stuck dealing with the fallout of it.

Edited by M84 on Jan 22nd 2021 at 3:05:29 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Batboy698 from Washington state Since: Jan, 2021
#352517: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:09:35 PM

[up][up] Andrew Jackson was the creator of the democratic party and was the first president to want the executive to be the most powerful branch of government.

Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#352518: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:38:44 PM

He also, despite being a Genocidal Lunatic, wasn't afraid to get his own hands dirty.

Which actually makes me rate him better than Trump, because at least he admitted the kind of person he was. He owned being a vicious asshole.

Trump wanted to play both sides and not risk his own ass.

From a creative writing standpoint, I can respect a villain like Jackson. He's a Card-Carrying Villain. Trump's more a Fake Ultimate Hero Stupid Evil Dirty Coward, much like, say, Nef Anyo from Warframe (one of the game's biggest Hate Sink characters).

[down]Believe it or not, Jackson also did have his occasional moments of morality, Grey-to-Black though they might've been. For instance, most of those pistol duels he had were over people demeaning his wife.

[down][down]Precisely. I mean, fuck, he'd ditch Melania in a heartbeat if he thought he'd profit from it, or if it was to save his own ass.

Edited by Pendrake on Jan 21st 2021 at 11:48:48 AM

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#352519: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:40:17 PM

I would actually argue being a Card-Carrying Villain is worse than pretending to be good. Admitting it is even worse than hiding it, because pretending to be good requires at least some imitation of virtue.

Edited by Protagonist506 on Jan 21st 2021 at 11:40:25 AM

Leviticus 19:34
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#352520: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:42:45 PM

Trump didn't even imitate virtue.

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#352522: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:49:40 PM

Except he kept trying to claim he was the hero and everyone else was the villains.

Jackson admitted he was an asshole.

Trump was a Miles Gloriosus claiming stuff other people had done was his work, and anything objectionable he did was obviously done by those other guys who complain about him.

[down]Tools by definition are useful. Also, I'm not apologizing for Jackson. The Trail of Tears was horrific, and he will be considered the best Real Life President Evil in American History. But I can respect the fact that he was at least honest about being a monster.

Might just have more of a problem with Trump because I've been around or had to deal with too many Never My Fault hypocrites over the course of my life.

Edited by Pendrake on Jan 21st 2021 at 11:59:49 AM

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#352523: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:52:24 PM

Let me modify my argument: Being an unlikeable tool does not make you worse than being responsible for the Trail of Tears.

Leviticus 19:34
SpookyMask Since: Jan, 2011
#352524: Jan 21st 2021 at 11:54:59 PM

On sidenote, I think its bit reductive to say that "all" european countries are homogeneous, though it is very likely true compared to USA for obvious reasons tongue

Also on sidenote, does every nationality in the world have natural reaction of "Man our country sucks." "Yeah, why aren't you more like us?" "Oh HEY stop there mofo, we are much better than you in many regards!" tongue Like everytime I see USA vs Europe thing brought up, it reminds me of how finnish people talk about their country to finnish people vs when comparing finland to other countries [lol]

But yeah, saying they are generally right from europe is probably really untrue since Europe has some really rightwing countries. Heck, it might be too much to say that USA is rightwing from Nordic countries since I'm fairly use Denmark and Sweden are more on right than Finland at least and I literally have no idea on Iceland or Norway because as it turns out, we don't discuss what goes on in Norway's politics over here tongue I'd assume that welfare states would be left from most countries, but again probably depends on the area of topic

Edited by SpookyMask on Jan 21st 2021 at 9:55:33 PM

Batboy698 from Washington state Since: Jan, 2021
#352525: Jan 22nd 2021 at 12:30:40 AM

In poland gay marriage is illegal.

Edited by Batboy698 on Jan 22nd 2021 at 12:31:20 PM


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