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

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#47751: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:08:23 PM

N-Word Privileges. If black Republicans can't act racist towards the President, who can? Think of the black Republicans!

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
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.
#47752: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:10:23 PM

[up][up] Probably from the same "reliable" sources which state that the evolution theory will be defeated in 2013.

edited 21st Jan '13 4:10:31 PM by 3of4

"You can reply to this Message!"
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#47753: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:22:22 PM

[up][up]How do you know that they're black? Also N-word privileges bother me sometimes.

[up]I'm curious, what is going to defeat it?

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.
#47754: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:29:02 PM

I have NO Idea. I just had a bout of Bile Fascination and read conservapedia...from what I gathered it will collapse under its own untenability

edited 21st Jan '13 4:29:36 PM by 3of4

"You can reply to this Message!"
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#47755: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:33:49 PM

Untenability? What? It's not a fucking church.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#47756: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:35:32 PM

"To a man who only knows churches, everything looks like a church." I know that's a misquote, but it's apropos.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#47757: Jan 21st 2013 at 4:45:42 PM

I don't think that the idiot who got arrested will be convicted; most likely, if it even gets to trial, the jury will just roll their eyes.

Serocco Serocco from Miami, Florida Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
Serocco
#47758: Jan 21st 2013 at 5:23:00 PM

Does Roe v. Wade really matter, if the states can just unilaterally restrict abortion anyway?

Federal law vs state law, but once again, the law that screws people over is the one that the establishment listens to.

In RWBY, every girl is Best Girl.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#47759: Jan 21st 2013 at 5:27:43 PM

Of course it matters. States can't enact laws in defiance of federal law, the Constitution, or SCOTUS rulings. If they do, it becomes a matter for federal courts to deal with.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#47760: Jan 21st 2013 at 5:33:49 PM

I'm curious, can lawmakers be arrested for enacting laws that make it illegal for federal agents to follow their orders? That feels like it should be a punishable offense but it probably isn't.

DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#47761: Jan 21st 2013 at 5:39:38 PM

[up] No. The laws will get stuck down, and that's about it.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#47762: Jan 21st 2013 at 5:57:48 PM

I don't think it'll even get as far as actually arresting federal agents anyway. Doing that would cause the states far more trouble than they actually want. Legislators are just trying to look tough in front of their constituents.

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#47763: Jan 21st 2013 at 6:15:27 PM

@ Kostya: I know it's not the clearest greyscale photo, but he looks African American to me. It's the shape of the jaw and mouth. I could be wrong though.

And I am not seeking to defend N-Word Privileges, just being sarcastic.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
DevilTakeMe Coin Operator from Wild Wasteland Since: Jan, 2010
Coin Operator
#47764: Jan 21st 2013 at 6:27:00 PM

[up][up] It can be made as a challenge of states' rights vs. Federal law. It's unlikely to hold up (Federal Law trumps State Law, after all), but it can be used to debate themselves into a position to challenge Federal law in an appellate court. It isn't impossible to have both laws struck down at the same time.

edited 21st Jan '13 6:31:52 PM by DevilTakeMe

Glove and Boots is good for Blog!
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#47765: Jan 21st 2013 at 6:34:24 PM

Considering many of these threats are aimed at federal officials who will be implementing the new healthcare exchange program, I doubt that will happen in that case. Since, you know, the Supreme Court already declared Obamacare in its entirety constitutional. And the rest of the threats are aimed at gun legislation that hadn't happened yet at the time when the legislators declared they'd do that, and since then the restrictions that Obama wants have proven to be very sensible. I doubt that both laws would be struck down in that instance either.

DevilTakeMe Coin Operator from Wild Wasteland Since: Jan, 2010
Coin Operator
#47766: Jan 21st 2013 at 6:38:16 PM

[up] SCOTUS is already allowing appellate courts to re-review parts of Obamacare. It's not exactly as certain, as much as the new gun legislations raises challenges to decisions made only a few years ago, such as Heller vs. DC. It may clarify positions, however, which is why such things are being allowed to go through.

edited 21st Jan '13 6:40:11 PM by DevilTakeMe

Glove and Boots is good for Blog!
TheBatPencil from Glasgow, Scotland Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#47769: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:02:20 PM

[up] When some paranoid conspiracy theorist inevitably murders a bunch of people while spouting this exact kind of language, I wonder what the Republican reaction will be. probably more irresponsible, inflammatory, insurgency-fetishist, not-remotely-well-hidden euphemisms about shooting people.

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#47770: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:05:42 PM

"We are not in any way responsible for how people react to what our Senate Minority Leader explicitly told them to be afraid of."

edited 21st Jan '13 8:06:03 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
DevilTakeMe Coin Operator from Wild Wasteland Since: Jan, 2010
Coin Operator
#47771: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:13:45 PM

And because we can't control how one individual or a small group reacts, we'll make sure to punish the larger whole of responsible people.

We'll go right back to where we started.

Glove and Boots is good for Blog!
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#47772: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:16:30 PM

"Because most people are responsible with missiles, tanks, and nerve gas, we should just let everyone have them."

"Because most kids don't stab themselves with scissors, they should be handed out at birth."

edited 21st Jan '13 8:17:46 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
DevilTakeMe Coin Operator from Wild Wasteland Since: Jan, 2010
Coin Operator
#47773: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:21:46 PM

[up] Yes, you can privately own missile launchers and tanks. Most people just can't afford them. Nerve gas requires proper storage facilities, since they're really mostly regulated by environmental protection laws, etc.

This argument is entirely circular, see?

edited 21st Jan '13 8:22:18 PM by DevilTakeMe

Glove and Boots is good for Blog!
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#47774: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:25:19 PM

Not circular at all; it points out that we're basically teetering on the edge of mass insanity as a society, when the ability to own and operate a deadly weapon can be held forth as a right subject to no more restrictions than obtaining a loaf of bread at the corner drugstore.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#47775: Jan 21st 2013 at 8:26:52 PM

People who deliberately say inflammatory things are trying to provoke a strong response. So yes, they are partially responsible. And the idea of putting in restrictions after one person behaves massively irresponsibly is hardly new.


Total posts: 417,856
Top