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JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#103851: Oct 25th 2015 at 12:39:26 PM

[up] Well his supporters would certainly like to see a United Nation marching in lockstep, hell sometimes I would before I remember how much we would lose by becoming that. Trump may not believe in Natalism, but he clearly sees the growing minority population as a threat,seeing as he wants to deport as many Mexicans as possible. And America has always had a gigantic sense of national destiny, even without neo-faschists like Trump to take advantage of it. But the core of his campaign,and the reason I call him fascist, is that he combines leftist policies of social welfare and protectionism, with rightwing ones of nationalism and racism.

Edit: And before anyone says I'm Godwining, no I am not calling him a Nazi. If anything the one he most resembles is Benito Mussolini, complete with being a ridiculous caricature of himself.

edited 25th Oct '15 12:40:38 PM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#103852: Oct 25th 2015 at 12:45:50 PM

The French like us better than the Brits do...

I find this amusing.

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#103853: Oct 25th 2015 at 12:49:10 PM

That makes more sense, but that's still just commonly known as "Populism" and "Demagogy". You need a bit more Romanticism and ideology and grandiose vision to properly qualify as Fascist. Trump is too petty and short-sighted. You also need a less individualistic, more collectivist mindset. You need to aspire, above personal wealth and power, to collective, national glory. Trump is too individualistic. And you need a more militaristic mindset. Trump is too Business. As far as I can tell, at least.

I don't know if I'm explaining myself properly.

[up]The French, for a start, like themselves. The same cannot be said about the Brits.

[down]I know.[lol]

edited 25th Oct '15 1:08:12 PM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#103854: Oct 25th 2015 at 1:02:17 PM

[up]

Relevant

I'm not sure that America would be even capable of National Syndicalism, let alone Fascism.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#103855: Oct 25th 2015 at 1:03:14 PM

[up][up]

The same cannot be said about the Brits.

Self-hatred is a national pastime. Especially at the moment, when everyone more or less hates everyone.

edited 25th Oct '15 1:03:39 PM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#103856: Oct 25th 2015 at 1:39:58 PM

So why do the French like us more than the British?

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#103857: Oct 25th 2015 at 1:44:54 PM

We always eventually go back to our first love I guess...

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
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
#103858: Oct 25th 2015 at 1:45:34 PM

We're still bitter over getting dragged into Iraq.

The French are smug over Iraq, we're angry.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#103860: Oct 25th 2015 at 2:27:45 PM

[up][up] The French are smug over everything[lol], but good point.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#103861: Oct 25th 2015 at 3:22:22 PM

The Real Effect of Citizens United on the GOP

1) Insurgent Candidates who have been able to hang around longer in the primaries than usual due to Super PAC Donors, which has basically enabled every Tom, Dick and Harry to enter the race this election cycle.

2) The Republican National Committee is no longer the source of funding for candidates to survive the election cycle, since The Koch Brothers or any interesting billionaire can keep their candidate of choice going.

3) However, Super PAC funds can't supplant the donations needed to run the actual campaign of a candidate. Super PA Cs might give their candidates unlimited funds but you're still limited on the donations to the actual campaign, and it looks like Jeb is running dry on the actual smaller donor funds he needs to stay afloat.

4) While the main use for Super PA Cs is those expensive TV ads, there's increasing news that the ads do jack shit. And yet Republicans keep tossing money into them.

Basically, the Democrats who rely on smaller funding are surviving the worst effects of Citizens United, while it's making the GOP more and more unstable.

Republicans, in getting what they want, kind of shot themselves in the leg and food and arm.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#103862: Oct 25th 2015 at 3:27:59 PM

Never mind the affinity fraud that is part and parcel of the Republican side of the SuperPAC system, with more than 80% of the funds being pocketed for "costs and fees" by the people gathering them.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Artificius from about a foot and a half away from a monitor. Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Norwegian Wood
#103863: Oct 25th 2015 at 3:33:42 PM

[up][up]I've been gravitating towards this for national elections, but I'm still concerned about the effect big and dark money can have on smaller, lower profile elections and then politics en masse. Americans for Prosperity, the Koch PAC, has chapters in all fifty states and are apparently liable to sink 10 to 20 times the average amount spent on an election for a given post, and the numbers alone can scare a candidate into complying with their agenda. It isn't just US Senators and Congressmen who get primaried.

"I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once."
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#103864: Oct 25th 2015 at 3:36:31 PM

That's a valid point. What we often miss while focusing on the vast sums of money collected and (notionally) spent on national elections is that there is a quiet but pernicious tide of money at the local level that is buying up judges, sheriffs, attorneys general, and other influential offices. These people are the next generation of national elected officials.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#103865: Oct 25th 2015 at 3:43:35 PM

The argument to make is, "Does it matter when those officials won't even stablely work together."

Artificius from about a foot and a half away from a monitor. Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Norwegian Wood
#103866: Oct 25th 2015 at 4:43:25 PM

Yes it does matter, because we're letting greed have its head out of principle and destroy the stable in the process. ...Well, we being Americans collectively and including the very influential Libertarian/Randian folks in the Republican party. Conservatives need a voice too, and they deserve one which is not schizophrenic and incapable of caring about the future.

edited 25th Oct '15 4:46:30 PM by Artificius

"I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once."
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#103867: Oct 25th 2015 at 6:30:37 PM

Personally, I'm still waiting for Trump to submit his DNA test results to Bill Maher.

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#103869: Oct 25th 2015 at 6:53:40 PM

This goes back a few years, but if you want the entire sordid story, watch these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuP1e0RNF-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3kWN561SJQ

The second one begins with a monologue by Maher, that gives a pretty concise explanation, but in doing so it skips a few pertinent details (plus some pretty funny stuff that happened along the way.)

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#103870: Oct 25th 2015 at 9:14:00 PM

shot themselves in the leg and food and arm.
[lol]
with more than 80% of the funds being pocketed for "costs and fees" by the people gathering them.
Isn't that taking money away from billionaires, though?

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#103871: Oct 25th 2015 at 9:40:19 PM

[up] Of course, but while the right-wing rich having their money stolen by ideologically-motivated con artists may be ironically hilarious, it does nothing to solve our basic political problems. It merely offers the hope that the bleeding due to the influence of money may be stanched for a while while the Right self-cannibalizes.

edited 25th Oct '15 9:49:48 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#103872: Oct 25th 2015 at 10:02:58 PM

I keep saying this, but Citizens United was a terrible ruling for billionaires. It lets them spend more, but only in the same way that Pepsi and Coca Cola can spend more on their advertising budgets. More money fueled into the system doesn't actually increase consumption, it just means whoever spends more is the one winning.

All they REALLY did is make elections that much more expensive to buy.

Artificius from about a foot and a half away from a monitor. Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Norwegian Wood
#103873: Oct 25th 2015 at 10:06:51 PM

What's the analogy for the obesity epidemic that makes people stop buying altogether?

"I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once."
probablyinsane Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
#103874: Oct 25th 2015 at 10:46:07 PM

imho, if a product has been deemed as universally unhealthy, their makers shouldn't be allowed to advertise it.

I'd pick no soda advertising vs soda tax.

Generally, I'm more likely to assign blame on the tempted than on the temptor, but junk food corps. are an exception. Every time I see a junk food banner or billboard, I'm tempted to commit arson.

Plants are aliens, and fungi are nanomachines.
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#103875: Oct 26th 2015 at 4:05:18 AM

Trump apparently thinks that the world would be a better place if Saddam and Gaddafi were still in power. I'd say something about Vetinari Job Security rearing its head at some point over succession issues, but I doubt it would get past his toupee. Or his raving fans would lynch me for being a yellow foreigner interested in taking True American Jobs because I could.

edited 26th Oct '15 4:09:48 AM by Krieger22

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot

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