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

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#103926: Oct 26th 2015 at 1:32:36 PM

It comes down to definitions being matters of convention rather than anything solid that one can peg down semantically.

Conservatism, in the general sense, incorporates a respect for tradition and a desire to preserve existing systems against unnecessary change. Change can be good, but can also leave chaos in its wake, so solutions to problems should draw on past ideas and have as little impact on society as possible.

Liberalism has a vast array of definitions, but generally it is the belief in the maximization of personal freedom. What it's most often used for in the United States (as opposed to Europe) is social liberalism (see below).

Socialism is the principle that it is the duty of those who enjoy more of the benefits of society to share what we have with those who have less, in order to maximize economic opportunity.

Social liberalism (the meeting point of the above two philosophies) is the belief that society should move towards greater equality (in all respects), using governance as a tool to implement any necessary changes. Social liberals hold that society is at its best when all individuals are guaranteed maximum opportunity through institutions that prevent any one person from seizing more than their fair share.

The Democratic Party in the United States encompasses an extraordinarily broad range of political philosophies, but is mainly conservative social liberalism — a hybrid of all of the above philosophies.

The Republican Party in the United States labels itself "conservative", but is actually a reactionary party with several agendas that overlap in a complex Venn diagram:

  • Institute a plutocracy whose institutions are designed to ensure that business interests have total control over the country's economy.
  • Institute a theocracy whose institutions are designed to enforce evangelical Christian morality.
  • Institute a fascist state whose institutions are designed to purge everything that is not True White Anglo-Saxon Male-Dominated society.
  • Institute a minarchist Randian dystopia in which the people with guns rule over the people without.

edited 26th Oct '15 2:58:01 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Keybreak (Long Runner)
#103927: Oct 26th 2015 at 1:37:48 PM

Right. Anybody who knows me knows that I despise semantics anyway...

It's just American conservatism. The rich staying rich and culture staying whiteish and Christian-looking.

But culture grows. The country isn't so white and Christian anymore, and the poor need to be given a better chance to move up.

You gotta believe me when I scare you away, all that I wish for is that you would stay
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#103928: Oct 26th 2015 at 2:12:41 PM

[up] Indeed, America will certainly change greatly over my lifetime, and it needs to avoid becoming irrelevant to it's citizens. And not just in our foods or whatever,but the way individualism of our society,our national pride, and the way we view our history just for starters.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#103929: Oct 26th 2015 at 2:37:15 PM

I will say that my problem with calling myself "Conservative" is that I'm not particularly fixated on tradition, though I do in practice support Conservative policies. I'd call myself a religious capitalist with patriotic/nationalistic tendencies, but that's a mouth-full.

Leviticus 19:34
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#103930: Oct 26th 2015 at 2:45:14 PM

I consider myself independent but I'm voting democrat

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#103931: Oct 26th 2015 at 2:58:49 PM

I am popcornicrat.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#103932: Oct 26th 2015 at 2:59:22 PM

[up][up] Same, though seeing as the Republicans are so thoroughly batshit, I may very well find myself voting Democrat for the rest of my life,without ever calling myself such.

edited 26th Oct '15 2:59:33 PM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Demongodofchaos2 Face me now, bitch! from In a Cultivation World (Ancient one) Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Face me now, bitch!
#103934: Oct 26th 2015 at 3:15:17 PM

How ironic. A guy who prided himself on batshit levels of conservative policies is literally turning almost the entirety of a red state into a blue one.

Watch Symphogear
ILoveDogs Since: May, 2010
#103935: Oct 26th 2015 at 4:06:40 PM

Does it explain WHY his ratings are low?

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#103936: Oct 26th 2015 at 4:11:24 PM

He raped his state's economy with ultra-reactionary Tea Party ideas.

"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
#103937: Oct 26th 2015 at 5:20:37 PM

If it's a legitimate economic rape, the state governing body has ways of shutting that down.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#103938: Oct 26th 2015 at 5:32:12 PM

[up]Is that meant to be a pun?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#103939: Oct 26th 2015 at 5:40:37 PM

It's a reference to Todd Aiken saying that women couldn't get pregnant from being raped. The original quote is "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#103940: Oct 26th 2015 at 5:53:22 PM

to be honest it's kind of embarrassing that congressmen in the US say like things like that.

also this is unrelated (i was mostly just browsing the todd akin article and was reminded of this) the whole "liberal media" bogeyman is really grating because it's like conservative politicians/voters have no idea how the rest of the world sees them and that their standards for what constitutes as liberal might be completely skewed.

edited 26th Oct '15 5:53:56 PM by wehrmacht

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#103941: Oct 26th 2015 at 5:57:28 PM

Well they don't. And they don't care.

The American Right is completely reality proof. Facts and truth are subjective as far as they're concerned.

Oh really when?
Ogodei Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers from The front lines Since: Jan, 2011
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
#103942: Oct 26th 2015 at 8:11:54 PM

The funny thing is that he'd still win against any Democrat who ran against him.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#103943: Oct 26th 2015 at 8:46:28 PM

Update on the guy who jacked up medicine to over seven hundred dollars. He now has competition!

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/oct/22/imprimis-turing-daraprim/

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#103944: Oct 27th 2015 at 1:14:16 AM

@Ramidel:

Appoint Trump as a jester in the Sanders administration?
Fixed that for you.

RE Ben Carson's ideas: Wow, that's really toxic. How does a neurosurgeon get this insane? Did he somehow try to operate on himself or what?

edited 27th Oct '15 1:52:37 AM by Medinoc

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#103945: Oct 27th 2015 at 1:18:55 AM

Nope, he's just the end result of unchecked American Right Wing culture.

Shit's bad over here.

Oh really when?
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#103946: Oct 27th 2015 at 1:22:13 AM

[up]He's got two things working against him: neurology, psychiatry and psychology often attract odd ducks. Worse: he concentated on surgery. Only pathologists are weirder. Maybe annethologists, too. wink

But, seriously: if you want to find a God complex, pick the surgical unit and throw a stone at a bunch of consultants. tongue

edited 27th Oct '15 4:30:23 PM by Euodiachloris

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#103947: Oct 27th 2015 at 7:10:58 AM

[up] HAH! I CLAIM VICTORY THIS ONE TIME!

THE DAY IS MINE, EUO! I MADE THIS JOKE FIRST!

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Know-age Since: May, 2010
#103949: Oct 27th 2015 at 3:46:42 PM

[up] What Trump supporters actually believe. [lol]

edited 27th Oct '15 3:46:59 PM by Know-age

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#103950: Oct 27th 2015 at 5:10:27 PM

Now I expect some racist Shingeki No Kyojin mashup where the Mexican people are cast as titans.


Total posts: 417,856
Top