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

Shawnsummer7 Since: Jan, 2016 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
#135151: Aug 13th 2016 at 3:37:24 PM

[up][up] This. Also, people in gay marriages could find themselves forced apart. I know quite a few members in the LGBT community who are married, and if a conservative Supreme Court overturns Obergefell, that would be devastating and I don't want to see that happen.

[up] Yes, but to repeat what I said above, Trump if he wins will appoint conservative justices. It wouldn't matter if Trump doesn't personally care about those issues, the justices aren't Trump - they will vote based on their views. I can not express just how important the Court is this election for progress.

edited 13th Aug '16 3:40:01 PM by Shawnsummer7

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#135152: Aug 13th 2016 at 3:41:08 PM

It's not just Trumo though. It's who he'd nominate for the SCOTUS. It's the shift in US culture, with racists becoming emboldened and knowing their views are now mainstream. It's the fact that the justice department would basically be told to stop investigating the murders of innocent black people by police.

It's more than just Trump. It's what he represents.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135153: Aug 13th 2016 at 3:58:52 PM

[up][up] I'm not so sure about that; sure his current list of judges is conservative, but I expect he'll toss that in the garbage if he wins and try to appoint yesmen to the position.

[up] Trump represents Trump, and that is all. He's taken virtually every position known to man on every issue, in some cases going to the left of much of the democratic party, particularly early on in his campaign. That in and of itself is what's so bad about Trump. He doesn't represent any ideals, just a cult of personality.

edited 13th Aug '16 4:03:09 PM by CaptainCapsase

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#135154: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:04:29 PM

Bernie's lakeside home. *raises hands* Watch out, we're dealing with a millionaire here.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Ssj3Gojira Arashi Shigehito from The Event Horizon Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Arashi Shigehito
#135155: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:05:52 PM

It actually looks pretty nice; he just needs to be wary of termites. >.>

edited 13th Aug '16 4:06:04 PM by Ssj3Gojira

Let's see if you can get past my Beelzemon. Mephiles, WARP SHINKA!
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135156: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:07:34 PM

[up][up] Moreover, people were bashing him as "having no financial sense" back during the race. The fact that he owns three more houses than the average American says different, and the real salient point is, despite being wealthier than about 90% of Americans at his age, he's still one of the poorest members of congress.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#135157: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:09:05 PM

What does Bernie's house have to do with anything?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135158: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:10:10 PM

[up] It was used by people who I suspect largely of being a mix of Trump/Russian and Clinton shills to try and discredit Sanders on social media. Insofar as him owning 3 houses somehow made him a hypocrite.

edited 13th Aug '16 4:10:28 PM by CaptainCapsase

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#135159: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:11:21 PM

But he's not in the race anymore and he's backing Clinton. So what relevance does this have currently?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135160: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:11:48 PM

[up] The democrats don't want his influence lasting past this election cycle. Were it not for him Clinton would probably be able to openly support the TPP, among other positions that are now politically toxic.

edited 13th Aug '16 4:12:42 PM by CaptainCapsase

FFShinra Since: Jan, 2001
#135161: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:16:17 PM

They aren't going to sideline Bernie after the election. Reelection is a thing and Clinton thinks long term.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#135162: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:24:16 PM

[up][up]

No offense, but your overt cynicism is really frustrating.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#135163: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:28:43 PM

[up]People keep saying that; it doesn't seem to mean anything to him.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#135164: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:35:49 PM

I just see no point in assuming Hillary is gonna turn her back on Sanders because "all politicians are heartless" or something.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135165: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:53:16 PM

It's more because the democrats do not want the social democratic ideology that was abandoned in the Reagen era gaining ground against the modern party's core neoliberal ideology. Now before you dispute that label, I'll fully concede that the great recession caused the democrats to move to the left economically; we're no longer living in the Clinton era where a democrat can propose privatizing social security and not be threatened with primaries. But the core tenants of neoliberalism-minimizing economic regulation and welfare and maximizing trade-are still largely adhered to by the Obama administration, they've merely become cogizant of the fact that there is in fact a minimum amount of regulation and welfare that is necessary for a modern society to function. As much as the democrats have been posturing, I would argue that a large chunk of the party is only doing so because they are free of the burden of having to put their money where their mouth is thanks the GOP. Had the democrats retained congress, the limits of what they'd be willing to do would, I expect, disappoint many of you.

edited 13th Aug '16 4:53:37 PM by CaptainCapsase

flameboy21th The would-be novelist from California Since: Jan, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
The would-be novelist
#135166: Aug 13th 2016 at 4:57:49 PM

What I want is not always what I can get. I've learned that long enough.

Non Indicative Username
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135167: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:05:10 PM

You don't change the world for the better by settling for what you have. In fact, the entirety of human history has been driven by people who have refused to accept that they lived in the best of all possible worlds.

edited 13th Aug '16 5:07:03 PM by CaptainCapsase

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#135168: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:13:12 PM

What, exactly, do you think should be done, then?

edited 13th Aug '16 5:13:20 PM by KarkatTheDalek

Oh God! Natural light!
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135169: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:20:20 PM

[up] Quite a few things. The most important issue of our time is, of course climate change, which may very well be joined by other anthropogenic threats to civilization as technology continues to advance. Beyond that, the growth of wealth inequality and general economic stagnation are the greatest issues facing human society.

For climate change, the actual solution is fairly simple; tax carbon output enough that carbon neutral energy production displaces fossil fuels over a timescale of ~30 years. The difficulty is actually implementing such policy and keeping it in place despite opposition from the energy industry.

Wealth inequality and whatnot. Well, the hard part is still the political part, but much more extensive re-distributive policy, to start with.

edited 13th Aug '16 5:24:55 PM by CaptainCapsase

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#135170: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:25:27 PM

That sounds reasonable, but what can the average citizen do?

Oh God! Natural light!
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135171: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:27:37 PM

[up] Voting is a start, but it's simply not enough in modern society; at best it's the minimum level of civil engagement. Beyond voting, participating in protest and, if necessary civil disobedience, campaigning for progressive candidates at the local level, and running for office yourself if you're qualified is what I'd recommend.

edited 13th Aug '16 5:28:06 PM by CaptainCapsase

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#135172: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:27:46 PM

Climage change is being adressed, albeit not on a gigantic scale. I would not call it the most important issue though.

The most important issue this nation is facing at this moment is the rise in white nationalism and the treatment of minorities.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#135173: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:29:54 PM

[up] It's an existential threat to human civilization and perhaps even the human species if it is not address, and we're capable of doing something about it. (unlike, for example, the heat death of the universe or the eventual death of the sun or the possible collapse of the Earth's magnetosphere over the next 150 million years)

edited 13th Aug '16 5:31:13 PM by CaptainCapsase

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#135174: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:29:57 PM

[up]x4-sih Now, I disagree with wealth distribution for its own sake (pretty strongly, in fact), and I'm not sure how I feel about a CO 2 tax (though I do believe global warming is real), but what the average joe can do to fix the world is simply vote for smarter people. That's how most problems in the past were fixed.

edited 13th Aug '16 5:30:19 PM by Protagonist506

Leviticus 19:34
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#135175: Aug 13th 2016 at 5:32:13 PM

And it is being addressed, with an increase in clean energy. Yes, more can be done, but there are more immediate problems that need to be solved. Not much point in eliminating greenhouse gasses if neo nazis are running around bashing gay people's heads into the pavement.


Total posts: 417,856
Top