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

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#135376: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:22:10 PM

Re: the black officer: I know it's a thing, but we know next to nothing else about him and it doesn't sound like he acted in a way that was out of line (though we can argue about whether the line should be where it is). Unless it comes out that he did screw up, racism isn't an accusation I'm prepared to jump to. (Granted, I'm sitting comfortably far away and under none of the pressure that the people doing the rioting are subjected to. Them lashing out here is wrong but not exactly surprising.)

[up]Throw under the bus how? (Besides the Hillary narrative of having to fight for aid for them as a senator.)

edited 15th Aug '16 12:24:12 PM by Elle

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#135378: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:46:48 PM

By stonewalling the Zadroga Act.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#135379: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:47:17 PM

The sad thing is, the most recent gaffe is not the first time he's made such a claim, although at least in the latter case he limited it to domestic attacks (though he'd be wrong regardless).

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
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
#135380: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:52:07 PM

it doesn't sound like he acted in a way that was out of line

That depends on if you consider shooting a fleeing suspect who poses no imidiate risk to anyone is out of line. A lot of people think it is and I thought it had been ruled that it was.

On Rudi, I'm shocked that the 9/11 truthers haven't come out of the woodwork to toute this as proof that 9/11 was done by Bush.

edited 15th Aug '16 12:57:05 PM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#135381: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:56:05 PM

There is a happy ending for 9/11 responders as the Zadroga Act was finally renewed in December of 2015. Apparently shame does work. But not before Mitch McConnell attempted to use it as a political tool to defund Medicare.

If something stinks in Congress, it's usually Mitch McConnell.

edited 15th Aug '16 12:57:27 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#135382: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:57:21 PM

The man had a gun and refused orders to put it down.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#135383: Aug 15th 2016 at 12:57:30 PM

[up][up]Was the guy fleeing? I thought he got shot in the chest, so from the front. If he was fleeing he'd be shot in the back.

edited 15th Aug '16 12:57:40 PM by Kayeka

JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#135384: Aug 15th 2016 at 1:00:09 PM

He fled, the cops pursued, he turned towards them, and refused orders to put the gun down. At least that's what I heard.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#135385: Aug 15th 2016 at 1:04:00 PM

Ahkay, now that Jon Stewart rant from Colbert's Late Show has more context for me.

edited 15th Aug '16 1:05:26 PM by Elle

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#135386: Aug 15th 2016 at 1:04:24 PM

Well, there you have it. By the sound of it, he was about to do something stupid, and got pre-emptively shot for it.

Unless the body cam shows a different story, I wouldn't be setting up monuments for this guy.

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
#135387: Aug 15th 2016 at 1:05:10 PM

Ahh my understanding was that he was fleeing, if he had stopped fleeing actively then he did indeed pose a threat to the officer.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#135388: Aug 15th 2016 at 1:22:20 PM

Probably all accounts of what happened should be taken with grains of salt until verified by an independent party (Wisconsin is one of the few states that's passed a law requiring an independent authority to investigate officer-involved deaths, one of the positive reforms to come out of this mess) but for now there's not an obvious reason to doubt the official account.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#135389: Aug 15th 2016 at 1:44:43 PM

Looks like we have had more information released since the conversation began.

According to the Washington Times, the victim's name is Sylville Smith. Smith fled from a vehicle after being stopped by police. He ran into a fenced area, then turned towards the officer pursuing him, whereupon he was shot. That's how he caught a bullet in his chest despite trying to run.

Despite early rumors that he was unarmed, police are now saying he had the gun in hand. The gun was not fired, but the Official Story is that Smith had it in-hand when he turned towards the officer. It is unclear if "turned towards the officer" meant he was making an aggressive move, or if he was simply trying to double back after entering the fenced area.

Body-cam footage has not yet been released to the public, but Mayor Tom Barrett is urging police to come out with it, saying that it will put to rest a lot of misconceptions surrounding the shooting and vindicate the officer responsible.

edited 15th Aug '16 1:45:48 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
#135390: Aug 15th 2016 at 2:16:04 PM

Well no wonder the GOP says Obama is a tyrant. He's on his 4th term!!

Ogodei Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers from The front lines Since: Jan, 2011
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
#135391: Aug 15th 2016 at 2:16:17 PM

Tom's schtick in The Boondocks did get old after a while, though he got a great end to his character arc in the "Booty Warrior" episode, which is more than a lot of characters on the show can say.

on topic, i think Rudy meant "Clinton or Obama" since the first WTC bombing in '93 was on Clinton's watch and Islamic terror had not really made itself felt in America before that.

AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#135392: Aug 15th 2016 at 2:28:14 PM

RE: John Oliver and car loans

Is it wrong that the initial ad in that left me offended on behalf of clowns (and the self-employed in general)? Sure, let's assume he has no money. The man could be a fixture at every party in town, and be quite comfortably well off at that.

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#135393: Aug 15th 2016 at 2:29:53 PM

[up]Wrong? No. I've never heard of someone being offended by that, though, so it might be somewhat unusual, which isn't a bad thing.

Leviticus 19:34
PhiSat Planeswalker from Everywhere and Nowhere Since: Jan, 2011
Planeswalker
#135394: Aug 15th 2016 at 2:30:24 PM

[up][up] Clowns tend to be Acceptable Targets for jokes about being broke and/or unhinged.

edited 15th Aug '16 2:30:30 PM by PhiSat

Oissu!
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#135395: Aug 15th 2016 at 2:37:23 PM

It's like when he says Gwyneth Paltrow can't pull off Aviators. He's being obviously inaccurate for the sake of comedy.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#135397: Aug 15th 2016 at 3:09:14 PM

[up] Ben Carson's just bitter that he didn't win the nomination. tongue

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
majoraoftime (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#135398: Aug 15th 2016 at 3:32:20 PM

How is America helping to kill Yemenis today?

It's really good when people use "realpolitik" as an excuse to sell weapons to child murderers.

President Barack Obama has been the most enthusiastic arms salesman to Saudi Arabia in American history. All told sales on his watch total over $110 billion. None has provoked a serious challenge on the Hill. Only Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut has called for greater scrutiny of the arms relationship with the Kingdom.

Riyadh was the first Arab capital Obama visited as president. He has visited Saudi Arabia more than any other country in the Middle East including Israel. The relationship has been bumpy but lucrative.

If there was any strategic reason for the US to back the Saudis when their air campaign began–the Hadi government was/is a US ally, the Saudis are a US ally, and the Houthis are nominally aligned with Iran, so you can advance an argument along these lines–it has been entirely washed away in a sea full of stalemated fighting, a resurgent al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and thousands upon thousands of Yemenis who are now dead for no discernible reason. If Yemen was the price Obama had to pay to get the Saudis to grudgingly acquiesce to the nuclear deal with Iran, then that price has already more than been paid in full.

But the truth is that neither of these points fully explains what the US is doing in Yemen as well as one simple, two word term: customer service. The Saudis buy lots and lots of US weapons and they always pay in full, and if the price of maintaining that relationship is a few thousand dead Yemenis in a war that runs counter to American security interests, so be it. The Yemen war has quietly stripped bare any pretense that American foreign policy might have to higher principles, and led to one inescapable truth about US policy: when principles and cash conflict, fuck principles.

edited 15th Aug '16 3:34:54 PM by majoraoftime

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#135400: Aug 15th 2016 at 3:44:13 PM

This is why you need someone like Sanders in office. But the Democrats chose Hillary, and business will continue as usual. All quiet on the Eastern front.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Total posts: 417,856
Top