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MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#156726: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:35:18 PM

What happened to Gingrich?

I hadn't heard of that.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#156727: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:36:17 PM

Is it just me, or is Megyn Kelly actually establishing herself as a journalist worthy of genuine respect?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156728: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:37:13 PM

She seems to have SOME form of scruples yes.

GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#156729: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:37:27 PM

@Ambar: I agree with you. There could be a better effort to inform more people on marijuana without being as narmy as an After School Special from the early '90s.

edited 18th Nov '16 4:39:06 PM by GameGuruGG

Wizard Needs Food Badly
Geostomp In the name of the POWER, I will punish you! from Arkansas, USA Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: What is this thing you call love?
In the name of the POWER, I will punish you!
#156730: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:39:24 PM

Kelly has something approaching scruples, but that just means she's a lesser evil than the scum that comprises the new leaders of the GOP and our normally toothless media.

"When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all" Futurama, Godfellas
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#156731: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:40:18 PM

Well it doesn't help that Democratic Politicians have been basically either going for Moral Absolutism of IT'S SUPER MURDER DEATH GIGA CANCER or It's Completely Harmless, much like Guns. No middle ground. c_c

edited 18th Nov '16 4:41:31 PM by PotatoesRock

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156732: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:44:26 PM

"Toothless" is an apt word.

They have their own fair share of blame for Trump getting elected, and for a lot of other harm even before that.

PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#156733: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:50:57 PM

On the whole Fake News issue prevalent this election cycle, an interesting hypothesis/suggestion of what happened: It apparently exploded in the last 3 months. Republicans looking to self justify and rationalize that despite their guy was awful, Hillary was worse.

i.e. It's a Demand Side Story, not a Supply Side Story, as Fighteer and Krugman like to put it. It only became a major scale issue when Trump's candidacy was confirmed at the Convention and Republican voters were looking for any form of mental gymnastics to legitimize Trump, despite knowing how awful he was on some level in their psyches.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156734: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:52:33 PM

So essentially they couldn't handle the Awful Truth.

It's darkly amusing that the people who played such a large part in ruining this country are the ones now in position to save it.

I'm not counting on them to grow a spine.

edited 18th Nov '16 4:52:43 PM by Draghinazzo

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#156735: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:53:04 PM

To my surprise, I actually got a reply from one of my state senators today. And not a generic reply either, but specifically addressing the subject I wrote about.

"Thank you for contacting me regarding the appointment of Stephen Bannon to a position in the White House.

While the position he is appointed to is not subject to a vote and confirmation by the United States Senate, I want you to know that I oppose this appointment and have made my views clear on this subject.

Based on the record and his past divisive statements on a number of issues including race and religion I do not believe he should be working in the White House.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. I continue to be humbled to be your Senator, and one of the most important parts of my job is listening to the people of Minnesota. I am here in our nation’s capital to do the public’s business. I hope you will contact me again about matters of concern to you."

Yeah it's always unclear whether my email was actually read by my senator instead of a random staffer, but at least it didn't go into a void.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156736: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:54:59 PM

[up] Is your senator a Republican though? The democrats don't control the senate, and internal dissent in the party is going to be the main thing holding Trump back, if anything does.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#156737: Nov 18th 2016 at 4:57:11 PM

I gotta hand it to US Politicians, at least their rhetoric is resplendent with civic duty and responsibility.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#156738: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:01:56 PM

"One of the countless drawbacks of being in Congress is that I am compelled to receive impertinent letters from a jackass like you in which you say I promised to have the Sierra Madre mountains reforested and I have been in Congress two months and haven't done it. Will you please take two running jumps and go to hell."

- John Steven [McGroarty], Congressman from California.

edited 18th Nov '16 5:02:22 PM by Parable

PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#156739: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:02:10 PM

So essentially they couldn't handle the Awful Truth.
Bingo.

Additional issue: Couldn't handle the awful truth. Clinton Team went after the Surface Level Shallow Argument: "Trump bad man, hurr durr", without reaching to "Trump's a bad man because he'll take away your Social Security, your Medicare, take us into another War, etc."

Just going "Trump Bad" was countered by "Hillary's Worse and Literally Lucifer."

Hillary's team was so obsessed with peeling off moderate Suburban Republicans (who hated her) that they completely failed to yell messages at existing Democratic coalition who failed to show up / turned off by her embrace of Mod Repubs.

And as a result they were mealy mouthed and not actually attacking Trump on any level of substance, so people sought self justifying news that Hillary was The Ultimate Evil and Destroyer of Worlds, and why Trump is literally Jesus and a Friend to All Living Things.

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#156740: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:06:15 PM

It is technically less dangerous than alcohol. An alcohol overdose can kill you, a marijuana overdose is mostly amusing. There are at most two or three deaths on record of deaths caused by marijuana that the drug by itself (no human factor) has been deemed responsible. The main risk is doing stupid things while high.

SaintDeltora The Mistress from The Land Of Corruption and Debauchery Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
The Mistress
#156741: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:10:27 PM

Speaking of Marijuana... Politico's unpopular opinion of the day is that Trump's election may have more to do with drugs and ill health then economic anxiety.

Speaking of it... [[https://twitter.com/TheEconomist/status/799632242960138241?ref_src=twsrc^tfw Here]] are [[https://twitter.com/Chris_arnade/status/798358092241059841?ref_src=twsrc^tfw some Twitter posts about a similar topic.]]

Edit: Oh, and about Fake News.... Politifact started this thing and is requesting people to send them news to check if they are fake.

edited 18th Nov '16 5:13:53 PM by SaintDeltora

"Please crush me with your heels Esdeath-sama!
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#156742: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:14:44 PM

There is a drug and prescription abuse crisis in White America. It has been documented and does seem to be connected to the spiraling decline of their areas. So it isn't technically an inaccurate argument to make, per say.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156743: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:15:44 PM

[up] And, most striking, the life expectancy of working class whites is decreasing, which is quite alarming.

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#156744: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:17:00 PM

Ugh, that header art (presumably cover art) on the Economist's Twitter. I know it's meant to be a cartoon sort of thing but Trump and cronies portrayed in any sort of proximity to Revolutionary War imagery is perverse.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156745: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:28:34 PM

This article by the Guardian seems to corroborate the fact that class divide was a big factor in this election.

Rural or blue-class towns dying off, because education is such a big part of success now, and them simply being white isn't enough to get by anymore. Many of them have very little in the way of education actually, not even finishing high school. Many of them feel Hillary was part of an elite that didn't respect or even acknowledge them. Some of them voted for Obama before, got pissed the change didn't come, and now they turned on him.

However, that other article by Politico suggests that Trump's "coalition" isn't really a uniform block and is extremely fragile. This was a vote of desperation and they'll easily turn on him if he doesn't give them what they want. Most of them want results in like 6 months to a year.

It sure sucks to be a Doomed Moral Victor doesn't it?

edited 18th Nov '16 5:55:11 PM by Draghinazzo

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#156746: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:31:30 PM

What kind of fucked-up country are we living in now when the President's cabinet tearing itself apart with self-interested infighting is the best we can hope for?

It's been fun.
HallowHawk Since: Feb, 2013
#156747: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:39:17 PM

[up] And not only that, if something bad happens to Trump, From Bad to Worse is in effect?

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#156748: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:42:51 PM

I gotta hand it to US Politicians, at least their rhetoric is resplendent with civic duty and responsibility.

We are the Roman Republica's reincarnation and Trump is our evil Caesar.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#156749: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:45:35 PM

[up][up][up]The same it was when you started? Y'all been at each other's throats since before the beginning.

SIDDOWN, JOHN, YOU FAT MOTHERF**KSTICK!

[up]Isn't he more like a Gracchus? EDIT: Never mind, he's rather hard to place...

edited 18th Nov '16 5:49:47 PM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#156750: Nov 18th 2016 at 5:49:04 PM

Definitely not the Gracchi, they actually came from the lower class and attempted to pass reforms in their favor.


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