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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165701: Jan 8th 2017 at 12:43:26 PM

Andrew Cuomo is planning to reform and modernize New York's voting laws. (Yes, we do live in a time where major policy announcements are made over Twitter. Blame Donald "Twitler" Trump.)

Speaking of voting reform, it sounds like a federal judge just struck a blow against voter suppression in Texas. It's obviously good news - but I have my doubts about its staying power once Darth Sessions is heading up the DOJ, and Twitler controls the Supreme Court.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#165702: Jan 8th 2017 at 12:49:11 PM

I think the trend of announcing policy statements on Twitter is the only neutral thing about Trump that I can see. It's not like they had more content beforehand, after all.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#165703: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:06:12 PM

[up][up] @Modernizing NY voter laws: INB 4 Bernie Bros go "Cuomo is one of us" or "Corrupt Cuomo should have done this for the primaries".

@Voter Suppression: Do remember that (currently) Trump only gets to replace Scalia, so the balance of the court is technically still 5-4 (or 4-4 if the Dems actually decide, "hey, if us naming a Judge is illegitimate, then same goes for you, motherfuckers!"), it's really not as horrible unless a liberal judge retires/dies. Try and hold on to any hope you can, because that's the only way to last these long 4 (or, may the US voters who don't get screwed over by voting suppression forbid, 8) years.

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#165704: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:07:49 PM

Serious question: Are the "Bernie Bros" still a thing right now, with the election long over? I get the Bernie Bros were never really about Sanders himself, but still haven't heard them up to much one way or the other.

edited 8th Jan '17 1:08:16 PM by sgamer82

vandro Shop Owner from The little shop that wasn't Since: Jul, 2009
Shop Owner
#165705: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:09:31 PM

bernie bro as a group, or as a tactic by the clinton campaign to attack bernie sympathizers? The former is fiction, the latter is moot.

IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#165706: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:10:17 PM

On Reddit they're still a thing, just go to /r/Political_revolution or /r/Sanders For President and read the comments, but I don't know how many are actually alt-reich plants and false-flags designed to try and Mind Screw "berniecrats" into the altright.

EDIT: also, the * in my post above is a note, it explains how I'm defining "Bernie bros" in this context.

edited 8th Jan '17 1:12:56 PM by IFwanderer

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165707: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:13:00 PM

[up][up][up] I'm of the opinion that the Dems should absolutely try to deny Benedict Donald's pick a SCOTUS seat. That seat was stolen from Obama by the GOP - they have no right to suddenly fill it now.

[up][up] They're absolutely still a thing on Twitter, I can tell you that much. Random fauxgressives screaming "BERNIE WOULD HAVE WON" from every rooftop, in apparent defiance of actual logic. But as [up] says, it's hard to tell how many are actual people, and how many are just plants, trolls, or Russian bots.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
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
#165708: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:23:50 PM

Are the "Bernie Bros" still a thing right now, with the election long over?

Not beyond either the internet or the imagination of diehard Bernie haters. I see a dam lot more talk about the Bernie Bros from Bernie haters than actual Bernie Bro stuff (I still see the odd Hillary Hate post though on my Facebook).

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165710: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:33:25 PM

[up][up] I feel like I should point out that when at least half of all political announcements and discourse come from the media of the Internet, saying that something doesn't exist outside of the Internet is kind of meaningless. Especially since being a Bernie Bro on the Internet means you're also one in real life.

And the reason that we tend to hear about them primarily from critics of Sanders is because they're the ones who are most often the targets of their harassment.

[up] Sweet Jesus.

edited 8th Jan '17 1:34:09 PM by RBluefish

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#165711: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:33:28 PM

[up][up]My god, the polarization in your country...

[up]Agreed, there's really no "internet as a different thing from Real Life" anymore.

edited 8th Jan '17 1:35:46 PM by IFwanderer

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
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
#165712: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:37:14 PM

[up][up] Them existing online as an active force and coordinated group does not mean they are an active force and coordinated group in real life.

As for why we hear about them from Bernie haters, actually any Clinton supporter is a target of harassment, we hear about them because Bernie Haters have a person grudge against Sanders and will do whatever they can to make him look bad. That and because while the people here with an irrational hatred for Clinton were (rightly) banned the ones with an irrational hatred of Sanders haven't been.

edited 8th Jan '17 1:37:35 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
singularityshot Since: Dec, 2012
#165713: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:41:07 PM

Ignore this, need to research posts better.

edited 8th Jan '17 2:21:51 PM by singularityshot

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165714: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:41:54 PM

[up][up]Honestly, things like this make me think another Civil War isn't just a distinct possibility; it's almost inevitable. Even if it may not happen any time soon.

"The country long divided must unite; the country long united must divide."

edited 8th Jan '17 1:42:31 PM by kkhohoho

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165715: Jan 8th 2017 at 1:45:33 PM

Them existing online as an active force and coordinated group does not mean they are an active force and coordinated group in real life.

I confess I'm not sure what this means. Because they don't organize in meatspace to TP people's houses and kick over their mailboxes, they don't actually exist? The importance of the Internet cannot possibly be understated these days, and we can't act like it's completely separate from real life.

Like, the people who engage in targeted misogynistic harassment campaigns online probably don't do so in everyday real life. But that doesn't matter, and it's not relevant.

we hear about them because Bernie Haters have a person grudge against Sanders and will do whatever they can to make him look bad.

Victim-blaming. The people who are harassed by diehard Sander supporters don't draw attention to their harassment because they hate Sanders. They draw attention to it because they want to say "hey, I feel like people should know about this, because this is a little bit fucked-up."

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
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
#165716: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:01:49 PM

I confess I'm not sure what this means.

They exist in that they're real, but they're not a political force in any way or a real faction within the Democratic Party.

The people who are harassed by diehard Sander supporters don't draw attention to their harassment because they hate Sanders.

If the people constantly going on about Bernie Bros and how Sanders is an evil asshole we're facing harassment that would be true, but they're certainly not facing any harassment here and I've not seen anyone claim that they're facing harassment elsewhere.

Nobody here has actually spoken about harassment or bought attention to examples of harassment, they've just spoken about how much they hate Sanders and hate 'Bernie Bros'.

edited 8th Jan '17 2:03:25 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
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#165718: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:14:34 PM

I don't think Hillary would WANT to run for anything and frankly, I think she's done anyways.

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165719: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:17:02 PM

I didn't realize we were limiting the conversation solely to what happens here in this thread. Especially after I and another person mentioned that we were talking about things that happened in other online venues. (I mean, I specifically mentioned Twitter before.) And I'd also rather not get into "I've never seen it happen, so presumably it doesn't happen" territory.

I've not seen anyone claim that they're facing harassment elsewhere.

Well, you're seeing it now, so...

I've lost count of the number of journalists or online activists - mostly women - who have talked about their experiences with sexist harassment at the hands of diehard Sanders fans. To the point where it would be sometimes worse than what they received from the Trumplings.

I would also point out that up until now, I've infrequently alluded to a mild dislike of Sanders, and have to my recollection made no mention whatsoever of Berniebros. So it's not like this is just the latest page in the ongoing saga of my vitriolic hatred for Sanders.

[up][up] I feel like Hillary would be fully justified in never stepping into the public eye again, after what we all put her through as a society. She faced a decades-long smear campaign, media bias, systemic misogyny, a rogue FBI, Russian hacking (which essentially just harnessed and amplified the aforementioned smear campaign), still won by historic popular margins...and was denied the Presidency in favor of a treasonous buffoon. "Most Qualified Woman In History Runs Against Least Qualified Man In History, Wins By Three Million, Loses Election."

edited 8th Jan '17 2:17:11 PM by RBluefish

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
carbon-mantis Collector Of Fine Oddities from Trumpland Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Collector Of Fine Oddities
#165720: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:38:07 PM
Thumped: This post has been thumped with the mod stick. This means knock it off.
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#165721: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:39:51 PM

"Most Qualified Woman In History Runs Against Least Qualified Man In History, Wins By Three Million, Loses Election."

-That headline really should not become the epigraph for her career. And insult to injury aside, she is still supremely qualified and walking away is her right but closes off a vital resource. I do not see the federal civil service being a good environment for training future leaders. If nothing else, Secretary Clinton would be of great help in training future talent.

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#165722: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:44:54 PM

Clinton is a great asset. But she's also a liability, just by being Clinton. It's stupid. Even now, with all the horrid announcements from the incoming Trump regime, there are so-called environmentalists and health care advocates saying, "well, Trump was the better choice."

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165723: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:45:30 PM

Oh, certainly. I very much hope she doesn't walk away, and instead stays engaged and keeps fighting. (We're going to need all hands on deck to fight back the Trump autocracy.) But I would still hardly blame her for doing so.

Also, members of Pussy Riot have spoken out once more with regards to Trumputin.

"There are so many analogies between Trump and charismatic dictators," Heaney agreed. "Just look at his promises to build a wall and to keep Muslims out, as Viktor Orban has done in Hungary." Trump's threat of forced deportation, he observes, is resembles what Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has carried out. "His calls to limit criticism of those in power reminds me of lèse majesté laws in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam. In some ways, though, Trump's threats go even farther. Openly advocating the use of war crimes — in our work, we tend to hear that rhetoric more from warlords than heads of state.

"Already, in recent years, there's been a steady erosion of due process and habeas corpus in the U.S.," Heaney continued. "And Trump's financial interests," whether his fossil fuel holdings or his business ventures in authoritarian countries, "all happen to coincide with a further weakening of the rule of law."

[...]

As for his expressed fondness for autocrats such as Vladimir Putin, Gessen predicted that "Putin and Donald Trump is going to be the shortest honeymoon in history. Putin's created a fully mobilized society, and he needs the U.S. as an enemy. When they beat up gays, it's America they're beating up. Nuclear confrontation? It's a greater risk than 40 years ago," she said, even during the darkest days of the Cold War.

"I'm utterly pessimistic," Gessen concluded. "I'm not aware of any aborted autocracies in modern history. Democracy is an aspiration, and it is defenseless against people who use it in bad faith. America's advantage is that it has an incredibly rich cultural environment, a vibrant public spirit. Can we learn from other countries' mistakes? The only thing to do is the exact opposite of what Germans, Poles and Hungarians did, which is to wait and see. We must panic and protest, presumptively assume the worst."

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#165724: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:56:11 PM

I'm not sure why we're acting like this is a surprise, though? Lots of losing presidential candidates don't run for other offices afterwards, and she's had long and distinguished career already. She's fully justified in choosing to retire now. Also, it's been brought up several times in the thread already so.... Not sure why we're acting like this is news.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#165725: Jan 8th 2017 at 2:56:27 PM

Re: Clinton, when you lose to a man who repeatedly proved he couldn't be trusted with a Twitter account, let alone high office, that's about as low as you can go, to my mind.


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