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

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#186351: May 2nd 2017 at 6:54:47 PM

Until Germany and Korea get votes in Congress, arbitrary categories are what you will be working with.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#186352: May 2nd 2017 at 6:55:09 PM

We've kind of been going around in circles with this. I always just like to keep in mind that no matter which state you're talking about, even in "safe" ones there's always a significant minority that goes the other way. These things are too entangled to just go "screw Red states".

I acknowledge that Kosyta isn't actually saying that, and maybe I pushed this a bit too far. But thing a lot of people push that seriously while ignoring the actual repercussions of it.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#186353: May 2nd 2017 at 6:57:59 PM

Often, People do not vote in their economic interests but emotional ones. They were actually talking about this on an episode of NPR's Hidden Brain podcast, which I highly reccomend listening too.

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/24/510567860/strangers-in-their-own-land-the-deep-story-of-trump-supporters

Basically what Trump managed to do was tap into the feelings of being left behind, the idea of the American dream they were promised as kids, seemingly being robbed from them, as well as the quiet biases they held against woman and minorities, as both seem to be taking jobs that were traditionally held by white men. These biases are not nessisarly even consciously held. And fox news is actively feeding this line of thinking, further justifying it.

edited 2nd May '17 7:04:57 PM by megaeliz

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#186354: May 2nd 2017 at 6:59:30 PM

Secession talk again?

Just remember that one of the major players in pushing for "Calexit" turned out to be a Russian stooge trying to further weaken the USA.

Disgusted, but not surprised
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#186355: May 2nd 2017 at 7:03:49 PM

Honestly, I feel like Putin's checkmate stroke right now would be to reveal that Russia actually hacked the votes themselves to push Trump's numbers just past Hillary's. State in no uncertain terms that Hillary won the election and it was only through his interference that Trump took the White House.

It would, without question, be a lie. But it wouldn't matter. The claim alone would delegitimatize Trump's Presidency in the eyes of millions of people who want it to be true. He already has a proof of concept in the Bernie Bros and their abject refusal to let go of the idea that "The DNC rigged the primary!"

Imagine that fight turning national.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#186356: May 2nd 2017 at 7:06:26 PM

I think Madskillz is proposing essentially reforming our 50 states for half a dozen or so larger states. I'll be in cold grave before I share a superstate with Oregon though.

I see nothing wrong with Oregon. Portland is cool.

I was thinking a superstate with a bit more self-determination.

Canada has a lot fewer people which makes the idea more practical. California already has almost 40 million people. No way could a state sustain itself if it had to cover an even larger area and deal with even more people.

Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Hawaii all together have less than half the population of California. California has 40 million people. The other 4 states added up only comes out to 14 million.

You'd also be able to get rid of a lot of the bureaucracy at the same time.

It could work better for the Midwest states but that would also mean the entire region would only get two senators which just seems like a way of taking away their power.

Considering the way they vote, that might not be such a bad thing but every super state would get 2 Senators too anyway in my imagination so it comes out to the same and it'd be easier keeping track of who is who. Although maybe having 12 Senators is too little so I propose the superstates have 5 senators each.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#186357: May 2nd 2017 at 7:09:33 PM

In other news, Trump might sign a "religious liberty" EO which effectively makes it okay to discriminate against LGBT people on Thursday.

...Welp, I hope the few LGBT people who voted for Trump and Pence are fucking happy.

Hopefully this ultimately turns out to be just another thing Trump flip flops on again.

edited 2nd May '17 7:10:50 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#186358: May 2nd 2017 at 7:12:39 PM

That sounds like the kind of thing that would get struck down pretty quickly.

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#186359: May 2nd 2017 at 7:12:57 PM

Just remember that one of the major players in pushing for "Calexit" turned out to be a Russian stooge trying to further weaken the USA.

He gave up. He's living in Russia permanently now. There's also two different Calexit movements. One was headed by a Russia stooge and Trump supporter. The other is the California National Party which is actually a pretty good party if they would forget about actually seceding.

Actually the CNP is my dream party sans secession talk.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#186360: May 2nd 2017 at 7:14:08 PM

[up]x4 on the superstate idea, I think Hawai'i should stay as a single state, as it has a very unique culture and political environment, as well as how isolated it is from the rest of the states.

edited 2nd May '17 7:15:48 PM by megaeliz

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#186361: May 2nd 2017 at 7:16:06 PM

[up][up][up][up] As long as Jared or Ivanka tells Trump that it's a bad idea to sign any bill like that, he most likely won't sign it. There's only so much influence Pence can get against Jared and Ivanka.

If he does sign some stupid 'Religious Liberty' EO, get ready for it to be struck down in the 9th Circuit, Trump to get pissed off again, and it not mattering because he's never going to actually bring it to the Supreme Court. Like everything else Trump has tried...

edited 2nd May '17 7:16:27 PM by DingoWalley1

Wryte Since: Jul, 2010
#186362: May 2nd 2017 at 7:17:21 PM

That state breakdown seems to have forgotten that Alaska exists.

IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#186363: May 2nd 2017 at 7:17:46 PM

@Tobias: Yeah, at that point I'd wonder if Trump wouldn't just try to nuke Moscow out of intense humiliation.

@Trump's anti-LGBT order: my condolences to those affected.

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
RAlexa21th Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I <3 love!
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#186365: May 2nd 2017 at 7:20:40 PM

It's just going to be another unconstitutional EO, although it's still terrifying that he's trying.

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#186366: May 2nd 2017 at 7:22:11 PM

That state breakdown seems to have forgotten that Alaska exists.

Give it to Canada

I guess Alaska could be fused into the Pacific superstate but it has such a wildly different culture that I don't think it would fit.

Alaskans have more in common with Midwesterners than with West Coasters. I guess the Midwest superstate could take it too though.

Alaska is a question mark for me.

edited 2nd May '17 7:22:46 PM by MadSkillz

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#186367: May 2nd 2017 at 7:22:50 PM

@Madskillz CNP sans secession? But its primary goal is secession. It'd be like saying "The SNP would be my ideal party if they'd just stop talking about Scexit". It'd be like saying "I like Hawaiian Pizza without the pineapple." If you like everything about something except its primary distinguishing feature...

Disgusted, but not surprised
RAlexa21th Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I <3 love!
Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer
#186368: May 2nd 2017 at 7:23:17 PM

[up][up]Alaska votes for the party that tries to melt them.

edited 2nd May '17 7:23:26 PM by RAlexa21th

Continue writing our story of peace.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#186369: May 2nd 2017 at 7:24:21 PM

Going from the British Politics Thread, a lot of people in the SCP aren't actually for Scottish Independence, they just like the economic and social policy. I think that's what Mad Skillz is getting at.

Alaskans have more in common with Midwesterners than with West Coasters. I guess the Midwest superstate could take it too though.

Does it? I wouldn't assume it has much in common culturally with either, apart from a general "American-ness" which is hard to define.

edited 2nd May '17 7:25:56 PM by LSBK

IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#186370: May 2nd 2017 at 7:24:36 PM

[CBS] Trump "directly involved" in post-inauguration hunt for rogue tweeter. Trump's trying to hunt the guy that compared inauguration crowds.

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#186371: May 2nd 2017 at 7:25:11 PM

[up][up][up] Alaska votes for Big Oil. It is a rather major source of income there.

[up]So much for the First Amendment.

edited 2nd May '17 7:27:49 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
RAlexa21th Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I <3 love!
Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer
#186372: May 2nd 2017 at 7:26:19 PM

[up]We may melt and sink to the ocean, but oil floats so we'll be okay!

edited 2nd May '17 7:26:28 PM by RAlexa21th

Continue writing our story of peace.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#186373: May 2nd 2017 at 7:27:11 PM

[up][up][up]Wow.

edited 2nd May '17 7:27:40 PM by LSBK

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#186374: May 2nd 2017 at 7:29:41 PM

Going from the British Politics Thread, a lot of people in the SCP aren't actually for Scottish Independence, they just like the economic and social policy. I think that's what Mad Skillz is getting at.

Yep. Pretty much this. If they could rename themselves the California Progressive Party and ditch the secession talk, I think they could actually become popular in the state given time.

Also in trivial news, my macroeconomics professor just ranted about how California won't be be happy until it's a Socialist Republic and that it's trying too hard to imitate Europe.

edited 2nd May '17 7:34:03 PM by MadSkillz

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#186375: May 2nd 2017 at 7:37:31 PM

[up] Ugh, imagine the shitshow if they actually manage to get enough registered voters to qualify because of the appeal of their other policies.

I have the suspicious feeling that all of those other policies are nothing but bait to attract the voters they need to get a foot in the door.

Disgusted, but not surprised

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