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

TheWanderer Student of Story from Somewhere in New England (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Student of Story
#190626: May 25th 2017 at 9:41:56 PM

We'll see if people continue to tolerate Republicans committing crimes.

Sadly, I truly, truly, believe they will. Oh, depending on the crime or indiscretion they'll lose one or two voters at a time, but a lot of American right wingers have been programmed into thinking that they are literally at war with centrist and liberal America. If you're in a war where your very existence is at stake, you will consider any tactic, no matter how immoral, and accept any ally, no matter how crazy they may be or how much they may be the Token Evil Teammate. In such a circumstance, literally anything is acceptable and nothing is out of bounds as long as it gets you through, you can always feel bad about it or go back to being civilized when the war is over and such measures are no longer necessary.

Several different times I've posted video of Grover Norquist, one of the Republican behind the scenes players, literally saying that the ideal president is one who has enough fingers and the inclination to sign whatever legislation Republicans put in front of him, and everything else is optional. I think that's the Republican approach in a nutshell right now: as long as an elected official will vote your way, they are acceptable, no matter what else they do, say, or believe. Once they become a liability, they can be thrown aside and some new schmuck who will vote your way will be put in their place until they become a liability too.

And Trump has already proved that there is no minimum standard for decency that one must keep to or the right wing public will reject them. The right wing public at large is willing to overlook almost anything if it gets them what they want. After all, the war they're waging against us is so much more important than whatever minor indiscretions one of their people might commit.

| Wandering, but not lost. | If people bring so much courage to this world...◊ |
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#190627: May 25th 2017 at 9:44:37 PM

Trying to expand Democratic coverage in the House is starting to feel like a quixotic endeavor.

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#190628: May 25th 2017 at 9:46:23 PM

[up] TBF, this election was a bit of a long shot for a Democratic victory, and the assault happened after a lot of the votes were already cast.

Disgusted, but not surprised
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#190629: May 25th 2017 at 9:46:45 PM

[up][up]On the brightside, maybe they can have their own musical now.tongue

"To dream... the impossible dream..."

edited 25th May '17 9:47:46 PM by kkhohoho

Luigisan98 A wandering user from Venezuelan Muscat Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
A wandering user
#190630: May 25th 2017 at 9:46:46 PM

[up][up][up] Why that?

edited 25th May '17 9:46:57 PM by Luigisan98

The only good fanboy, is a redeemed fanboy.
bobwolf from anywhere Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: That's rough, buddy
#190631: May 25th 2017 at 9:51:25 PM

Well, I can feel myself being radicalized to believe in extreme political responses to the Republican Party.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#190632: May 25th 2017 at 9:57:27 PM

So anyway, has anyone else been following the controversy surrounding the upoming Puerto Rican Day parade scheduled for June 11th?

Several sponsors are pulling out of marching in the parade due to the parade organizers' decision to honor a recently commuted Puerto Rican nationalist militant.

Oscar Lopez Rivera is a...polarizing figure to say the least. He's pretty much a living embodiment of Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters.

This is on top of Puerto Rico's massive debt problem and the referendum on whether or not to apply for statehood that will also be held next month.

edited 25th May '17 10:00:02 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#190633: May 25th 2017 at 10:00:51 PM

It really disheartens me to realize that gianforte will likely get away with assault.

Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#190634: May 25th 2017 at 10:04:17 PM

I mean, this doesn't make him an more or less likely to get away with it. It's not like it's a crime with a particular harsh sentence. Possibly he'll just have to pay a fine, which he can afford because he's rich.

Luigisan98 A wandering user from Venezuelan Muscat Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
A wandering user
#190635: May 25th 2017 at 10:04:32 PM

[up][up] But not for long.

edited 25th May '17 10:04:42 PM by Luigisan98

The only good fanboy, is a redeemed fanboy.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#190636: May 25th 2017 at 10:07:17 PM

[up][up] I still think he's going to end up repeating the offense, unless he's going to spend the rest of his term hiding from the press and from anyone else who might ask him a remotely tough question.

Disgusted, but not surprised
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#190637: May 25th 2017 at 10:10:06 PM

[up] thing is, many of his voters are blaming his victim for the crime of being liberal. That's absolutely horrifying.

TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#190638: May 25th 2017 at 10:12:25 PM

I think it's safe to say that unless the Republicans' base starts dying en masse (likely through an outbreak of a contagious yet easily prevented disease that the GOP didn't feel like spending money on fighting, or another pointless oil war that their sons and daughters get tricked into fighting), or the Democrats' base starts multiplying like rabbits in perpetual heat and on aphrodisiacs, and then starts migrating into the red and purple states, Middle America is, for the most part, forever lost to the Democratic Party. The GOP has effectively conquered the region's populace through their propaganda, and now they'll never believe anyone or anything else (and they'll raise their kids to do the same).

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
HextarVigar That guy from The Big House Since: Feb, 2015
That guy
#190639: May 25th 2017 at 10:13:09 PM

Can anyone give me a run down of how Reagan Administration deal with AIDS?

Back at the beginning, it was basically considered the perfect disease; it only killed gays and druggies.

Your momma's so dumb she thinks oral sex means talking dirty.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#190640: May 25th 2017 at 10:13:17 PM

[up][up][up]Stuff like that has always existed. Frankly, I've never gotten why people think it's only confined to a certain time period or should be anymore surprising today.

[up][up]Okay, besides just being overly pessimistic and unhelpful, talking like that (how it would be better for millions of people to die off in mass) is honestly really creepy.

edited 25th May '17 10:16:44 PM by LSBK

Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#190641: May 25th 2017 at 10:14:12 PM

From what I've read the Montana seat was quite the long-shot anyway. Probably the reason why the DNC did not devote much resources to it (something that I expect they'll get criticized for at some point).

I get the feeling that Gianforte might get away with the assault charges too, but that's much less certain. I'll admit it would be very satisfying to see him get a guilty charge, even if it doesn't amount to much in terms of punishment.

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#190642: May 25th 2017 at 10:18:48 PM

@Gilphon a few pages ago: Late, but I misread your post on whether a narrow Gianfort victory would be best or worst for everyone - sorry about that!

It's been fun.
TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#190643: May 25th 2017 at 10:36:15 PM

[up][up][up] Well to counteract their regional dominance, it's either that or the Democrat baby boom that I also mentioned, seeing as the GOP is doing everything in their power to restrict our other major source of new voters: immigration (both legal immigration and the legalization of illegal immigrants).

There's just no way to change these entrenched voters' minds anymore. Not nearly enough of them, fast enough, to make a real difference. And I don't know about you, but the left-wing baby boom and mass-migration possibility doesn't seem all that likely, while I absolutely would not put it past the Trump administration and our other elected Republicans to end up killing decent-sized chunks of their own base (see: the AIDS epidemic that Ronald Reagan ignored until well after it stopped being just a "gays and druggies only" disease, the Iraq War that soured people on the GOP by '08, and their current defunding of pretty much everything but the military, Trump's properties, and their own salaries).

Also, damn right I'm pessimistic. I haven't exactly been given much reason to be the magical, happy man who lives in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane. I get that Montana was a long shot, but I'm still plenty bitter about November and how many of these yahoos continue to celebrate the fact that they put Trump into the White House.

edited 25th May '17 10:37:26 PM by TrashJack

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
Luigisan98 A wandering user from Venezuelan Muscat Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
A wandering user
#190644: May 25th 2017 at 10:39:21 PM

[up] It's not about living in that kind of land, is about believing in hope, which is vital for us.

Just because of one election for presidency doesn't mean that everything will be bad for the left-wing and the good-willed people, at least when it comes to elections.

People are fighting hard to make sure progress is still being made, never forget that.

The only good fanboy, is a redeemed fanboy.
bobwolf from anywhere Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: That's rough, buddy
#190645: May 25th 2017 at 10:59:51 PM

[up]

Eh, nothing to prevent a worse Trump from being elected. I'm for pessimism here.

Luigisan98 A wandering user from Venezuelan Muscat Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
A wandering user
#190646: May 25th 2017 at 11:02:10 PM

[up] Real shame in not trying to even see light in all the darkness. I understand how you feel but still, there's more in life than just assume pessimism because you let the worries get the best of you.

The only good fanboy, is a redeemed fanboy.
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#190647: May 25th 2017 at 11:10:27 PM

[up] it's easy to be optimistic when you're not under a fascist.

BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#190648: May 25th 2017 at 11:29:10 PM

If we can't flip Middle America, maybe we should put our efforts towards convincing undecideds?

Do not obey in advance.
Luigisan98 A wandering user from Venezuelan Muscat Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
A wandering user
#190649: May 25th 2017 at 11:34:07 PM

[up][up] Fascist or not, optimism is always a way to keep on living, especially with hope at hand.

The only good fanboy, is a redeemed fanboy.
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#190650: May 25th 2017 at 11:41:32 PM

[up][up]Increasing voter access: Republicans are in government.

With regards to DNC spending: Quist ran on being an independent voice for Montana ("Please disregard my full intention to vote against Republican beliefs"), so while spending was done (see post assault attack ads), care still had to be taken to avoid undercutting that image.

[up]I believe those living in fear of being deported would like to have a word with you on that front.

edited 25th May '17 11:42:33 PM by Krieger22

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot

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