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

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#248026: Jul 1st 2018 at 7:18:30 AM

Obama's opponents seem to like blaming him for things he had no control over, like not fighting in the Vietnam War, not taking action as President during Hurricane Katrina, and not marching with Martin Luthor King Jr. Their hatred for him is so great that it's simultaneously warping their perception of how time works and makes them forget that he's a lot younger than the average President.

StarOutlaw Since: Nov, 2010
#248027: Jul 1st 2018 at 7:21:13 AM

Saw a political ad the other day for a Republican. It boiled down to the guy basically praising Trump and promising to support Trump's policies. What really got me was that the guy said Trump is a businessman and doesn't care about his political career, just helping the people. And I'm like, have you not seen the tweets or the rallies, have you not heard the constant stream of self praise?

I try to give the benefit of the doubt, but it really dawned on me then how incredibly dense/willfully ignorant these people can be. Trump has made it extremely obvious that yes, he cares about being seen as the best politician ever, because he never ever shuts up about it and hates when people call him out. He has put far more effort into rallying his base around him for the last two years than any real work. Someone who doesn't care about their political career doesn't actively campaign for reelection for four years.

I can barely even imagine what kind of a world someone has to live in where their information is filtered in such a way, or the kind of warped perspective one would have in order to see things this way, even if you only ever watched Fox news.

Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#248028: Jul 1st 2018 at 8:30:49 AM

Even the "businessman" part is... highly debatable, to put it mildly.

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#248029: Jul 1st 2018 at 8:31:25 AM

[up][up]That reminds me of a campaign sign for some Republican whose name I forget - an exceedingly rare sight in the overwhelmingly liberal Montgomery County - that led with "Support Trump!" instead of anything about the candidate himself. Hell, his picture wasn't even on the sign. You know whose was, though? Trump's.

It's like Republicans have become The Hive, with Trump as their king. When you vote for a local Republican candidate, you're not voting for them, you're voting for Trump.

Again, I feel like this is projection. The far-right wants to pretend the entire left-wing has the exact same ideas and principles and goals, etc. and wants to achieve them in the exact same way, when they themselves are all just mini-Trumps.

Edited by PhysicalStamina on Jul 1st 2018 at 11:35:15 AM

i'm tired, my friend
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#248030: Jul 1st 2018 at 8:31:50 AM

[up][up]So is the "helping the people" part.

Edited by M84 on Jul 1st 2018 at 11:31:47 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#248031: Jul 1st 2018 at 11:25:11 AM

https://lawandcrime.com/immigration/top-ice-lawyer-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison-for-stealing-immigrants-identities/

Ice Lawyer sentenced to 4 years in prison for his abuse of office.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
eyebones Since: Apr, 2004
#248032: Jul 1st 2018 at 11:37:55 AM

Yeah, people who sign up for the job of jailing children are not going to have the highest moral ideals.

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. — H.L. Mencken
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#248033: Jul 1st 2018 at 11:39:10 AM

[up][up] I'm genuinely surprised he was actually convicted.

eyebones Since: Apr, 2004
#248034: Jul 1st 2018 at 11:54:00 AM

That is interesting. Article doesn't even say how he was caught. It is getting really tough to live anonymously if all this guy's gyrations failed.

Huh. Coming up on page 10,000.

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. — H.L. Mencken
Kakuzan Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to. from Knock knock, open up the door, it's real. Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to.
#248035: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:18:51 PM

So I was browsing Twitter just now, and apparently some on the left are saying how the Democrats should increase the amount of justices in the Supreme Court from 9 to 13, and I think my mind has went blank. I mean, how in hell is that supposed to work?

Don't catch you slippin' now.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#248036: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:23:40 PM

The practice is known as court packing, Roosevelt tried to do it but was foiled. Maybe we'll have better luck (assuming the Democrats try it, they fucking better).

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#248037: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:24:06 PM

Officially? Pass a bill that says just that, I'm pretty sure. The number of justices isn't set in stone.

Politically? Not sure it would ever fly even among the general Democratic population.

Imca (Veteran)
#248038: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:25:41 PM

It also risks starting a back and forth.

Where each administration packs the courts over the previous, so that by 2100 you now have 50 judges.

Which is why no one does it AFIAK.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#248039: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:26:15 PM

[up][up]Why wouldn't it fly? People understand how important the Supreme Court is, if we can do it I highly doubt a revolt from the Democratic base is something to be worried about. And even if pisses off the rest of the public it would probably be worth it, our policies benefit people and if we can make it clear then they'll accept a lot.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Jul 1st 2018 at 1:28:03 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#248040: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:27:46 PM

We can't expect to correct the anti-democratic course this country is headed on by employing our own anti-democratic practices.

Edited by Fighteer on Jul 1st 2018 at 4:27:32 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#248041: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:29:44 PM

So let the reactionaries control the Supreme Court for decades? No thanks, there is nothing moral about that.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Jul 1st 2018 at 1:29:29 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#248042: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:31:11 PM

My only concern is being able to stop future Republicans from just doing the same in the future.

Oh really when?
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#248043: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:31:17 PM

[up][up][up][awesome]

The way to solve the threat of a right-leaning authoritarian state is not to establish a left-leaning authoritarian state. Every time people propose ideas that boil down to, "We need OUR OWN TRUMP", it just lends fuel to the Both Siders fire.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jul 1st 2018 at 2:31:08 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#248044: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:31:57 PM

Honestly, and this is only in a relative sense, abrogating the power, or at least the lifelong tenures of the existing nine would be an easier sell than going down the rabbit hole of expanding the supreme court. Forget 50. If we do it when we have a majority, the moment the Republicans return to power, they would try packing the court with several hundred conservatives.

Edited by CrimsonZephyr on Jul 1st 2018 at 4:33:51 AM

"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."
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#248045: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:32:18 PM

[up][up]Ok that's just nonsensical, packing the supreme court would not turn the US into a left authoritarian state and it also doesn't mean "I want a left Trump".

If you're going to disagree with my position then at-least engage with it, this nothing more then a dishonest strawman. I would never support someone as incompetent, inexperienced, or dishonest as Trump.

[up]I could support that.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Jul 1st 2018 at 1:33:27 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#248046: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:33:53 PM

It wouldn't turn the US into anything, but the tossing out of norms would destroy any meaning the Supreme Court has, if each succeeding regime can pack the court with their cronies.

"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."
Kakuzan Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to. from Knock knock, open up the door, it's real. Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to.
#248047: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:34:06 PM

Even if it were possible, it is no gurantee that court packing in this manner would work in our favor anyway, especially since Republicans have been playing the long game for a while now. I don't think it is wise to go through with something that hasn't been thought out completely.

Don't catch you slippin' now.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#248048: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:34:35 PM

[up][up]That's not a bad point.

In that case I would only support packing the court as a last case option.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Jul 1st 2018 at 1:34:27 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#248049: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:42:03 PM

It wouldn't turn the US into anything, but the tossing out of norms would destroy any meaning the Supreme Court has, if each succeeding regime can pack the court with their cronies.

Exactly this. We've seen so many different flavors of "What if we threw out the norms and did something that would radically shift the political balance forever?" come through this thread over the last two years. So many. People think that's a tug-of-war that can be won and it's not.

Do you know why Mitch McConnell, despite constant pressure from Trump, has consistently refused to abolish the filibuster? He can do it. Any time he wants, he can do it. He could have done it in January 2017 and then passed all kinds of laws. We would not have an ACA anymore if he'd done it, and it would have been taken down so fast that the Republicans would be able to pass tons of other toxic bills with the time they saved.

But he won't. He refuses, time and again. The filibuster stays. It actively impedes the Republican agenda by giving us a tool to obstruct them with, but it stays. McConnell would never dream of revoking it, even though he can do it any time he wants. Why?

Because as soon as it's gone, it's gone forever. It doesn't come back. The norm has been abolished indefinitely. McConnell understands politics better than any Republican in Washington. He knows the tide WILL turn. It always turns. You will never be in power forever. And then one day he'll be facing a Democratic majority in the Senate and there won't be a filibuster.

Abolishing norms invites retaliation. Anything we do, they will do when it's their turn at the wheel. That's how the game works. Short-sighted quick-fix solutions that put new weapons into enemy hands do more harm than good. And little by little, they erode our democracy.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jul 1st 2018 at 2:42:57 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Wryte Since: Jul, 2010
#248050: Jul 1st 2018 at 1:50:51 PM

As far as the Supreme Court goes, that's just another reason I'm really hoping for Trump to go down via impeachment from the Mueller investigation turning up irrefutable proof of collusion. If we can impeach Trump for cheating to become president, we can build a case for impeaching Gorsuch and whoever Kennedy's replacement ends up being on the grounds that they were nominated by an illegitimate president.


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