Political Discussion

[ayayrawn]

one is demonic lunacy and the other is too tired for either.

This is giving the other too much of a pass, I think. Most of them would (and do) sell every one of us down the river for the right number from their buddy's PAC, and get just as violent if that status quo is disrupted in any way. Yes, one party has completely shed any attempts at cordiality, but that doesn't mean the other one isn't also actively malevolent.

I’m voting against Trump to make sure what’s going on doesn’t get demonstrably worse.

Fascism in the US has marched steadily onward, perhaps even accelerated, since he left the white house, and for many, things have already gotten demonstrably worse. Has somebody let the dem party know how important this election supposedly is, because they're approaching it with a half-hearted shrug. They have their bag regardless of who wins in November.

All this is a problem at the core of the country that a vote alone can't fix. The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house, and all that.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

This is giving the other too much of a pass, I think. Most of them would (and do) sell every one of us down the river for the right number from their buddy's PAC, and get just as violent if that status quo is disrupted in any way. Yes, one party has completely shed any attempts at cordiality, but that doesn't mean the other one isn't also actively malevolent.


Fascism in the US has marched steadily onward, perhaps even accelerated, since he left the white house, and for many, things have already gotten demonstrably worse. Has somebody let the dem party know how important this election supposedly is, because they're approaching it with a half-hearted shrug. They have their bag regardless of who wins in November.

All this is a problem at the core of the country that a vote alone can't fix. The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house, and all that.

If you believe that the system is irreplaceably broken then what’s the point to any of it? I am genuinely asking, If I thought it was all pointless then I would completely unplug from it all.

I am not happy with the way things are going but I see stark difference between the two parties and I would like for things to improve but we need a democracy to even have a chance.

As bad as things are, things can always get worse especially for the most vulnerable amongst us.

 

[ayayrawn]

If you believe that the system is irreplaceably broken then what’s the point to any of it? I am genuinely asking, If I thought it was all pointless then I would completely unplug from it all.

I am not happy with the way things are going but I see stark difference between the two parties and I would like for things to improve but we need a democracy to even have a chance.

As bad as things are, things can always get worse especially for the most vulnerable amongst us.

Not sure of this democracy you mention. Both parties are beholden to corporate interests and neither have the public good in mind. The president is not elected by popular vote, a state with 400,000 people has just as much national pull as a state with 40,000,000, and the ones overseeing it all are 9 unelected judges with absolutely no failsafes in place for when they brazenly and openly break the law and are bought and paid for.

On the contrary though, I think it's very replaceably broken! And that's the point. A good place to start would be a general strike, something that should have been coordinated a long time ago. This country speaks exactly one language, and it's capital. Withhold that and it'll be on its knees in days.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

Not sure of this democracy you mention.

I knew this was coming. I almost preemptively responded to this in my last post. Our democracy is far from perfect, but Trump becoming president makes all these things worse.

The last election 2/3’s of eligible voters actually voted. How many people do you think you could get to participate in a national strike? I think a good chunk of this country would not have the ability to participate. A national strike is kinda like voting for a third party. It’s good in theory but it would require such a big buy in by the general public that it would ultimately prove ineffective.

 

[6od]

This is giving the other too much of a pass, I think. Most of them would (and do) sell every one of us down the river for the right number from their buddy's PAC, and get just as violent if that status quo is disrupted in any way. Yes, one party has completely shed any attempts at cordiality, but that doesn't mean the other one isn't also actively malevolent.


Fascism in the US has marched steadily onward, perhaps even accelerated, since he left the white house, and for many, things have already gotten demonstrably worse. Has somebody let the dem party know how important this election supposedly is, because they're approaching it with a half-hearted shrug. They have their bag regardless of who wins in November.

All this is a problem at the core of the country that a vote alone can't fix. The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house, and all that.

i don't disagree. i guess i meant one has just gone berserker and the other one is doing the same shit they've always done, but it's more public now.

 

[ayayrawn]

New levels of depravity every day

 

[ayayrawn]

And the US had actual boots on the ground taking part in this one! Very cool!

 

[Hemotep]

How this is even remotely legal infuriates me. The just pick and choose what parts of the Constitution they enforce and the judicial system is so frickin corrupt in this country they these wack jobs are spreading their fairy tale nonsense.

A Christian group teaches public school students during the school day. Their footprint is growing

An Ohio nonprofit that provides off-site Bible instruction to public school students during classroom hours says it will triple its programs in Indiana this fall after new legislation forced school districts to comply.

www.yahoo.com

 

[RenegadeMonster]

https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2024/06/10/native-american-remains-indian-burial-ground-nc-developers

North Carolina lawmakers are moving to loosen development requirements that would allow real estate developers to build homes on a "highly significant archaeological site" the state says includes a Native American burial ground up to 3,000 years old.

Why it matters: A recent archeological survey discovered the site has "no less than 11 potential human burial clusters," each containing multiple individuals as part of a Native American settlement spanning over multiple centuries between 1000 BCE – 1600 CE, the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said in a letter provided to Axios.

 

[Nee Lewman]

https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2024/06/10/native-american-remains-indian-burial-ground-nc-developers

North Carolina lawmakers are moving to loosen development requirements that would allow real estate developers to build homes on a "highly significant archaeological site" the state says includes a Native American burial ground up to 3,000 years old.

Why it matters: A recent archeological survey discovered the site has "no less than 11 potential human burial clusters," each containing multiple individuals as part of a Native American settlement spanning over multiple centuries between 1000 BCE – 1600 CE, the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said in a letter provided to Axios.

Good luck:

 

[Hemotep]

Curious what folks are thinking about Macron's call for a snap election in France after getting crushed by Le Pen's fascists in the European parliament elections. The thought of France giving into right wing hate depresses me, although I do think the polls show a big majority of the French still reject it. Either way it's concerning and again purely the fault of a neoliberal suck like Macron acting like he's in a dress rehearsal for authoritarianism.

 

[ayayrawn]

Curious what folks are thinking about Macron's call for a snap election in France after getting crushed by Le Pen's fascists in the European parliament elections. The thought of France giving into right wing hate depresses me, although I do think the polls show a big majority of the French still reject it. Either way it's concerning and again purely the fault of a neoliberal suck like Macron acting like he's in a dress rehearsal for authoritarianism.

Yeah, Macron hasn't been doing his country any favors during his tenure. Only a matter of time before people started rejecting his party.

 

[nolalady]

A number of years ago I got to know an engineer from Germany during one of my out of state training sessions. I learned that the State covered healthcare, education through a college degree, and a retirement plan for their citizens. The cost was a 55% tax rate on income. Everyone also got 6 weeks vacation plus 2 weeks holidays per year regardless of years of employment. Now - I have not verified this through independent research, perhaps some German members can speak to this, if accurate those numbers may not be such a "bad" thing. It would be a "lively" topic here in America. The companies with the "most to lose" - healthcare related - would be very imaginative with propaganda to maintain the "status quo".

I actually love when people bring this up when talking about the cost of socialism. I am a very tail end Gen Xer, almost a millennial with three teenagers living with my partner who has 2 kids, so we are a fuulllllll house. Just to give you some context into our bills, especially medical expenses.

After deducting my taxes, 401K contributions, health insurance premiums, and my contributions to my HSA (health savings account since my work ONLY offers high deductible health plans, I bring home approximately 58% of my actual pay. On top of that, I also expend roughly $300-$500 extra a month for health expenses, which leaves me somewhere around getting to use 50% of my pay for something other than taxes, healthcare, and retirement. I often don’t go to the doctor for minor things and just tough it out because I save my healthcare dollars for my kids. I definitely don’t have enough saved for retirement and were I to be fired or disabled, there are very few safety nets in place for me and my kids. I am relying on my parents and my ex’s parents to fun my kids’ college because I have never been able to save due to my ex’s negligence.

So if I am already losing access to 50% of my money, 55% really doesn’t sound all that bad if I get guaranteed healthcare, guaranteed college for my kids, guaranteed retirement funds, and a much better support system if I become unable to work. I’m already paying for it, at around the same rates that European workers pay, but nothing is guaranteed for me. If I were to try to insure myself against all of this, I would be paying more than 55% in this current system.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

Curious what folks are thinking about Macron's call for a snap election in France after getting crushed by Le Pen's fascists in the European parliament elections. The thought of France giving into right wing hate depresses me, although I do think the polls show a big majority of the French still reject it. Either way it's concerning and again purely the fault of a neoliberal suck like Macron acting like he's in a dress rehearsal for authoritarianism.

I’m was just thinking about this last night. I genuinely don’t think that half of the western world has devolved into Christian Nationalist Fascist Nazi’s, I think the issue is mostly inequality driven by our late stage capitalism based society. Both sides (the left and right) used to have approximately a 50/50 split of the vote as voter apathy set in and society embraced more liberal ideas culturally the traditional right lost its foothold on its share of the vote. So The Right had two paths, either they could lurch slightly to the Left and look to redefine the center or the could embrace extremism and attack western democracy as a whole. I think most people think the system is rigged and that is what the Fascists are claiming which is an appealing message to many disenfranchised, the problem is that Fascist are using these claims as a gateway to some truly horrific and disgusting ideologies.

Western Democracy is arriving at another crossroads as these Far Right factions are gaining power. I don’t know what will happen when/if they gain power but it feels like only a matter of time until some of these democracies are tested by a leader who embraces fascism.

 

[Dtknuckles]

3500 is literally 3x my mortgage

yall California sucks for housing. This is almost my mortgage.

 

[Jonathan Y]

3500 is literally 3x my mortgage (bought in 2008, refinanced in 2014) for 2800 sq ft of living space, plus a fenced in yard and a 2 car garage. I'm 3 blocks from Luna Music and a bunch of favorite neighborhood restaurants. The Monon Trail is across the street, Indy's first rapid transit bus line is a couple of blocks away, like 8 new indie bookstores have opened in the last year, the KanKan Cinema is a 10 minute drive, there's a true IMAX downtown, traffic is virtually never gridlocked...we have basketball, football, baseball, IndyCar, and soon soccer...and even when we're not on the tour circuit, you can get to Louisville/Cinci/Chicago within 2-2.5 hours each.

We're landlocked, the weather and the air quality suck, and the politics are troubling. It's not exactly a hub of culture & diversity, but it's affordable, friendly, and gives you access to everything you'd really need, if you're willing to look for it.

If I wasn't already a midwesterner it's not like I'd ever want to vacation here, but there's plenty to be said for it as a home base.

ETA: name an amenity that isn't limited by geography and I bet it's here already. Ikea? Got it. Trader Joe's? 2 of 'em. Costco? Several. Beer? Hell, we can even buy it on Sundays now. Museums, a zoo, concert venues...the food scene has promise, even if it's never going to excite somebody coming from more of a foodie city.

Just sayin'...anybody ever wants to be my neighbor, hit me up.

and yet some dude tried to say Broadripple is Burning! psshhhh

Can't imagine how he feels about all this!? ha ha

 

[Bull Shannon]

and yet some dude tried to say Broadripple is Burning! psshhhh

Can't imagine how he feels about all this!? ha ha

My MIL warned us about Broadripple when we visited in April; she lives in FL but is very tuned in to the local news there's-shootings-every-day doom spiral. She subscribes to traffic alerts and recently said at least one motorcyclist dies in her town every week. Thing is, all I can find re: crime in Broadripple is a couple reports of late-night shootings in bars; that's not a good thing, but it's a lot less surprising or alarming than the initial charge that the area is "so dangerous."

Kind of makes me think of the broader perception of whether or not the US at large or specific communities within it are "safe" or not; a lot of people seem to think they're taking their lives into their own hands simply setting foot outside of their neighborhood. I'm looking at a house like thirty blocks from my current rental, and while I know a lot can change in that distance a search of the neighborhood name on reddit yielded a few threads of people describing it as a "war zone," and that they couldn't hear themselves think over the constant gunfire. The PDX subreddit is pretty rife with this; to read that page alone would give a person the idea that we have indeed been constantly on fire since 2020.

I was listening to the Ezra Klein show this week and he was discussing with an econ reporter how there's debate over whether the economy is good right now; so many indicators such as unemployment are reflecting a time of great prosperity. If you ask the average person how the economy is doing, however, they'll say it's in a terrible place; yet if you ask how that individual is doing, they'll say they're comfortable or at least getting by. They dig into it, and a big issue is the affordability of housing and food, but it's interesting how we're experiencing this prevailing vibe that things are very bad right now.

 

[LiamGallaghersBucketHat]

Justice Alito Caught on Tape Discussing How Battle for America 'Can't Be Compromised'

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in a new recording says the battle for America "can't be compromised," and that one political party will "win."

www.rollingstone.com

 

[Bob from Florida]

Justice Alito Caught on Tape Discussing How Battle for America 'Can't Be Compromised'

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in a new recording says the battle for America "can't be compromised," and that one political party will "win."

www.rollingstone.com

Another perspective below - was actually able to finish reading without being asked to subscribe to Rolling Stone. The net does seem to be "on fire" with mostly criticism of Alito. Windsor was clearly leading Alito into a trap of sorts, which he did "fall into" with his replies. The "meaning" of the replies is debatable depending on which "camp" you align with. Roberts did not fall for the "trap", which must have been disappointing for Windsor. Curiously, no one is calling out Windsor for making "secret" recordings. Last time I checked, recordings without consent are actually illegal. Several years ago, there was a group that visited Planned Parenthood and recorded secret videos. As I recall, that group got into some trouble over the non consent nature of those recordings. Since everyone has "biases" - the result of our life to date - should not the real question be whether one can keep them in "check" in the performance of duties?

Alito and Roberts secretly recorded in latest attempt to undermine Supreme Court - Washington Examiner

A liberal activist who posed as conservative to secretly record Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts is the latest shot in a left-wing fight to undermine the Supreme Court.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

 

[Nee Lewman]

Another perspective below - was actually able to finish reading without being asked to subscribe to Rolling Stone. The net does seem to be "on fire" with mostly criticism of Alito. Windsor was clearly leading Alito into a trap of sorts, which he did "fall into" with his replies. The "meaning" of the replies is debatable depending on which "camp" you align with. Roberts did not fall for the "trap", which must have been disappointing for Windsor. Curiously, no one is calling out Windsor for making "secret" recordings. Last time I checked, recordings without consent are actually illegal. Several years ago, there was a group that visited Planned Parenthood and recorded secret videos. As I recall, that group got into some trouble over the non consent nature of those recordings. Since everyone has "biases" - the result of our life to date - should not the real question be whether one can keep them in "check" in the performance of duties?

Alito and Roberts secretly recorded in latest attempt to undermine Supreme Court - Washington Examiner

A liberal activist who posed as conservative to secretly record Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts is the latest shot in a left-wing fight to undermine the Supreme Court.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Depends on the state, you do not need consent or to disclose that you are recording in NC.

I also think the point of the recordings is that Alito and his compatriots on the court do not keep their biases in check and Roberts does his job.