Polite Politics

[SnarkyGoblin]

1 hour ago, Andie said:

It really is true.  The devil lives forever.

Henry Kissinger turned 100 and he’s still thinking fairly clear.  
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/kissinger-100-crimes-watergate/

And yet for some reason, people are still listening to what he has to say.

[roadtonowhere08]

2 hours ago, Andie said:

It really is true.  The devil lives forever.

Henry Kissinger turned 100 and he’s still thinking fairly clear.  
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/kissinger-100-crimes-watergate/

The gates of Hell are patient...

[Andie]

I have to say you’re both on point.  
I always thought his mind was focused on war.  He could have done a great deal more to end Vietnam.   
Cant believe I’m still connecting back to the leadership of that time and that he’s still alive still beating that drum.  
We need to put our weapons away and try to all get along.  He’s a war monger.  

[MossMan]

End of an era. 

[roadtonowhere08]

Bunch of wieners!!!

[SnarkyGoblin]

On 5/13/2023 at 6:40 AM, Andie said:

Oh, and they reported today that in NY officials removed homeless vets from a Hotel, purposed for them, in order to house some of these immigrants. 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-stoked-outrage-over-migrants-displacing-homeless-vets-it-was-a-hoax

[Andie]

Pretty good bait and switch by the NY Post. Any retractions? 

“The whole saga kicked off when the Postreported that 20 “struggling homeless veterans” were booted from hotels so their rooms could be given to incoming migrants. According to Yerik Israel Toney Foundation, the nonprofit group that works on temporarily housing the vets, the ex-military members had been told by the New York hotels that they needed to vacate and move elsewhere.” -Daily Beast

Retraction  from Daily Beast. 
https://nypost.com/2023/05/18/advocate-lied-about-vets-getting-kicked-out-of-ny-hotels-for-migrants-pol/

[MossMan]

Simple…Just find a job you really enjoy with co workers you really enjoy. 

[Andie]

What are the Sunday Scaries?  

[MossMan]

1 minute ago, Andie said:

What are the Sunday Scaries?  

People that dread going back to work on Monday. 

[Andie]

As tensions with Iran have escalated over its nuclear program, the U.S. military this month posted pictures of a powerful bomb designed to penetrate deep into the earth and destroy underground facilities that could be used to enrich uranium. 

The U.S. Air Force on May 2 released rare images of the weapon, the GBU-57, known as the “Massive Ordnance Penetrator.” Then it took the photos down — apparently because the photographs revealed sensitive details about the weapon's composition and punch.

[Andie]

This was sent to me. 
 This SR-72 makes an amazing slow graceful landing.  These things seem to float.  
I want one!! Or at least ride along !

https://fb.watch/kIWlH_qqD_/?mibextid=v7YzmG

[Iceresistance]

TW: Deadly weapon almost used by a female professor onto a NYP reporter, she has lost her position in college as they saw this and instantly condemned it. 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/professor-holds-machete-reporters-neck-after-destroying-students-pro-life-display

[Rubus Leucodermis]

And another quiet part starts getting said out loud.

 

[Iceresistance]

21 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

And another quiet part starts getting said out loud.

 

A Dictator is actually the very last thing America needs, because the intolerence will grow to Genocide, look at what China is doing to the Uyghur Muslims! And they have a Dictator-like president!

 

This is the thing the Founding Fathers wanted to avoid! Because they knew that Man (or Woman nowadays) desires for power when they have the chance to get it!

[roadtonowhere08]

1 hour ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

And another quiet part starts getting said out loud.

 

Would he go for a liberal dictator?  Mr. Kelly did not specify. 

[Andie]

He was writing like he’d run out of ideas.  
Toss another one out,- see who salutes it.  

[Rubus Leucodermis]

14 hours ago, roadtonowhere08 said:

Would he go for a liberal dictator?  Mr. Kelly did not specify. 

I am sure that THIS time it will all work out perfectly for once. The dictator will flawlessly reflect his political preferences, and not get corrupted absolutely by his absolute power. /sarc

[Anti Marine Layer]

16 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

I am sure that THIS time it will all work out perfectly for once. The dictator will flawlessly reflect his political preferences, and not get corrupted absolutely by his absolute power. /sarc

Trump?

[Rubus Leucodermis]

38 minutes ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

Trump?

Fell quite a bit short of being a dictator the last time.

Next time (assuming there is one), not so sure he will.

[hawkstwelve]

Ron DeSantis will be in a tough spot during the primaries. For as long as Trump remains in the race, he can't out-Trump him. On the other side, there are more viable candidates (Nikki Haley, Tim Scott) to shoot for if you are a Republican and you are tired of the Trump-like antics.

So he's not going to get the Trumpers vote and he won't get the more moderate Republican vote. He's going to either have to pray Trump bows out of the race after getting into deep legal trouble (looking at Georgia and Mar-a-Lago documents cases specifically, not the farce in Manhattan) or he'll have to soften his approach to hopefully appeal to more moderate Republicans. Thin line to walk for a politician that is still fairly new at the game, all things considered. Should be interesting!

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Everyone says the Candidate is brilliant, sporting all the codes and signifiers of an Ivy League education and a top-tier intellect, a success story of the meritocracy where a middle-class kid rises to the top, and people in Washington and New York take notice. The Candidate is a genius attorney; just ask them…though the staff would prefer you didn’t.

The Candidate is beloved by the political and financial establishment of the party. They see someone they can deal with in Washington. Someone more traditional and transactional than the edge cases running in the primary and the lunatic they’ll be up against in the general election. Sure, the Candidate is willing to feed the base, but that’s just for show, right?
 

Continued: https://resolutesquare.com/articles/1ky6aiPzWxDrfpQS8SC9OB/the-candidate

[roadtonowhere08]

4 hours ago, hawkstwelve said:

Ron DeSantis will be in a tough spot during the primaries. For as long as Trump remains in the race, he can't out-Trump him. On the other side, there are more viable candidates (Nikki Haley, Tim Scott) to shoot for if you are a Republican and you are tired of the Trump-like antics.

So he's not going to get the Trumpers vote and he won't get the more moderate Republican vote. He's going to either have to pray Trump bows out of the race after getting into deep legal trouble (looking at Georgia and Mar-a-Lago documents cases specifically, not the farce in Manhattan) or he'll have to soften his approach to hopefully appeal to more moderate Republicans. Thin line to walk for a politician that is still fairly new at the game, all things considered. Should be interesting!

He's getting worked over by The Mouse for silly wokism nonsense.  Politics is not for him.  He's toast.

Edit: Even the Twitter servers don't want the idiot to run: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/tech/twitter-desantis-meltdown/index.html 

[Anti Marine Layer]

8 hours ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Fell quite a bit short of being a dictator the last time.

Next time (assuming there is one), not so sure he will.

As a dictator would he:

1. Reinstate slavery?

2. Take away voting rights from women, non-white and non-binary people?

3. Deport all illegal immigrants?

4. Put Fauci in prison?

5. Banish Congress and the Supreme Court?

6. Employ a firing squad along the entire Southern border?

7. Lock up all pro-choicers?

8. Ban all climate change prevention measures so that by 2050 all of the world fries to death except for the California coast and west of the mountains, which will have marine layer 6500 ft deep 365 days a year due to the 100 C inversion strength and never again reach 70 F or see the sun?

[hawkstwelve]

3 hours ago, roadtonowhere08 said:

He's getting worked over by The Mouse for silly wokism nonsense.  Politics is not for him.  He's toast.

Edit: Even the Twitter servers don't want the idiot to run: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/tech/twitter-desantis-meltdown/index.html 

"The enthusiasm for our campaign broke Twitter!" is some good, simple spin he could play off that. Pretty easy to just laugh off.

But I'm sure the media will hype it up as "Ron's big #failuretolaunch" over the next 24 hour cycle. Stupid.

[roadtonowhere08]

27 minutes ago, hawkstwelve said:

"The enthusiasm for our campaign broke Twitter!" is some good, simple spin he could play off that. Pretty easy to just laugh off.

But I'm sure the media will hype it up as "Ron's big #failuretolaunch" over the next 24 hour cycle. Stupid.

Pretty much. 

I agree with your assessment.  It'll be interesting to see how he plays this.

[roadtonowhere08]

47 minutes ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

As a dictator would he:

1. Reinstate slavery?

2. Take away voting rights from women, non-white and non-binary people?

3. Deport all illegal immigrants?

4. Put Fauci in prison?

5. Banish Congress and the Supreme Court?

6. Employ a firing squad along the entire Southern border?

7. Lock up all pro-choicers?

8. Ban all climate change prevention measures so that by 2050 all of the world fries to death except for the California coast and west of the mountains, which will have marine layer 6500 ft deep 365 days a year due to the 100 C inversion strength and never again reach 70 F or see the sun?

What'll your username be if he opts for #8?

[Anti Marine Layer]

36 minutes ago, roadtonowhere08 said:

What'll your username be if he opts for #8?

Maybe "Frozen Under Hell"

[roadtonowhere08]

1 hour ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

Maybe "Frozen Under Hell"

Nah, not miserable enough.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

3 hours ago, hawkstwelve said:

"The enthusiasm for our campaign broke Twitter!" is some good, simple spin he could play off that. Pretty easy to just laugh off.

But I'm sure the media will hype it up as "Ron's big #failuretolaunch" over the next 24 hour cycle. Stupid.

So, we’ve had one tech bro use his social media empire to help launch a right-wing presidential candidate, and zero use their social media empires to launch a left-wing one. Somehow, however, that will be irrelevant and righties will still whine that Big Tech is out to get them.

[hawkstwelve]

14 hours ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Everyone says the Candidate is brilliant, sporting all the codes and signifiers of an Ivy League education and a top-tier intellect, a success story of the meritocracy where a middle-class kid rises to the top, and people in Washington and New York take notice. The Candidate is a genius attorney; just ask them…though the staff would prefer you didn’t.

The Candidate is beloved by the political and financial establishment of the party. They see someone they can deal with in Washington. Someone more traditional and transactional than the edge cases running in the primary and the lunatic they’ll be up against in the general election. Sure, the Candidate is willing to feed the base, but that’s just for show, right?
 

Continued: https://resolutesquare.com/articles/1ky6aiPzWxDrfpQS8SC9OB/the-candidate

What a weird article.

They make the comparison between Hillary and Ron on the basis of... A lack of "The Gift" of retail politics? That's it? No mention of how extremely disliked Hillary was compared to Ron's (albeit segmented) popularity? No mention of her decades more experience than him, making her the epitome of the 'establishment'? No mention of his nice, young family compared to her sexual predator of husband?

There are plenty of comparisons between the two that draw a much starker contrast than what that article is trying to make it seem. Just a lot of words to ultimately say Ron lacks that personable charm, which isn't necessarily untrue from what I've read but definitely doesn't remind me of... Hillary?!

Just odd all around.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

11 hours ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

As a dictator would he:

1. Reinstate slavery?

2. Take away voting rights from women, non-white and non-binary people?

3. Deport all illegal immigrants?

4. Put Fauci in prison?

5. Banish Congress and the Supreme Court?

6. Employ a firing squad along the entire Southern border?

7. Lock up all pro-choicers?

8. Ban all climate change prevention measures so that by 2050 all of the world fries to death except for the California coast and west of the mountains, which will have marine layer 6500 ft deep 365 days a year due to the 100 C inversion strength and never again reach 70 F or see the sun?

More like nationwide criminalizing of abortion and transgender people (followed by criminalizing anyone who is not heterosexual), official promotion of his brand of Christian Fascism as the only legitimate religion and politics in all public schools, massive Federalizing of politics to achieve measures like the previous ones, blanket pardons for anyone involved in 1/6, directives to law enforcement to lay off of right-wing terrorist groups like the Proud Boys (which forms the genesis of goon squads that then operate outside the law to terrorize political opponents), etc. Standard dictator stuff, in other words.

All assuming a lack of early and massive popular resistance, which is actually quite an assumption given the overall political makeup of the USA.

[Anti Marine Layer]

17 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

More like nationwide criminalizing of abortion and transgender people (followed by criminalizing anyone who is not heterosexual), official promotion of his brand of Christian Fascism as the only legitimate religion and politics in all public schools, massive Federalizing of politics to achieve measures like the previous ones, blanket pardons for anyone involved in 1/6, directives to law enforcement to lay off of right-wing terrorist groups like the Proud Boys (which forms the genesis of goon squads that then operate outside the law to terrorize political opponents), etc. Standard dictator stuff, in other words.

All assuming a lack of early and massive popular resistance, which is actually quite an assumption given the overall political makeup of the USA.

I've always wondered why the left loves Muslims so much, when in some Muslim countries homosexuals are executed.

Also, what is considered Christian Fascism today, may not have been 50 years ago. You can just watch a show like The Waltons to see how different things were.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

48 minutes ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

I've always wondered why the left loves Muslims so much, when in some Muslim countries homosexuals are executed.

Also, what is considered Christian Fascism today, may not have been 50 years ago. You can just watch a show like The Waltons to see how different things were.

Wanting Muslims to have the same civil rights as anyone else in a society with a tradition of secular government and religious pluralism (something Thomas Jefferson himself advocated in his writings, by the way) is quite a different thing from wanting Sharia Law.

Progress happens. Wanting to create a dictatorship to forcibly turn it back is a hallmark of right-wing authoritarianism and is anti-freedom.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

1 hour ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

I've always wondered why the left loves Muslims so much, when in some Muslim countries homosexuals are executed.

I've always wondered why reductive reasoning was so popular with you.

Wanting equal rights/treatment for Muslims =/= endorsing archaic beliefs that some choose to adhere to.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Bam! 18 years in the slammer.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65651998

[Anti Marine Layer]

2 hours ago, roadtonowhere08 said:

I've always wondered why reductive reasoning was so popular with you.

Wanting equal rights/treatment for Muslims =/= endorsing archaic beliefs that some choose to adhere to.

What rights are they being denied of other than Trump's travel bans? 

[roadtonowhere08]

42 minutes ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

What rights are they being denied of other than Trump's travel bans? 

The right to not be one of the last socially acceptable ethnic stereotypes?  The right to not be discriminated against and harassed due to 9/11?  Kind of a big deal.

[Anti Marine Layer]

1 hour ago, roadtonowhere08 said:

The right to not be one of the last socially acceptable ethnic stereotypes?  The right to not be discriminated against and harassed due to 9/11?  Kind of a big deal.

If the majority of Muslims in the US were to believe and practice all of the things the Quran says, they would be just as unpopular as Christians are today. 

There's lots of verses in the Quran condemning homosexuality, for example, which makes those 2 squad members hypocrites to their own religion. 

Also some Trump supporters are discriminated against today even if they had no connection to 1/6.

[MossMan]

Hi everybody!! How is everyone doing during these end of days? Everyone got their underground bunkers done yet to hide from the country and world madness? 
I’m BBQ’ing burgers tonight. 
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! 

[Chewbacca Defense]

21 minutes ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

If the majority of Muslims in the US were to believe and practice all of the things the Quran says, they would be just as unpopular as Christians are today. 

There's lots of verses in the Quran condemning homosexuality, for example, which makes those 2 squad members hypocrites to their own religion. 

Also some Trump supporters are discriminated against today even if they had no connection to 1/6.

Discriminated against?  Eh....at this point, it is pretty much self inflicted.  I have one long time work friend that I feel like I need to give him constant reminders:  If they offer you kool-aid, don't drink it. 

 

Regarding the 2 squad members being hypocrites to their own religion, the bible has statements condemning homosexuality as well, yet I have several Christian friends who have no problem with homosexuality, and a few who call themselves Christian and are homosexual.  So are those folks actually not Christians, or are they just hypocritical Christians?  And, are they better or worse than a hypocritical Muslim?  I dated a Jewish girl who could throw down on bacon, sausage, and BBQ pork. I guess she was a hypocrite to Judaism.

 

I think the biggest problem Christianity faces today is this need to tell everyone around them how they should live, and absolute intolerance for anyone who is not a Christian.  Growing up in Georgia, I dealt with this A LOT.  Ironically (or maybe not ironic) many of them lived anything but a Christian life. 

I became "agnostic" in high school.  I did not know what my religious beliefs were, but I knew I did not want to be associated with Christianity.  Once I disclosed that, I had MANY people tell me I was going to burn in hell, and could not fathom how I could not believe....literally, it was beyond their ability to comprehend.  That spoke volumes to me, and our friendship faded. 

I did have one friend and his family who were devout Christians, and were very welcoming. Another friend (who was a firm atheist) and I even attended their weekly youth group and went on their church outings for several years.  I even went on a couple of retreats with them. 

After our 2nd or 3rd visit the youth minister pulled us aside and said "You are welcome to be a part of our group, you are not required to participate in discussion or in prayer, but you absolutely WILL NOT disrespect or disparage what we are doing here."  He asked that when they prayed we kept quiet, bowed our heads and closed our eyes out of respect.  Considering we were on their "turf" and there by our choice my friend and I both thought that very fair and reasonable.  We hadn't done anything to warrant it, but I think he just wanted to get in front of it and make sure we didn't do anything that would force him to ask us to not come back.  We were never judged or criticized for our beliefs.

Too bad there aren't more Christians like that group.  Its interesting to note, this was a "Church of Christ" denomination, which in its purist form is pretty strict (no dancing and stuff like that).  This church was pretty "liberal" but in my opinion that didn't make them any less "Christian."  We also hung out with a Southern Baptist friend at his church and big shock, the reception was the exact opposite of our reception of the Church of Christ.  Needless to say we didn't hang out there very often.

One final note on the first family I mentioned, they did live a Christian life.  The summer after we graduated from high school l I was hanging in the kitchen with "mom" while my friend was knocking out some chores, and she asked me what happened and why I didn't believe any more.  I told her my reasoning, and she said "well, you know what I want you to believe, but I respect your decision, and just know that if you ever change your mind, I am here for you."  She gave me a great big hug and that was the last time my beliefs was ever brought up.

I haven't changed my mind, but I will carry that conversation to my grave as being one of the most meaningful conversations I have had in my life.

 

 

[roadtonowhere08]

1 hour ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

If the majority of Muslims in the US were to believe and practice all of the things the Quran says, they would be just as unpopular as Christians are today. 

There's lots of verses in the Quran condemning homosexuality, for example, which makes those 2 squad members hypocrites to their own religion. 

Also some Trump supporters are discriminated against today even if they had no connection to 1/6.

As someone who cares nothing for holy scripture written by humans, I could not care less.  Every holy book has some primitive nonsense in it.  I just follow the golden rule, and only backwards people have a problem with gay people showing love for each other.

[Chewbacca Defense]

1 hour ago, MossMan said:

Hi everybody!! How is everyone doing during these end of days? Everyone got their underground bunkers done yet to hide from the country and world madness? 
I’m BBQ’ing burgers tonight. 
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! 

Hopefully your bunker is properly ventilated, otherwise BBQ-ing those burgers may cause some issues.

[Andie]

4 hours ago, MossMan said:

Hi everybody!! How is everyone doing during these end of days? Everyone got their underground bunkers done yet to hide from the country and world madness? 
I’m BBQ’ing burgers tonight. 
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! 

Grilling T Bone with a glass of wine in hand.  
Just beat, couldn’t wait till Friday.  
Strike while the iron’s hot!!

[Andie]

Well, if this pans out as true and placed in law, then there no hope for Canada.  
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12124293/1-4-Canadians-backs-lethal-injections-POOR-homeless-critics-slam-shameful-attitude.html

[roadtonowhere08]

5 minutes ago, Andie said:

Well, if this pans out as true and placed in law, then there no hope for Canada.  
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12124293/1-4-Canadians-backs-lethal-injections-POOR-homeless-critics-slam-shameful-attitude.html

Do the poor or homeless not deserve the right to end their own life if they are truly suffering?  They traditionally have far less access to proper care, and Canadians generally view the right to end one's own life as part of that care.

I cannot stand disingenuous arguments, and people framing this as the government killing the poor or homeless because they are poor or homeless is disgusting.  The right love to preach about being pro life, but they are the first ones to cut proper funding for healthcare, including mental and drug health services that would help the poor and homeless.

And Dailymail is a rag of a tabloid anyway.

[Andie]

It’s their right to live or die as they choose but involving the govt and govt funds is going too far.  
Should the taxes of people that don’t support it be used to put people down?  
I think they have a lot of ethical lines to define and draw before going forward.  I just don’t think the govt on any level should be involved. 

[roadtonowhere08]

18 minutes ago, Andie said:

It’s their right to live or die as they choose but involving the govt and govt funds is going too far.  
Should the taxes of people that don’t support it be used to put people down?  
I think they have a lot of ethical lines to define and draw before going forward.  I just don’t think the govt on any level should be involved. 

How should this issue be handled if their national healthcare system should not be involved?  That's their job.

[Anti Marine Layer]

7 hours ago, roadtonowhere08 said:

As someone who cares nothing for holy scripture written by humans, I could not care less.  Every holy book has some primitive nonsense in it.  I just follow the golden rule, and only backwards people have a problem with gay people showing love for each other.

Then California must have had lots of backwards people in 2008 when they voted against same-sex marriage. 

The thing is that if marriage is no longer defined as a union between a man and a woman, it can be defined as a union between anything. Some people are already trying to make polygamy legal.

A man and a man cannot give birth to children and neither can a woman and a woman. So "marriage equality" is like comparing apples to oranges. Some countries call it a same-sex union to differentiate it from marriage. 

Finally studies have shown that children are most likely to succeed when they grow up with a mother and a father. 

[roadtonowhere08]

2 minutes ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

Then California must have had lots of backwards people in 2008 when they voted against same-sex marriage. 

The thing is that if marriage is no longer defined as a union between a man and a woman, it can be defined as a union between anything. Some people are already trying to make polygamy legal.

A man and a man cannot produce children and neither can a woman and a woman. So "marriage equality" is like comparing apples to oranges. Also, the more you expand what constitutes of a marriage the less special it becomes. 

Finally studies have shown that children are most likely to succeed when they have a mother and a father. 

Too much wrong with this.  My head exploded.