Political Discussion Thread (With Rules)

[unclevlad]

NYT is usually paywalled but there's usually an allowance of a few articles a month, so I'm gonna post this and suggest it's worth making one of those:
 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/21/opinion/wyoming-republicans-christian-nationalism.html

[Ternaugh]

1 hour ago, unclevlad said:

NYT is usually paywalled but there's usually an allowance of a few articles a month, so I'm gonna post this and suggest it's worth making one of those:
 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/21/opinion/wyoming-republicans-christian-nationalism.html

 

The unlocked article link for those without a subscription. It is definitely worth a read. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/21/opinion/wyoming-republicans-christian-nationalism.html?unlocked_article_code=KHGT83rOtRQ5wwpUI9xGXNZXrsit2jnEcCNZnYKIZDfreAafTCiouR9c5-v6V5mGPBOunYr7XL3e6DdUuTiNusUS-4HnHuCdBqD6qbTGq_w6NzxPuKg5sGj5866yBWTZG4ziqdzPcYMOzrtw5ZkqN_sidlvf0MGnJ0Xs7V7yLY-YY8aYdrxVvFiz-C0E120rcwOIJMOWkaocb6Zwb4vSj2RTW2ynfnI5IvxxOK2Htri6uBiOrq50NPEdyVTdu98XMMupm7b8i2gJlPLE1C5MzjeUJDniHCPlxnn06V7wEVhUe7yNwrrFm47LbGqOx2f1XKjJEzd_AJ2Pw-6FD88pPmjDmb_WUZqOWQ3mK6o6Scu3wid1&smid=url-share

[Lord Liaden]

Evangelical Christians, white supremacists, and corporate robber barons. That's the improbable unholy alliance Donald Trump forged to bring him to power. The synthesis of those elements has spawned a rash of destructive movements like Christian Nationalism.

[DShomshak]

5-22-23 episode of Marketplace discusses the debt limit and the backstory of one proposed solution: The Coin. Yes, minting a trillion-dollar platinum coin is a ridiculoyus solution -- though it is fully legal and, indeed, a logical extension of one of a revenue stream governments have used since the invention of coinage. But it's also a ridiculous problem.

 

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/381444600/marketplace

 

Dean Shomshak

[Cygnia]

War on women: The link between white supremacy, "men's rights" and anti-abortion politics

Quote

The right-wing Christian dimension to the anti-abortion movement has long been obvious, and even as the proportion of evangelical Christians has steadily declined in American society, the religious right has become a highly influential force in the Republican Party. What is missed in this discourse, however, is any discussion about the ways that both white supremacist and male supremacist ideology appear to be driving the contemporary push to outlaw abortions in America.


"Pro-life" activists and advocates rarely bill their campaign to outlaw abortion as explicitly driven by a commitment to the "men's rights" movement and its efforts to dominate women, and tend to avoid any overt association with racism or white supremacy. In cases where a link with racism becomes explicit, those articulating the connection are quickly denounced. For example, Rep. Mary Miller, an Illinois Republican, encountered significant blowback for announcing at a 2022 rally attended by Donald Trump that she wanted to thank the former president and his Supreme Court for the Dobbs decision – "on behalf of all the MAGA patriots in America," who appreciated "the historic victory for white life."

 

[Lord Liaden]

It's nice to know there are a few truths about the extreme Right in America today that are still too sensitive to say out loud. That implies there are still enough Americans on that side of the political spectrum who don't wholly embrace the language of hatred, and may therefore be recoverable.

[Ternaugh]

I received a fifth mailer for Ron DeSantis (from an "unaffiliated" PAC), and this one actually named me on a "membership card". It has instructions that I am supposed to sign it, take a picture of myself holding it, and then text it to them. I wish that I had a disposable number, as I would love to send an anonymous picture of the Mickey Mouse figure I received recently. There's no way I'd want to participate in their data mining with my real information.

[Iuz the Evil]

https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2023/may/22/uber-suspends-diversity-chief-karen-bo-young-lee
 

This is… unfortunate from my perspective. It may not have gone over well, but I would hope that people of all backgrounds could appreciate the desire to not be stereotyped or called names (like “Karen” if in fact that is not your name). The motivations in this case seem appropriate.

[unclevlad]

So...multiple reports have DeSantis announcing his run for the presidency officially tomorrow.  On Twitter.  With Elon Musk.

 

Understandable.  Birds of a feather and all that....

[tkdguy]

3 hours ago, Ternaugh said:

I received a fifth mailer for Ron DeSantis (from an "unaffiliated" PAC), and this one actually named me on a "membership card". It has instructions that I am supposed to sign it, take a picture of myself holding it, and then text it to them. I wish that I had a disposable number, as I would love to send an anonymous picture of the Mickey Mouse figure I received recently. There's no way I'd want to participate in their data mining with my real information.

 

If this is snail mail, maybe giving it to the postman with "Return to Sender" written on the envelope will work.

[DShomshak]

Survey suggests US military veterans are less likely than the general population to embrace political extremism.

 

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/23/1177773682/u-s-military-veterans-generally-dont-embrace-extremism-a-new-survey-shows

 

Dean Shomshak

[Lord Liaden]

But when they have, it's been pretty notable.

[Old Man]

"Make America Florida".  I feel as though this campaign slogan is not going to resonate in at least 49 states.

[Lord Liaden]

I mean, "Florida Man" is a joke even in Florida.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Especially in Florida. 

[BoloOfEarth]

1 hour ago, Old Man said:

"Make America Florida".  

 

Because "Make America Stupid" was already effectively taken?

[Old Man]

33 minutes ago, BoloOfEarth said:

 

Because "Make America Stupid" was already effectively taken?

 

[Ternaugh]

Well, that's just Great! (Again)

[Pattern Ghost]

There's a reason I don't tell people where I'm from. Thankfully, I got out early enough that I've lived more of my life out of Florida than in it. It'd be a great state if you got rid of about 80-90% of the people*, though.

 

 

 

*Edit: I just realized that I'd say that about most states. Guess I'm not a people person.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Pattern Ghost

[Old Man]

16 minutes ago, Pattern Ghost said:

There's a reason I don't tell people where I'm from. Thankfully, I got out early enough that I've lived more of my life out of Florida than in it. It'd be a great state if you got rid of about 80-90% of the people*, though.

 

Let me know if you need any help executing your plan.

[unclevlad]

23 minutes ago, Pattern Ghost said:

There's a reason I don't tell people where I'm from. Thankfully, I got out early enough that I've lived more of my life out of Florida than in it. It'd be a great state if you got rid of about 80-90% of the people*, though.

 

 

Multiple factions might actually agree with this.  The difference is which segments each would choose to start with.

[wcw43921]

Wasn't that the premise of Stephen King's The Stand?

[Iuz the Evil]

2 hours ago, Pattern Ghost said:

There's a reason I don't tell people where I'm from. Thankfully, I got out early enough that I've lived more of my life out of Florida than in it. It'd be a great state if you got rid of about 80-90% of the people*, though.

 

 

 

*Edit: I just realized that I'd say that about most states. Guess I'm not a people person.

That’s true enough for every State I’ve lived in, although I am a people person. Maybe 50% of the people though, about half of folks seem decent enough.

[Lord Liaden]

Didn't we get enough of that from Thanos?

[Iuz the Evil]

Thanos had a lazy and arbitrary approach to the problem 😏