OT: US Election

[Meth]

Yeah, I thought you were pinpointing specific politicians on the left.

I could in nz, but USA, being a 2-party democracy, is much different (I’d imagine)

 

[Matua]

It may or may not be as prevalent as made out to be, as may or may not be the case with the equal and opposite erroneous types on the right (and I see them both). What I'm saying though is that, for me, as somebody who would generally like to vote left, the noise these types of people make is off-putting and, it seems as least, redefining the left in a major way.

Now I'm going to ask for specifics again. Who are these people?

I'm on the left and I see this as opposite to you, if the left is solely seeing itself in terms of economic class war etc, and not involving themselves in what you consider identity politics then they are a single issue option. It's the thin edge of the wedge for me. Any advancement Maori have made in the last 40 years, that's identity politics, any advancements for LGBTQ+ in the last 30 year is identity politics. The American right's attack on minority groups via book bannings etc that's identity politics. The left, in general, has led the these issues (and fights against them in the final example) even if there is a broad spectrum of the left.

 

[Meth]

Now I'm going to ask for specifics again. Who are these people?

I'm on the left and I see this as opposite to you, if the left is solely seeing itself in terms of economic class war etc, and not involving themselves in what you consider identity politics then they are a single issue option. It's the thin edge of the wedge for me. Any advancement Maori have made in the last 40 years, that's identity politics, any advancements for LGBTQ+ in the last 30 year is identity politics. The American right's attack on minority groups via book bannings etc that's identity politics. The left, in general, has led the these issues (and fights against them in the final example) even if there is a broad spectrum of the left.

Sorry to be consistently vague, but the same people as before.

I’m going to have to think about the point that you make about Maori advancement (in particular). I’m not unsympathetic to the argument. But I just see the current tone and strength of “these people” as being so comparatively weak to what I’d call the classic left. The perpetual outrage and maddening irrationality on display makes them hard to take seriously

 

[Meth]

It may seem like I am being evasive, but I feel like these people are so visible that there’s no need for specifics. They may be, as you suggest, disproportionately represented in the portrayal of the left, but it’s not hard to find lots out there.

 

[sup42]

Massive swings in Europe against the far right. England and France go left in 'surprising' land slides.

I would say what is happening in America is frightening the Europeans who face the same threats in their own backyards whilst being so vulnerable without US support from openly hostile dictators like Putin (it is one thing to watch Putin from NZ and Australia, or even the US, it is something else entirely to live next door to him).

The world is waking up.

 

[Meth]

(it is one thing to watch Putin from NZ and Australia, or even the US, it is something else entirely to live next door to him).

That is very true. I've been to Europe (and the Middle East) recently and those threats feel much more urgent there

 

[Meth]

Again, it's important to say (I think) that I'm not extolling the virtue of Donald Trump. I'm pointing to the stupidity of the Democrats not having a fit, electable candidate to beat him.

 

[Blair]

Massive swings in Europe against the far right. England and France go left in 'surprising' land slides.

I would say what is happening in America is frightening the Europeans who face the same threats in their own backyards whilst being so vulnerable without US support from openly hostile dictators like Putin (it is one thing to watch Putin from NZ and Australia, or even the US, it is something else entirely to live next door to him).

The world is waking up.

And it'd be even more frightening for the Europeans knowing Putin's simp could be back in the White House.

 

[sup42]

And it'd be even more frightening for the Europeans knowing Putin's simp could be back in the White House.

No joke right?
NATO falls apart if the dictator takes over. Vlad can do as he pleases. The Ukraine must be really worried. Since Trump was stealing documents and showing them to Aussie business men, you have to wonder how many global states are thinking about a plan to take him out discretely before he gets his hands on more intel and sells it.

 

[TheDMC]

Again, it's important to say (I think) that I'm not extolling the virtue of Donald Trump. I'm pointing to the stupidity of the Democrats not having a fit, electable candidate to beat him.

Imagine Obama versus Trump in an election debate....Obama would wipe the floor with him.

Instead, Biden, sheesh. You are totally right in saying the Democrats are their own worst enemy. Those pulling the levers in that party are deluded and out of touch or have some weird agenda. Been that way ever since Hilary C was nominated as their Presidential candidate...

 

[sup42]

Imagine Obama versus Trump in an election debate....Obama would wipe the floor with him.

Instead, Biden, sheesh. You are totally right in saying the Democrats are their own worst enemy. Those pulling the levers in that party are deluded and out of touch or have some weird agenda. Been that way ever since Hilary C was nominated as their Presidential candidate...

Tis kinda a competition of a Man without a brain vs a man with septic brain.
The battle of neuropsychology. I see your psychopath and raise you my Altziemers guy.

Tis a real shame that dementia Joe does not see reality, the shame is that dementing people do not know they are dementing.

 

[Blair]

Now I'm going to ask for specifics again. Who are these people?...

Here's one, an ex-workmate. A keffiyeh-wearing, LGBTQI+-badged, First-Nations truth-telling decoloniser in a supermarket. She was also a white middle-class university student, who lived at home.

When it came time to 'negotiate' our workplace EBA (Enterprise Bargaining Agreement) she didn't even think about it let alone read it. She electroncally voted yes, in front of management, and despite there being at least twenty anti-worker measures in the document.

The thing is she didn't care. Her 'fair and just' society only extended to a chosen few. I don't think she, or her university and other online friends, particularly liked the Australian working class.

 

[Blair]

Meanwhile, back in NZ, how are The Three Amigos going? I noticed Winston didn't take long to get back in the trough and have a grand old time on the taxpayer in Turkey.

More disappointing was Seymour, I read in the Wellington Post (when I was there) him saying he'd been through SE Asia, etc. From a guy who hates government I'd have hoped he'd have paid for that himself.

And as for 'that Air New Zealand guy' (my old man really needs to refer to him as the PM now, but the line's stuck with me anyway) he's also no stranger to jumping on a plane (which works) and enjoying jaunts overseas. He's the PM, we expect that but I didn't consider travelling to the South Island on one of the ferries. A few days after I left NZ my fears were justified, a ferry got grounded somewhere near Picton.

For a former airline CEO, who worked for the alternative means to cross the Cook Strait, that's not a good look.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

This thread reminded me of this good old quote.

"Let the people think they govern and they will be governed." - Theodore Parker

 

[sup42]

Just watched Biden's Presser. He is so frail it is laughable he is running, still, better to vote for a guy who Starred in Cocoon than the orange turd.

 

[Meth]

I’m over in the States right now and the noise calling for him to step down is deafening.

He is a goner

 

[One Warrior]

Just watched Biden's Presser. He is so frail it is laughable he is running, still, better to vote for a guy who Starred in Cocoon than the orange turd.

Today at the Nato Meeting he introduced Zelensky as President Putin in front of all the Nato leaders and then at the press conference called Trump his Vice President

 

[Dark Corner]

Today at the Nato Meeting he introduced Zelensky as President Putin in front of all the Nato leaders and then at the press conference called Trump his Vice President

I can't wait to see him when he steps down and does the after dinner speeches.

 

[Meth]

Today at the Nato Meeting he introduced Zelensky as President Putin in front of all the Nato leaders and then at the press conference called Trump his Vice President

I mean, it’s funny, and sad, and ridiculous

 

[Peach & Apricot]

The sooner President Trump comes back to the White House the better. He did the most for world peace out of any president since WW2.