Politics 2020

[Buster's Uncle]

I'm all for it, but Puerto Rican statehood is a complex issue, though I do not know why.

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-On another note, you hear someone say "stolen election", tell 'em "O.J. did it."

[Rusty Edge]

Today it occurs to me that [Sleezebag] is a "Snowflake" awaiting his participation trophy. If we can find something suitable, he'll take a bow.

[Elok]

That's actually the first thing that's been said here in some time which I can mostly agree with.  [Sleezebag] isn't looking for some desperate last stand; that would require a measure of courage, and he's never had that.  He won't be saying "I won't leave this office for your crooked election" or whatever, because that has an implicit "or else" attached.  He will cast doubts and bluster incoherently for exactly as long as he can hold out hope of profiting from it in some way, or build the groundwork for a later scheme.  Then he'll fold, and exit stage left while snarling and whining, preferably with somebody else inconspicuously carrying his suitcase of money and stolen White House valuables.  Because he's not, and has never been, a fascist.  Fascists have principles.  He's half snake-oil salesman and half internet troll, the mixture leavened with a complete lack of virtue.

[Geo]

...Then he'll fold, and exit stage left while snarling and whining, preferably with somebody else inconspicuously carrying his suitcase of money and stolen White House valuables.  Because he's not, and has never been, a fascist.  Fascists have principles.  He's half snake-oil salesman and half internet troll, the mixture leavened with a complete lack of virtue.

You give fascists too much credit. The first of their kind weren't above pulling out the treasures of their conquests. And their predecessors, the Prussian aristocrats, robbed my country dry during WWI too.

[E_T]

[Elok]

To clarify: I meant "fascists have principles" in the sense of "fascists care about things other than immediate self-advancement."  Horrible things, but it's not entirely about money and fame for them.  They will also take risks to achieve long-term goals.  [Sleezebag] would invade Poland IFF there was a lot of money, somebody else did the work, and he felt absolutely certain he could escape blame if it went wrong.

[E_T]

This about sums it all up:

In defending Democracy, Do or Do Not, there is no try.  This is the Way.   @Protect2020

[Buster's Uncle]

@steve_vladeck
 · 8h
The problem with this fraud nonsense—and Republicans’ refusal to denounce it—is not that it’s going to *succeed* this time; it’s that it’s going to normalize all kinds of anti-democratic behavior that will make it more likely to work in the future, especially in a close election.

^This.

[Rusty Edge]

I've long been been perplexed by [Sleezebag]'s appeal to rally goers and voters. Here's a short article that made sense to me-

[Finally, An Answer To Why So Many People Voted For [Sleezebag]
Jeff Valdivia
Jeff Valdivia
Nov 25·5 min read

But, you’re not going to like it.]

The article goes on to innumerate [Sleezebag]'s various character flaws, question why 1 in 5 Americans would vote for [Sleezebag], say that insulting those voters is part of the problem we have a divided America, and cite some podcasts.

[According to Harris, [Sleezebag]’s saving grace could be that he never claims to be morally superior to anyone. How could he? He doesn’t pretend or aspire to be anything other than the writhing mass of malice and narcissism that he is. He couldn’t possibly judge anyone and his supporters know this. They watch him wear his flaws with a shamelessness the likes of which they’ve never seen.
Harris describes [Sleezebag]’s shamelessness as a kind of “spiritual balm” that gives comfort to people in a world that’s constantly telling them they’re not good enough. According to Harris:
“He offers a truly safe space for human frailty and hypocrisy and self-doubt. He offers what no priest can credibly offer— a total expiation of shame.” ]

It uses fast food/obesity/fat shaming as an example. Then it holds a mirror up to the opposition.

[But, according to Harris, [Sleezebag]’s appeal is even better understood juxtaposed to the perspectives on the far left.
What is being demonstrated by the far left today is a level of sanctimony that defies all reason. The left has taken the you’re either with us or against us approach, and God help you if you’re against them. If you don’t smile and nod while they scream in your face, you’re a racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, transphobic bigot and you deserve nothing more than to be torn down and destroyed.
The left is nothing but pure judgement.]

The article goes on to to talk about building bridges.


Does this explanation make sense to anybody? That Trumpsters basically overlooked the "judge not, lest ye be judged" scripture, and they resent when it happens to them just because they're holding on to traditions their parents held, and in that regard [Sleezebag] is one of them and makes them feel validated.


https://jeff-valdivia.medium.com/finally-an-answer-to-why-so-many-people-voted-for-[Sleezebag]-34106d896bec

[E_T]

Doesn't really hold water with me.  I still like the "f*** you" to the system that Mike Moore had stated in his Movie "Trumpland"

[Unorthodox]

It's not [Sleezebag]'s initial appeal that really confuses me as much as the unthinking blind loyalty. 

I read an article somewhere that tried to explain it as the natural reaction of a group of people who for the first time are being inconvenienced by the system. 

While many people have had to struggle with various levels of the system before (financial aid, etc) the generally wealthy (and predominantly white as a byproduct) have never really had to deal with it before Covid.  Now the rules and regulations that are inconveniencing them feel strangling for the first time, and [Sleezebag]'s willingness to fight against those rules and regulations (no matter how damaging that is) allows them to overlook the bigger picture and buy into the rest of his platform. 

[Geo]

You make it sound as once those struggling people are vaccined, they will turn away from Trumpism, since then they're able to pick up their former life(styles) again.

[Unorthodox]

You make it sound as once those struggling people are vaccined, they will turn away from Trumpism, since then they're able to pick up their former life(styles) again.

Unfortunately I think a lot of the people who buy into this are against the vaccine as well.

[E_T]

They likely will be, because it won't be [Sleezebag] getting them the Vaccine, but Biden and the "Evil Dems" (entirely forgetting that it was produced during [Sleezebag]) and it will make them socialistic zombies....  (or some other BS stuff).  Nor will they remember how [Sleezebag] talked about possibly withholding the Vaccine in certain states/Cities (Democrat strongholds), but will accuse the Dems of doing that against them.
Thing is, will there be enough out there (once widely distributed) to provide the Ring Immunity (wrongly termed as Herd Immunity) for others whom are not Vaccinated?

[E_T]

The Last desperate gasp goes to the SCOTUS via a filing from the State of Texas

Texas sues 4 key states at Supreme Court claiming unconstitutional voting changes -
Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin have certified their results

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-supreme-court-lawsuit-against-states-election-changes