[Discussion] Election 2020

Seems like the board is set. Let’s see how this goes.

Powell can go screw himself for his role in selling the war to the Public, Christ knows his appearance isn't aimed at me, but A lack of trust? Racial Resentment against the first black President lead to Trump.

Not Economic Anxiety.

Not a Lack of Trust.

Racism, the Original Sin of America.

An argument could be made that the media deregulation passed in the Clinton Administration is ultimately responsible for Trump, as it made Fox News and their constant fearmongering and race-baiting possible.

Zona wrote:

Powell can go screw himself for his role in selling the war to the Public, Christ knows his appearance isn't aimed at me, but A lack of trust? Racial Resentment against the first black President lead to Trump.

Not Economic Anxiety.

Not a Lack of Trust.

Racism, the Original Sin of America.

Overall, yes. But if the Iraq War hadn't have eroded the trust of experts, sent thousands of Americans home in body bags and stolen TRILLIONS of dollars from Americans, we wouldn't have been in the condition where a Trump presidency would have even been plausible, in my opinion.

I think the thread from assertion A (lied about Iraq) to conclusion E (speaks at DNC convention) is pretty extended and fairly tenuous.

Here's a shorter one: Powell didn't see how dangerous Bush/Cheney were, but finally twigged with Trump?

The 1% have been stealing the wealth generated by everyone else and lying about it for 50 years. Trump or someone like him was bound to happen. Sure, Powell helped and should just go away, but it's one data point in a million for the causes of this mess.

ruhk wrote:

An argument could be made that the media deregulation passed in the Clinton Administration is ultimately responsible for Trump, as it made Fox News and their constant fearmongering and race-baiting possible.

Fairness Doctrine was removed in 1987. Like most of the problems America has dealt with this century, it's Reagan's fault. He really screwed all of us with his tax cuts, piss poor handling of AIDS, and in particular screwed minorities with his "war on drugs".

Stele wrote:
ruhk wrote:

An argument could be made that the media deregulation passed in the Clinton Administration is ultimately responsible for Trump, as it made Fox News and their constant fearmongering and race-baiting possible.

Fairness Doctrine was removed in 1987. Like most of the problems America has dealt with this century, it's Reagan's fault. He really screwed all of us with his tax cuts, piss poor handling of AIDS, and in particular screwed minorities with his "war on drugs".

I was actually talking about the ‘96 Telecom Bill that deregulated media ownership and paved the way for Fox to become the monolith it is, but that works too.

ruhk wrote:

‘96 Telecom Bill

Oh right the one that was supposed to create competition but instead gave us radio monopolies. Ugh.

'Looks like America': DNC virtual roll call widely lauded online

I haven't read the article but my first thought was "who cares?" The election isn't about the demographics of America. It is about who votes and in what states. Didn't they learn from 2016 that carrying the popular vote, carrying more of what "America looks like" doesn't matter if the majority of racists in rural areas vote the other way?

Mixolyde wrote:

The 1% have been stealing the wealth generated by everyone else and lying about it for 50 years. Trump or someone like him was bound to happen. Sure, Powell helped and should just go away, but it's one data point in a million for the causes of this mess.

Yup. It was a thousand cuts, but it was all driven by the Republican orthodoxy that nothing matters except for shareholder value.

Consider the difference between the Dow and the GDP numbers. We are 2/3 the economy we were in March and yet the Dow seems to be doing fine largely because the 1% managed to convince folks that a $3Trillion "stimulus" plan which basically boils down to stock buybacks was in our best interests.

farley3k wrote:

'Looks like America': DNC virtual roll call widely lauded online

I haven't read the article but my first thought was "who cares?" The election isn't about the demographics of America. It is about who votes and in what states. Didn't they learn from 2016 that carrying the popular vote, carrying more of what "America looks like" doesn't matter if the majority of racists in rural areas vote the other way?

What?

So the Democrats are trying something completely new out of necessity. There is plenty of worry that a virtual convention will not generate the enthusiasm needed to turn out the vote. Something no one was sure would work, but turned out to be really positive and inspiring. That's good.

A news story about how the convention is going well is good.

Why not both?
Or I should say all of the above.

Powell , though he should be given credit for speaking out long before Trump "went too far" and he took it on the chin for Bush/Cheney.

Reagan - 87 fairness doctrine, AIDS response for sure because Trump is one upping Reagan's non response with it will just go away (see also: it is attacking people I don't like who didn't vote for me so I won't help), oh and trickle down economics...

Clinton - 96 telecom bill

Bush - many things like the tax cuts that doubled down on trickle down

Obama - too big to fail and not sending anyone to jail for the financial crisis

And on and on...

edit: I loved the virtual roll call. But for me the hidden message last night came from finding more about Jill Biden. She is a strong woman and by association it means Joe is not afraid to be around strong women. I hope beyond hope that this is the "year of the woman" much like 2018. I think last night took big steps towards that. Lord knows we need to give more than token support to a whole host of strong leaders just because they are female.

The 12th-dimensional chess of telling his supporters to boycott an American company that's headquartered in a must-win state he's trailing by two points 10 weeks before the election because they banned all "political affiliated slogans and materials," including his stupid red hat.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/BZrKGHR.png)

OG_slinger wrote:

The 12th-dimensional chess of telling his supporters to boycott an American company that's headquartered in a must-win state he's trailing by two points 10 weeks before the election because they banned all "political affiliated slogans and materials," including his stupid red hat.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/BZrKGHR.png)

Trump is a secret Democrat who has been plotting the demise of the GOP all along.

US politics is starting to remind me of the plot of The Dark Forest in a few ways.

OG_slinger wrote:

The 12th-dimensional chess of telling his supporters to boycott an American company that's headquartered in a must-win state he's trailing by two points 10 weeks before the election because they banned all "political affiliated slogans and materials," including his stupid red hat.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/BZrKGHR.png)

Over what was very possibly a fake slide if you believe Goodyear.

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Efy2RCNWoAMIJ1Q?format=jpg&name=medium)

Really? “Upmost appreciation?”

Wait, radical left Democrats get a great deal on tires?

Jonman wrote:

Wait, radical left Democrats get a great deal on tires?

Those would be radial left Democrats.

Lent wrote:
Jonman wrote:

Wait, radical left Democrats get a great deal on tires?

Those would be radial left Democrats.

Glad you didn’t retread an old joke.

JC wrote:
Lent wrote:
Jonman wrote:

Wait, radical left Democrats get a great deal on tires?

Those would be radial left Democrats.

Glad you didn’t retread an old joke.

You've got to rotate new ones in every once in a while

Trump embraced QAnon nonsense today. Good grief.

Jonman wrote:

Wait, radical left Democrats get a great deal on tires?

I actually DID just get a great deal on Goodyear tires. There might be something to this.

Obama with another outstanding convention speech.

I know people think that Obama is Republican lite but I love that man. What a speech.

Docjoe wrote:

I know people think that Obama is Republican lite but I love that man. What a speech.

That's what compromise with terrorists looks like.

Any electoral strategy that begins with continuously bashing one of the most popular politicians in the country, and the single most popular with the democratic base, is doomed to irrelevancy at best.

But I do enjoy the consistency of the Dem bashing every time something remotely positive is said about a member of the party, it is my rock in these uncertain times.

Docjoe wrote:

I know people think that Obama is Republican lite but I love that man. What a speech.

He gave great speeches, and was personally a far better man than we've had in the White House in a long time. But I have little respect for him as a politician, as he so frequently failed to fight for things that mattered. And he was all-in on drone strikes and surveillance.

It's a sorry state of affairs when our current President should be in jail on corruption charges, and our prior President should be in jail for war crimes.

Malor wrote:
Docjoe wrote:

I know people think that Obama is Republican lite but I love that man. What a speech.

He gave great speeches, and was personally a far better man than we've had in the White House in a long time. But I have little respect for him as a politician, as he so frequently failed to fight for things that mattered. And he was all-in on drone strikes and surveillance.

It's a sorry state of affairs when our current President should be in jail on corruption charges, and our prior President should be in jail for war crimes.

I believe you've just covered every leader of a major power since at least WW1 with that statement. Ignoring of course that the Geneva Conventions are newer then that.

I do owe Obama my thanks for radicalizing me. I was a pretty standard MSNBC lib and he was the first politician I was ever excited about, watching his failures and abuses in office is what pushed me further left.

I do believe that would be the difference between us. My first major political experience was the crushing disappointment of George W. Bush being reelected. It taught me pragmatism. But I can see how coming to a political awakening under an era of hope could leave you cynical.