Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Unagi »

For the most part, I’m pretty sure I don’t like the USA. Geographically , as one may drive around it…. It’s mostly garbage on beautiful land. Litter.
A land of ‘red trash’. Did I just make that label up? Or has someone else said it before.

And I apologize in advance.
I look at that red map and see Hate and Racism, and I know that not every voter was backing up those ideals. Some were just shooting to protect the 2A and some just have their brains locked on making abortion == murder.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Hooray :(
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Kraken »

It sort-of doubles as a map of population density (with some exceptions, like VT and western MA). The blue is where most of the people live. The reddest swaths are hinterlands. There are a lot of very large hinterlands.

There's also an unexpected blue band running through the middle of the Deep South. As I understand it, those are counties with large Black populations. You can see why those states don't allow them to vote.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Scraper »

Unagi wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:53 pm For the most part, I’m pretty sure I don’t like the USA. Geographically , as one may drive around it…. It’s mostly garbage on beautiful land. Litter.
A land of ‘red trash’. Did I just make that label up? Or has someone else said it before.

And I apologize in advance.
I look at that red map and see Hate and Racism, and I know that not every voter was backing up those ideals. Some were just shooting to protect the 2A and some just have their brains locked on making abortion == murder.
Yeah the Republican party has a TON of 1 issue voters. This doesn't make those voters racist themselves, it just means they turn a blind eye to it or honestly don't see it. Living in an extremely red area I know a lot of people like this. My God Mother is one of the nicest people I know, she has never said or done a racist thing in her life, but she is a one issue voter on Abortion and will only vote Republican for that reason.


BUT, I also know a lot that fall into the racist camp. Either openly or in denial about it. In my area 100% of the people flying the confederate flag are also flying a Trump flag or no political flag at all. You would never see a Confederate flag and a flag for a Democrat at the same house.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by YellowKing »

Scraper wrote:My God Mother is one of the nicest people I know, she has never said or done a racist thing in her life, but she is a one issue voter on Abortion and will only vote Republican for that reason.
Yeah, this is why I have an issue automatically labeling every Republican voter a "garbage person." By being a one-issue voter are you enabling garbage policy? Yes, ultimately the end result is the same as if you'd pulled the lever for racism or homophobia. But I have a hard time assigning malicious intent to ignorance or apathy.

I"m guessing that's harder to wrap your head around if you didn't grow up in the south or have only associated with people of a like-minded political disposition. But if I were to dismiss every person I know based on their voting habits, I'd be disowning most of my family, a good portion of my friends, and at least half of my co-workers.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Scraper »

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:36 am
Scraper wrote:My God Mother is one of the nicest people I know, she has never said or done a racist thing in her life, but she is a one issue voter on Abortion and will only vote Republican for that reason.
Yeah, this is why I have an issue automatically labeling every Republican voter a "garbage person." By being a one-issue voter are you enabling garbage policy? Yes, ultimately the end result is the same as if you'd pulled the lever for racism or homophobia. But I have a hard time assigning malicious intent to ignorance or apathy.

I"m guessing that's harder to wrap your head around if you didn't grow up in the south or have only associated with people of a like-minded political disposition. But if I were to dismiss every person I know based on their voting habits, I'd be disowning most of my family, a good portion of my friends, and at least half of my co-workers.
I agree 100%. I would be curious to know what percentage of people that fly a Trump flag in their yard or on their vehicle are either openly racist or in denial about it. I bet it would be a much higher percentage of people than people who vote Republican but don't worship at the alter of Trump. Sadly I don't think there is a reliable way to ever figure this % out.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Unagi »

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:36 am I have a hard time assigning malicious intent to ignorance or apathy.
I'm inclined to feel that way too.
But what happens when that ignorance or apathy leads to ushering in an authoritarian government that really does have malicious intent.

I mean that sincerely. How do we keep apathetic voters from casually handing our country over to Racism/Hatred? Cause, that is what's going down.

I guess it's easier to accept when your friends and family would be happy with the election results and ignorant or apathetic to the underlying results.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Alefroth »

I don't think anyone has claimed you need to have malicious intent to be a 'garbage person'.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Carpet_pissr »

I don't know if it was this thread, but I know I've mentioned my QAnon flag flying backyard neighbor here before.

He represents an internal moral quandary for me. On the one hand, he's beyond nice to ME (would he be that nice to a non-white neighbor? Very much doubt it).

Just last week, I had an emergency plumbing situation arise of course on a Sunday night, when plumbers' rates are SUPER cheap. :P Before the plumber arrived, my wife and I were sitting out on the porch and she said "why don't you just ask Q? I bet he could help! Swallow that pride and sense of disgust every time you look over his fence!"

First thought was: It's Q-Anon guy. Nuff said. I didn't care how nice he had been to me in the past (very), I have over the past couple of years, slowly stopped talking to him, or even acknowledging him. I somewhat consciously decided I would rescind my childish behavior when/if he took the flag down. That flag offends the hell out of me, and I decided I didn't want anything to do with him, no matter how nice he is to me, and no matter how helpful he is with advice about shit I am near-ignorant on.

But a funny thing happened, and it was not related to the amount of money the guy had just saved me. While I was supremely grateful for that, I realized after talking to him at length that I actually felt sorry for this man. Yes, he believes in horrible, terrible things, and his world view is probably almost exactly the opposite of mine, but I listened to him talk about losing his modest job of 30 years recently, how he gained tons of weight as a result, which resulted in health issues, etc etc.

And to be clear, while I was empathetic to those things happening to him, it was the realization that this man had been hoodwinked, had been manipulated, his lack of intelligence taken advantage of. He has been filled full of (political and social) rage from all sides of his echo chamber. My Dad, while not as bad as this guy (not even close), is the same way. He walks around practically seething these days, he's so pumped full of right wing rage and fury. And it's just CONSTANT. He has a radio or TV on somewhere, ALL the time, and of course constant doomscrolling of Fox News and like sites.

And while I am not saying he's not responsible for his actions as an adult, I think a BIG part of this whole right wing populist shit show that we are witnessing comes down to manipulation. Sure, certain beliefs, upbringing and worldviews are already there in many if not most of these types, but the easy access to forums or sites on the web (or within FB) where these ideas are confirmed, and amplified, is where the difference is IMO (from say 30 years ago). A completely decentralized information structure thanks to the Internet (which includes other media like TV and radio now) has fucked us all.

You see some of that on the left, but not NEARLY to the same degree for whatever reason. I don't think "they just aren't as good at it" is a legit argument.

Anyway, shit is complicated. Instant, easy and free access to ANY little thread of disinformation you want to pull on is a click away. Think that Biden might be an android sent by Satan to cultivate children as food? You can find that! Hell, you can find a whole forum of people who will back that idea up, and probably take it up a notch. "Oh, that's just the BEGINNNING...there is proof that Jill Biden is a spawn of a black widow spider and a shapeshifting demon! Just Google it!"

Somewhere upthread I think I mentioned the pattern of behavior amongst certain right wing types for saying "just Google it!" whenever their crazy assed ideas are legitimately challenged in a logical way. Why is that?
BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT! You CAN Google any conspiracy theory, or thoroughly debunked idiotic concept, or blatant lie, and find confirmation of that very thing.

The difference is if *I* Google something after my Dad says "Google it" (example: how Biden is intentionally cranking up the gas prices for...reasons), and HE Googles it, we are going to still be sitting at the opposite ends of things, both with data and "facts" to back up our opposite positions.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by hepcat »

My immediate gut reaction to anyone who believes in Trump's bullshit and all these conspiracy theories that are easily refuted if you have even on iota of intelligence, is one of disgust and anger.

However, I'm fully aware that change is only going to happen when we stop reacting to them this way and try to understand why they're so far down the rabbit hole....and we do it in a compassionate manner instead of an abrasive and confrontational way.

That being said, I'm not a good enough person for that. I wish I were. But I still want to throttle the people in my life who buy into all this crap.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by gbasden »

hepcat wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 2:57 pm
That being said, I'm not a good enough person for that. I wish I were. But I still want to throttle the people in my life who buy into all this crap.
This. I've mostly cut people out of my life that believe this shit, but not quite completely.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Unagi wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 10:08 am I'm inclined to feel that way too.
But what happens when that ignorance or apathy leads to ushering in an authoritarian government that really does have malicious intent.
So much this. It's what I was I fear and what makes me sad and what makes me even more angry. The steady but rapid move to authoritarianism, no take backs is happening because so many don't see the dire movement and they aren't affected directly by the hatred sweeping the authoritarian and corruption movement... yet. They're willing to see the left as inept or takers but they just don't see the progression the right is making while they deny being takers and sweep their own corruption under the carpet.
hepcat wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 2:57 pm That being said, I'm not a good enough person for that. I wish I were.
I lost my patience for it. I used to be good enough but so many people were coming at me without good faith in our conversations, that all I can do is hear Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer" any more and I can't make the effort.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Carpet_pissr wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 2:52 pm The difference is if *I* Google something after my Dad says "Google it" (example: how Biden is intentionally cranking up the gas prices for...reasons), and HE Googles it, we are going to still be sitting at the opposite ends of things, both with data and "facts" to back up our opposite positions.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Carpet_pissr wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 2:52 pm

And while I am not saying he's not responsible for his actions as an adult, I think a BIG part of this whole right wing populist shit show that we are witnessing comes down to manipulation. Sure, certain beliefs, upbringing and worldviews are already there in many if not most of these types, but the easy access to forums or sites on the web (or within FB) where these ideas are confirmed, and amplified, is where the difference is IMO (from say 30 years ago). A completely decentralized information structure thanks to the Internet (which includes other media like TV and radio now) has fucked us all.

You see some of that on the left, but not NEARLY to the same degree for whatever reason. I don't think "they just aren't as good at it" is a legit argument.

Anyway, shit is complicated. Instant, easy and free access to ANY little thread of disinformation you want to pull on is a click away. Think that Biden might be an android sent by Satan to cultivate children as food? You can find that! Hell, you can find a whole forum of people who will back that idea up, and probably take it up a notch. "Oh, that's just the BEGINNNING...there is proof that Jill Biden is a spawn of a black widow spider and a shapeshifting demon! Just Google it!"
Agree on the manipulation angle that most of these folks are (were) not awful people. But when they come to tear down the democratic process or come shooting at "pedophiles" they are just a dangerous as awful people. In fact, in their righteous ignorance they can be more dangerous.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Whether it's dumb luck or no luck, right/wrong place at the right/wrong time, incompetence or competence, great strategy or shit strategy, being a genius or a dumb fuck, each and every President is mostly graded by how things are going while they're in office.
To the average person, the who what why where how doesnt matter.
We choose a President to lead the country and to try and improve our lives.
They are the face of how our country is doing as a whole, right or wrong.
Things are going great? Because of the President.
Things are going to shit? Because of the President.

Nothing will ever change that to the average person.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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beginning at 17 minutes is what I wish I could communicate. And it was done in Daily Show montage. Fantastic.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Octavious »

stimpy wrote:Whether it's dumb luck or no luck, right/wrong place at the right/wrong time, incompetence or competence, great strategy or shit strategy, being a genius or a dumb fuck, each and every President is mostly graded by how things are going while they're in office.
To the average person, the who what why where how doesnt matter.
We choose a President to lead the country and to try and improve our lives.
They are the face of how our country is doing as a whole, right or wrong.
Things are going great? Because of the President.
Things are going to shit? Because of the President.

Nothing will ever change that to the average person.
I can't disagree with that. I just wish people could spend two seconds trying to peice things together. I may punch the next person who mentions how cheap gas was in 2020 when the oil market collapsed because nobody was driving. I hate people so much.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Smoove_B »

Octavious wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:28 pm I can't disagree with that. I just wish people could spend two seconds trying to peice things together. I may punch the next person who mentions how cheap gas was in 2020 when the oil market collapsed because nobody was driving. I hate people so much.
Which, oddly enough we could do *right now* if people weren't being fed the message that we must all go back to normal at all costs. It really is a mystery why gas was so cheap in 2020. I guess we'll never figure it out.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Octavious »

Just now saw a story about how you don't need to show your SS card to get a realid anymore. This is because they changed the federal law in December 2020. The comments are of course F the Dems... It was put in by.... oh fuck it I give up.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

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Octavious wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:28 pm
stimpy wrote:Whether it's dumb luck or no luck, right/wrong place at the right/wrong time, incompetence or competence, great strategy or shit strategy, being a genius or a dumb fuck, each and every President is mostly graded by how things are going while they're in office.
To the average person, the who what why where how doesnt matter.
We choose a President to lead the country and to try and improve our lives.
They are the face of how our country is doing as a whole, right or wrong.
Things are going great? Because of the President.
Things are going to shit? Because of the President.

Nothing will ever change that to the average person.
I can't disagree with that. I just wish people could spend two seconds trying to peice things together. I may punch the next person who mentions how cheap gas was in 2020 when the oil market collapsed because nobody was driving. I hate people so much.
Yeah. I think I'm smart enough to know that the high prices arent all his doing, but I will say that the lack of a constant message about what he's trying to do about it is troublesome.
I mean, really......where the hell is he during this economic mess we are in/headed for?
The one thing he can do is push a consistent, strong message that he sees it and acknowledges it and is trying to do something......anything, about it.
Saying stuff like "we have the fastest-growing economy in the world" is complete and utter political bullshit. Some numbers can be cherry picked to back it up, but the reality is we're trending the wrong way and we all know it.

Can he really, truly do anything? Maybe and probably not.
But he can certainly do a much, much better job of putting his face and message out there.
There are times when i wonder if we even have a President any more......his messaging is completely lost or at best not making a dent.

I mean...he doesnt have to go all Twitter crazy at 3 a.m., but still.......
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Smoove_B »

stimpy wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:50 pm Can he really, truly do anything? Maybe and probably not.
But he can certainly do a much, much better job of putting his face and message out there.
There are times when i wonder if we even have a President any more......his messaging is completely lost or at best not making a dent.
He was literally on TV the other day saying that the gas/oil industry was making record profits and charging premium prices on the backs of the average consumer:
“The reason they’re not drilling is they’re buying back their own stock, which should be taxed quite frankly, buying back their own stock and making no new investments,” Biden said. “So I always thought Republicans are for investment. Exxon: start investing and start paying your taxes, thanks.”
Oil industry's response? STFU, we're profiting.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Carpet_pissr »

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:13 pmBut when they come to tear down the democratic process or come shooting at "pedophiles" they are just a dangerous as awful people. In fact, in their righteous ignorance they can be more dangerous.
Excellent point, and that's where the line blurs for me a bit: while you can argue whether or not "these people" are garbage or not, they ARE dangerous, if only ideologically, even existentially from a national perspective. They absolutely think The System/Govt is so fucked that it needs to be burned down, torn down, etc.

Lots of unfair generalizing there, but that's been my experience.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by stimpy »

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:53 pm
stimpy wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:50 pm Can he really, truly do anything? Maybe and probably not.
But he can certainly do a much, much better job of putting his face and message out there.
There are times when i wonder if we even have a President any more......his messaging is completely lost or at best not making a dent.
He was literally on TV the other day saying that the gas/oil industry was making record profits and charging premium prices on the backs of the average consumer:
“The reason they’re not drilling is they’re buying back their own stock, which should be taxed quite frankly, buying back their own stock and making no new investments,” Biden said. “So I always thought Republicans are for investment. Exxon: start investing and start paying your taxes, thanks.”
Oil industry's response? STFU, we're profiting.
When hasnt the oil industry been about profiting? It's nothing new.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Holman »

Didn't the Saudis try to arrange for lower gas prices as a last-ditch plan to help GWB win re-election?
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Kraken »

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:53 pm
stimpy wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:50 pm Can he really, truly do anything? Maybe and probably not.
But he can certainly do a much, much better job of putting his face and message out there.
There are times when i wonder if we even have a President any more......his messaging is completely lost or at best not making a dent.
He was literally on TV the other day saying that the gas/oil industry was making record profits and charging premium prices on the backs of the average consumer:
“The reason they’re not drilling is they’re buying back their own stock, which should be taxed quite frankly, buying back their own stock and making no new investments,” Biden said. “So I always thought Republicans are for investment. Exxon: start investing and start paying your taxes, thanks.”
Oil industry's response? STFU, we're profiting.
Facts are not what voters really want. Action is. Even if it's only performance. So don''t just berate oil companies; threaten them with a windfall profits tax, or say you'll invoke the Defense Production Act to force them to open all their idle wells and expand refineries if they don't do it on their own. What, you need Congress to do the former and the latter would cause a legal shitstorm? Shhh. Now you look strong and the onus is on Big Oil.

Part of Biden's schtick was that he would be honest with voters and not grandstand or act autocratic, but I don't think he understands the need to look strong.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by malchior »

Kraken wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:49 pmPart of Biden's schtick was that he would be honest with voters and not grandstand or act autocratic, but I don't think he understands the need to look strong.
This was my original criticism of him when he was running. I feared he'd be remembered as a man like Buchanan who couldn't rise to the occasion. Not as bad obviously, though I have to reserve some skepticism because he seems to be getting worse and even less effective. Guess we'll see what happens in 7-ish months when his administration is being investigated 24/7 by the GOP and fielding constant injunctions at the Supreme Court.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Grifman »

Hypocrisy is one word I would use to define the party:

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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Carpet_pissr »

malchior wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 8:27 pm
Kraken wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:49 pmPart of Biden's schtick was that he would be honest with voters and not grandstand or act autocratic, but I don't think he understands the need to look strong.
This was my original criticism of him when he was running. I feared he'd be remembered as a man like Buchanan who couldn't rise to the occasion. Not as bad obviously, though I have to reserve some skepticism because he seems to be getting worse and even less effective. Guess we'll see what happens in 7-ish months when his administration is being investigated 24/7 by the GOP and fielding constant injunctions at the Supreme Court.
I was kind of hopping up and down about Biden's age and frailty before he got elected, then about how he shouldn't run for re-election, and got some pushback on the first, and quite a bit on the second.

I stand by it. Whether he is mentally sharp as a tack off camera or not (I think not, and everything I have seen to date has not only reinforced that position, but increased it), he has the PERCEPTION of being old and frail. That is posion in an election IMO. He barely squeaked it out against a truly despicable, but popular political danger to a lot of people in this country, who turned out to see HIM voted out. Will those same people be as motivated now? I have no idea, but I'm thinking that at least since Trump is NOT in power, the motivation will be less.

I don't think Kamala has shown herself to be The One to run either, honestly, and it doesn't really matter why.

I think it's time for the kingmaker D's to try and be as objective and neutral as possible and just do a reset: who do we have that has the BEST chance of winning against Trump? (I can't fucking believe we are at THAT point, AGAIN) Everybody should be on the table, including Biden, but as I said, I personally don't think it should be him. It would IMO have to be someone very dynamic to outweigh losing that incumbent advantage, which is hefty. Maybe they just don't have someone like that? Would a Buttigieg have a shot? Too early maybe, but I think we are desperate enough at this point to be willing to take longer, riskier shots.

Biden is toast of course not only for his obvious frailty, but the elephant in the room as well. No matter whose fault or not inflation is, it will be laid at his feet (as it would had the tables been turned and Trump was in office, with the same inlation).
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Kurth »

Please give me some options. I’m all ears.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Alefroth »

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 8:21 am I think it's time for the kingmaker D's to try and be as objective and neutral as possible and just do a reset: who do we have that has the BEST chance of winning against Trump? (I can't fucking believe we are at THAT point, AGAIN)
Oh, all we have to do is agree on who has the best chance to beat Trump? No problem there.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Unagi »

I’d throw AOC’ name into the hat, but she’s still too young to run.

I’m happy with Buttigieg too.

I’m any case, they both have their own baggage when it comes down to bring more people ‘under the tent’, as they say.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Unagi wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 1:03 pm I’d throw AOC’ name into the hat, but she’s still too young to run.

I’m happy with Buttigieg too.

I’m any case, they both have their own baggage when it comes down to bring more people ‘under the tent’, as they say.
Unfortunately, it's going to have to be straight white man time again. Doesn't necessarily have to be Biden but not the time to count on the open-mindedness of fence sitters.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by hepcat »

Unfortunately, the only way I see out of our predicament with the Mangerine is that we "ease" our way out with a move towards the middle first.
Covfefe!
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by gbasden »

Alefroth wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 12:47 pm
Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 8:21 am I think it's time for the kingmaker D's to try and be as objective and neutral as possible and just do a reset: who do we have that has the BEST chance of winning against Trump? (I can't fucking believe we are at THAT point, AGAIN)
Oh, all we have to do is agree on who has the best chance to beat Trump? No problem there.
Exactly. In just a few responses here we have AOC on one hand and straight white male centrist on the other. Nobody is going to agree on a direction. Which is the Democratic party in a nutshell.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Unagi »

Well, in any case, I’m happy to vote with either hand.

And I agree it’s probably pragmatic to try and ease off the liberal, but I’m not sure I want to dissuade or undermine those efforts.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Isgrimnur »

It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Pyperkub »

hepcat wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 1:19 pm Unfortunately, the only way I see out of our predicament with the Mangerine is that we "ease" our way out with a move towards sanity first.
FTFY!
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by hepcat »

:D True that.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by Holman »

gbasden wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 1:52 pm Exactly. In just a few responses here we have AOC on one hand and straight white male centrist on the other. Nobody is going to agree on a direction. Which is the Democratic party in a nutshell.
It's because the Democrats are a coalition that runs from the Center through Liberals to Progressives and even some of the Far Left.

Half of the party being unhappy with the party is inevitable.
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Re: Defining the 21st Century Republican Party?

Post by LordMortis »

Holman wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 3:59 pm
gbasden wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2022 1:52 pm Exactly. In just a few responses here we have AOC on one hand and straight white male centrist on the other. Nobody is going to agree on a direction. Which is the Democratic party in a nutshell.
It's because the Democrats are a coalition that runs from the Center through Liberals to Progressives and even some of the Far Left.

Half of the party being unhappy with the party is inevitable.
If we went Straight White Male, I'd want Beto or Merkley. And that ain't gong to happen. I think Booker is still my preferred choice, as much as he was in 2019.
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