United States Politics Thread 47

[keenir]

I thought demagogues - usually charismatic ones - were part of the populism package, if not the definition...that most of them in recent times have been racist and sexist as well, that tars the term with their baggage, but doesn't yet change the word, so far as I'm aware: does FDR still count as a populist, charismatic or otherwise? Teddy Roosevelt? George Washington?

That definition is exactly what enemies of real populism want you to think.

In that case, so we're both on the same page, can you explain to me what populism is, in your mind?

thank you.

[Linguoboy]

once I saw that Canadian Parlimentarian say that they would try to leave Trump a token or a crumb so he didn't leave the table empty-handed, I thought to myself "and when Trump gets any bit of anything, he's going to boast that his way works, and he'll go right back and do it again."

He's going to do it again anyway. It's literally the only way he knows how to conduct negotiations.

Fortunately, he's easily satisfied. Sheinbaum was able to pacify him by simply agreeing to send the troops to the border that she'd already committed. Since MAGAhats don't pay attention to any news that's not spoonfed them by folks trying to make Trump look good, they don't realise that Mexico sends 10,000+ troops to the border every year. So he's able to present it as a win. I haven't seen what the story is with Canada yet, but I'm willing to be it's something similar.

Also, can we all agree that Chuck Schumer is fucking useless? He gave an interview where all he could do was crow about what a mess Trump was making and how voters could see right through it. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO VOTERS RETURN TO CONGRESS IF MUSK CONTROLS THE TREASURY YOU PENDULOUS BALLSACK!

[Ahzoh]

once I saw that Canadian Parlimentarian say that they would try to leave Trump a token or a crumb so he didn't leave the table empty-handed, I thought to myself "and when Trump gets any bit of anything, he's going to boast that his way works, and he'll go right back and do it again."

He's going to do it again anyway. It's literally the only way he knows how to conduct negotiations.

Fortunately, he's easily satisfied. Sheinbaum was able to pacify him by simply agreeing to send the troops to the border that she'd already committed. Since MAGAhats don't pay attention to any news that's not spoonfed them by folks trying to make Trump look good, they don't realise that Mexico sends 10,000+ troops to the border every year. So he's able to present it as a win. I haven't seen what the story is with Canada yet, but I'm willing to be it's something similar.

Also, can we all agree that Chuck Schumer is fucking useless? He gave an interview where all he could do was crow about what a mess Trump was making and how voters could see right through it. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO VOTERS RETURN TO CONGRESS IF MUSK CONTROLS THE TREASURY YOU PENDULOUS BALLSACK!

Apparently Trudeau is gonna appoint a "Fentanyl Czar" (whatever the fuck that it) and spend choppers and stuff.

Chuck should have gotten covid and died during the pandemic, along with some other useless people.

[Raholeun]

Chuck should have gotten covid and died during the pandemic, along with some other useless people.

Wishing death on people seems to be all the rage on this conlang hobby forum.

[Ahzoh]

Chuck should have gotten covid and died during the pandemic, along with some other useless people.

Wishing death on people seems to be all the rage on this conlang hobby forum.

I'm pretty sure it's like two or three people here at most. Anyways, the sentiments are not just here but everywhere. And I'm not above it, my political enemies certainly aren't.

[Raholeun]

Stop debasing yourself with the "but they too", it comes across as very infantile and it does nobody any good.

[Ahzoh]

Stop debasing yourself with the "but they too", it comes across as very infantile and it does nobody any good.

You sound like a radical liberal, like the sort of people who always repeat the stale mantra of "they go low we go high" and who are horrified that people support Luigi.

[MacAnDàil]

Stop debasing yourself with the "but they too", it comes across as very infantile and it does nobody any good.

Indeed, violence is part of the problem, as Martin Luther King noted in is 19657 book. It is somewhat fitting that the Trump inaugaration took place during MLK celebrations because he said that America had the choice between chaos and community. The Republicans show chose chaos. Let's hope the Democrats show they choose community.

[jcb]

once I saw that Canadian Parlimentarian say that they would try to leave Trump a token or a crumb so he didn't leave the table empty-handed, I thought to myself "and when Trump gets any bit of anything, he's going to boast that his way works, and he'll go right back and do it again."

Fortunately, he's easily satisfied. Sheinbaum was able to pacify him by simply agreeing to send the troops to the border that she'd already committed. Since MAGAhats don't pay attention to any news that's not spoonfed them by folks trying to make Trump look good, they don't realise that Mexico sends 10,000+ troops to the border every year. So he's able to present it as a win. I haven't seen what the story is with Canada yet, but I'm willing to be it's something similar.

Trudeau is promising to implement a plan that was already announced a couple months ago.
- https://youtu.be/MeF3iZ900Y0?si=QvtOllooY9kO7Luy&t=346

And that's the art of the deal, everybody!

[bradrn]

Derek Lowe has a good article on What's Happening Inside the NIH and NSF. I implore everyone in the US to write to your representatives as he requests at the end — this is some of the most scary stuff I've yet seen, and its consequences aren't restricted to the US.

[jcb]

Trump said today "The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too" and "This was not a decision made lightly. Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent."
- https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics ... index.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oscnNPIDsGs

[MacAnDàil]

Derek Lowe has a good article on What's Happening Inside the NIH and NSF. I implore everyone in the US to write to your representatives as he requests at the end — this is some of the most scary stuff I've yet seen, and its consequences aren't restricted to the US.

It is really quite disappointing, including the fact that Ratcliffe got approved by several Democrats to head the CIA.

[keenir]

Trump said today "The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too" and "This was not a decision made lightly.

riiight.

Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land,

does "everyone" include Israel?

developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent.

creating thousands of jobs with...?

[zompist]

developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent.

creating thousands of jobs with...?

Gaz-a-Lago

(not my joke, but I had to share it)

[Otto Kretschmer]

Question to y'all Yankee folks here:

My country (Poland) has a strict limit of how much money a person or organization can donate to a political party in a year (currently it is at approx. 54,000 PLN/year or roughly 10 median wages). Also all major political parties are financed from state budget.

Would introducing such things on the US (preferably together with replacing first past the post voting system with a proportional one) actually change anything?

[zompist]

My country (Poland) has a strict limit of how much money a person or organization can donate to a political party in a year (currently it is at approx. 54,000 PLN/year or roughly 10 median wages). Also all major political parties are financed from state budget.

Would introducing such things on the US (preferably together with replacing first past the post voting system with a proportional one) actually change anything?

Sure, which is why the rich have spent so much money and energy undermining such laws, and packing the Supreme Court.

One of the key events is the 2010 Citizens United decision, which basically freed organizations from any spending limits, so long as it didn't directly come from a candidate or party. It also allowed "dark money": hiding who the donors are and even how much they spent.

[Otto Kretschmer]

zompist, what's your opinion on ranked choice voting? Is there any chance of this system spreading in the US?

[zompist]

zompist, what's your opinion on ranked choice voting? Is there any chance of this system spreading in the US?

I think it's a great idea. It's used in various places in the US. Kind of amazingly, 11 states have banned it— all heavily Republican states. No idea why they're against it.

[Travis B.]

zompist, what's your opinion on ranked choice voting? Is there any chance of this system spreading in the US?

I think it's a great idea. It's used in various places in the US. Kind of amazingly, 11 states have banned it— all heavily Republican states. No idea why they're against it.

It's because Republicans are against anything that is good.

[Ahzoh]

zompist, what's your opinion on ranked choice voting? Is there any chance of this system spreading in the US?

I think it's a great idea. It's used in various places in the US. Kind of amazingly, 11 states have banned it— all heavily Republican states. No idea why they're against it.

It's because Republicans are against anything that is good.

I think Zompist was being sarcastic