All purpose news and politics thread part VII: News & Politics Total Landscaping

[numberthirty]

A person could get a headache just reading through this one.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/u...exas-cruz.html

Why Having Kennedy on the Ballot in Texas May Worry Ted Cruz

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Trump Reportedly Asks Fossil Fuel CEOs For $1 Billion

In exchange, the former president vowed to undo many of President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Quid pro quo on steroids, the cream, the clear, Andro, the whole miserable nine yards. I'd just LOVE to see any of our right wing friends here defend this scummy transactional shit.

[Robotman]

Trump Reportedly Asks Fossil Fuel CEOs For $1 Billion

In exchange, the former president vowed to undo many of President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Quid pro quo on steroids, the cream, the clear, Andro, the whole miserable nine yards. I'd just LOVE to see any of our right wing friends here defend this scummy transactional shit.

It’s crazy but it’s really not hyperbole to say that Trump getting re-elected would be detrimental to the entire human race. Rolling back any environmental protections and attempts to fight climate change when we’re hanging on by a thread.

2023 was the warmest year in the modern temperature record

[4saken1]

Do you understand how Congress works?
D,o you know anything about needing 60 Senators?

Doesn't matter. Even if Biden had made the Public Option a centerpiece of his presidency and failed (which he would have), 30 would still give him zero slack. I'm pretty sure he didn't give Obama any! I'm don't know if he's obfuscating or if he truly doesn't understand that campaign 'promises' are at best things that a candidate will attempt IF they have the political capital to do so.

[aja_christopher]

Doesn't matter. Even if Biden had made the Public Option a centerpiece of his presidency and failed (which he would have), 30 would still give him zero slack. I'm pretty sure he didn't give Obama any! I'm don't know if he's obfuscating or if he truly doesn't understand that campaign 'promises' are at best things that a candidate will attempt IF they have the political capital to do so.

Much of this was already debated during the election -- he has yet to admit that his chosen candidate lost largely due to black voters' support of Biden over Sanders who effectively ignored said voting bloc.

30 backs losing candidates and policies and expects the Democrats to follow suit regardless of the political consequences -- something that works for him in arguments but not in real elections.

When a person won't even answer basic questions about how they plan to achieve their political goals then one should assume they don't understand the basic principles behind effective governance.

Fortunately for the world at large Biden does seem to understand said principles and voters have thus far responded positively to his leadership regardless of what polls and critics might say about him.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Much of this was already debated during the election -- he has yet to admit that his chosen candidate lost largely due to black voters' support of Biden over Sanders who effectively ignored said voting bloc.

30 backs losing candidates and policies and expects the Democrats to follow suit regardless of the political consequences -- something that works for him in arguments but not in real elections.

When a person won't even answer basic questions about how they plan to achieve their political goals then one should assume they don't understand the basic principles behind effective governance.

Fortunately for the world at large Biden does seem to understand said principles and voters have thus far responded positively to his leadership regardless of what polls and critics might say about him.

Whether Biden's been right or wrong, overachieved or come up short, at least he's been doing his best to help the American people, a stark contrast to Trump who's only out to help himself and the wealthy while leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. Has Trump mentioned anything about helping lift the people out of the sort of "dire" financial straits our esteemed right leaning posters bring up ad nauseam? If he does have such a plan, I'd be curious to know what it is....unless of course Trump has no plan, other than to fatten the pockets of the uber-rich while telling his easily fooled supporters that minorities, immigrants and gays are responsible for their suffering.

[Tuck]

Hmm

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/ar...search/678292/

The Black Lives Matter protests during that period were different in part because they defied the caricature of protesters as radical college students with nothing but time. According to a study led by the Johns Hopkins economist Nick Papageorge, on factors such as gender and race, the demographics of the protests were actually more representative of the American public than the 2020 presidential electorate was.

What’s more striking is that a full third of protest participants identified as Republicans. Underscoring the ideological diversity of the movement, 30 percent of summer 2020 protesters in the researchers’ survey sample had attended BLM rallies as well as demonstrations seeking less stringent pandemic precautions—even though the two causes were widely characterized as coming from opposite sides of the political spectrum.

[Mutant X]

It’s crazy but it’s really not hyperbole to say that Trump getting re-elected would be detrimental to the entire human race. Rolling back any environmental protections and attempts to fight climate change when we’re hanging on by a thread.

2023 was the warmest year in the modern temperature record

I don't know if you guys have heard about it. But here in Brazil, we are facing catastrophic consequences of climate change right now.

[Tami]

Trying to blackmail Columbia University is a bad look for these Trump judges

This week 13 conservative judges, all of whom were appointed by former President Donald Trump, told the president of Columbia University in a letter that they won’t hire as judicial law clerks future graduates of Columbia Law School (or even those who went to Columbia University as undergraduates). In a letter that was also sent to the law school’s dean, the judges say they won’t change their minds unless the school acquiesces to their demands for more conservative faculty and staff members, punishment for students who broke the school’s rules and an end to what they believe are enforcement policies that are biased against conservatives.

The judges, who are wrongly using their positions of power in an attempt to extort change at a private institution, claim that Columbia has “become an incubator of bigotry,” and they profess to have “no doubt that the university’s response would have been profoundly different” if the protestors were “religious conservatives” who “view abortion as a tragic genocide.”

But perhaps most important, what we have with this letter is members of our judiciary using their federal posts to all but blackmail a private university to bend to their political will. This is political activism unbecoming of any member of our federal judiciary. Let’s remember that these are judges who received lifetime appointments because they’re supposed to stay outside of politics.

[Tami]

I don't know if you guys have heard about it. But here in Brazil, we are facing catastrophic consequences of climate change right now.

Some places, like Brazil, are getting hit hard right now. Other places are only just experiencing the outer edges of the effects. I don't know enough about what makes some places more vulnerable than others, but the effects should become more widespread and more noticeable over the next ten years or so.

[hyped78]

Hillary Clinton slams pro-palestinian protesters on ignorance of Middle East history

https://www.newsweek.com/hillary-cli...e-east-1899106
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/u...l-history.html

"Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has suggested that pro-Palestinian protesters at college campuses across the nation are uneducated about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

"Clinton suggested campus protesters may have fallen prey to pro-Hamas "propaganda" on social media and in the classroom, adding young people are consuming information that often has a hidden "agenda" or lacks "any kind of context."

"Propaganda is not education," Clinton said. "Propaganda, whether it's on TikTok or in the classroom, is actually the opposite of education. Anybody who is teaching in a university, or anyone who is putting content on social media, should be held responsible for what they include and what they exclude."

"So much of what we're seeing—particularly on TikTok—about what's going on in the Middle East, is woefully false," she continued. "But it's also incredibly slanted: pro-Hamas, anti-Israel. And it is not any place where anyone should go to get information on complex manners, like what's going on there."

Clinton concluded by saying that educators "need to do a better job" in helping young people understand how to "filter" and interpret information on world affairs, while avoiding the pitfalls of falling into "easy absolutes" on issues that are "too complicated.""

[Dalak]

MMA:
See, tsc tsc! You mischaracterized the conversation then and you're doing the same now. I stopped replying to you at the time because 1) It became a pointless discussion with absolutely no sense, 2) You kept mischaracterizing what I said, even after multiple clarifications/ corrections, 3) It became wildly off-topic, as essentially we went from talking about police violence (I brought up an example I've seen/heard as a comment to someone else) to my personal life. And because I can choose to disengage from a conversation when it becomes pointless/ uninteresting/ off-topic (any poster can do the same, no one is forced to reply to anyone ad aeternum).

Plus at some point you made a comment that "people can train other fighting styles", which is equivalent to e.g. telling someone who trains basketball that they can train volleyball or handball instead, it's all sports played with a ball. So, I mean, why should I continue talking about MMA/fighting gyms with someone who says something of that level? That's probably where I stopped replying.

I provided proof that you were mischaracterizing things and you just mock me for truthfully pointing out that you can train in another style if one draws such a large percentage of people you don't agree with and feel uncomfortable socializing with by your own words. Your choice to remain with this sport & remain with the people you described while acting like it's something others could understand if they trained in MMA speaks for itself. If Fighting is the goal, there are other ways to do it and I'm not referring to picking them online.

As for your entire part about Israel, you mock me because I have no ability to control or plan Israel's Military actions. I can't make a step-by-step plan for many reasons, but among them: I can't look into how much it would cost to build any encampments or how much it would cost to restore Gaza to the point where people can live there again without as much aid as they require now. Nor can I predict irrational human behaviors which would be involved. I don't think you or anyone else on this forum could do much better than vague generalities at this stage considering how long this situation has been brewing, and that's not a reason to attack or mock anyone over it. I can point out how continuing to bomb people where you told them to move so they wouldn't be bombed is wrong, and how it isn't going to attain the goal of Israel not being hated or attacked by Hamas/anyone else.

You also ask questions that are answered in the next bit you isolate just so you can add more mockery, and you talk about how hard it is to find a post you already replied to the day before – 1 day. You aren't even trying to debate in good faith and have abandoned any form of respect, you're just being combative as is a pattern you've had for a long time now.

Biden doing a good job.

Folks have to understand there is only so much he can do in general.

So when stocks and stuff are doing well that is not trickling down to everyone seeing a better economy.

Folks want to blame him but are not looking at their local and state government.

You got a GOP WASTING tax payer's money in Fort Worth going after one woman over voter fraud from 8 years ago. Folks in his district of ALL races are demanding he leave the woman along and deal with real issues. The bad thing for him is Tarrant County has a LARGE Democratic voter body and this is motivating them to vote now.

The President isn't the Be-All End-All for these things, and context helps to understand complicated situations. It takes effort to look at & analyze context so it's less trouble to stick with easy answers that look good if you don't get into much detail.

I don't think they just want to oppress LGBT, but to avoid the tweaks to sexual assaults on campus.

Electoral failure may have a short-term effect, but it in that scenario the change needed would be for the Republican base to become disenchanted with their losing party and stay home. That isn’t likely with the internet and FOX news constantly ginning up outrage to keep them engaged. Sustained Democratic wins would also fuel the big lie, which wouldn’t be good for democracy in the long run and may lead to the rise of an even farther right-wing authoritarian third party.
No, the Republicans will have to re-adopt and internalize the democratic ideals they held prior to the adoption of the southern strategy or at least before Newt Gingrich injected poison into their party and they adopted a “win at any cost” philosophy. In a multiple party system democracy only prevails if everyone is at least in agreement as to its preservation above all else.

The end of Donald Trump only happens when he becomes unable to communicate with his base. Until then, he’ll push the big lie and continue to corrode the democratic process.

This is key, the MAGA movement isn't going to die when Trump leaves politics for good as the sentiments he tapped into were always there.

No it isn't thirty and this isn't a matter of argument.

Hillary and the Democrats have constantly promoted and improved the American health care and you constantly attack them despite claiming you likewise support said goal.

The only blinders here are on the person who claims to want a better healthcare system yet routinely ignores the fact that Republican obstruction to said goal is the only reason it hasn't happened yet.

You keep talking about change but in reality Democrats have taken action to change things (Affordable Care Act) while all you do is constantly complain about their success.

Which is your prerogative but don't expect the blatant hypocrisy of said approach not to be highlighted in any discussion where you claim America needs a better health care system.

You were asked a simple question -- how does criticizing Democratic efforts to improve healhcare and ignoring Republican obstruction help you achieve your alleged goal of universal health care.

If you don't care about that then you (legislatively) don't care about what you yourself claim to care about.

Which is your prerogative -- but don't expect people not to address political hypocrisy on a political forum.

These things, along with a disastrous call that we wouldn't need to worry about the SCOTUS back in 2016, are important context to remember when reading the unending criticism of liberals that aren't liberal enough.

McCain had more integrity than most Republican politicians but was still evidently on board while Republicans eroded democracy in the US to the point where someone like Trump could emerge and thrive.
It’s no fluke that he succeeded as a Republican candidate.
Again, moderate Republicans were apparently happy to watch their party tear down the guardrails that should’ve kept someone like Trump from getting nominated, let alone elected.
Now that he’s on the verge of a second term you’re all pretending you had nothing to do with helping to get him there.

More important context that applies to so many voters out there who like to believe they are Moderate.

You know what fucking pisses me off about all this? There's zero debate whatsoever about transgender men in sports. NONE!

Either ban all transgender athletes altogether or don't bitch and just leave it alone. This is all explicit in their cruelty to show they want to still control women but can't roll back laws on actual females (besides abortion) so they're looking at ersatz women as targets to demonize and ridicule instead. And once that's all in place, then rolling back actual women's rights will become easier because nobody bothered to fight for transgender women.

The goals are revealed when they ban Trans Women from playing in women's tournaments in Chess of all things, and remove only the championships of Trans Men. How is THAT protecting women?

[Dalak]

Trump Reportedly Asks Fossil Fuel CEOs For $1 Billion

In exchange, the former president vowed to undo many of President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Quid pro quo on steroids, the cream, the clear, Andro, the whole miserable nine yards. I'd just LOVE to see any of our right wing friends here defend this scummy transactional shit.

Asking for a bribe openly, and it's not even the first time. How far we've come.

It’s crazy but it’s really not hyperbole to say that Trump getting re-elected would be detrimental to the entire human race. Rolling back any environmental protections and attempts to fight climate change when we’re hanging on by a thread.

2023 was the warmest year in the modern temperature record

I don't know if you guys have heard about it. But here in Brazil, we are facing catastrophic consequences of climate change right now.

Yes, we need to do something about this yesterday, but with the politicization of it by conservatives in America they will dig in and fight it just to avoid letting the Dems get a win. These problems will affect their children, grandchildren, and descendants for generations to come, but they only care that they don't catch the LGBT's.

Whether Biden's been right or wrong, overachieved or come up short, at least he's been doing his best to help the American people, a stark contrast to Trump who's only out to help himself and the wealthy while leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. Has Trump mentioned anything about helping lift the people out of the sort of "dire" financial straits our esteemed right leaning posters bring up ad nauseam? If he does have such a plan, I'd be curious to know what it is....unless of course Trump has no plan, other than to fatten the pockets of the uber-rich while telling his easily fooled supporters that minorities, immigrants and gays are responsible for their suffering.

People tend to forget the trade wars with China Trump got us involved in, and how being so buddy-buddy with Putin resulted in the war with Ukraine which hurt global wheat prices, which makes Fast Food more expensive, which makes it all BIDENS FAULT obviously.

Hmm

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/ar...search/678292/

Your article is locked behind a sub/paywall, which is sad because it looks intriguing.

Trying to blackmail Columbia University is a bad look for these Trump judges

Open Blackmail is right up there with Open Bribes . . . how far we've come.

[hyped78]

I provided proof that you were mischaracterizing things and you just mock me for truthfully pointing out that you can train in another style if one draws such a large percentage of people you don't agree with and feel uncomfortable socializing with by your own words. Your choice to remain with this sport & remain with the people you described while acting like it's something others could understand if they trained in MMA speaks for itself. If Fighting is the goal, there are other ways to do it and I'm not referring to picking them online.

As for your entire part about Israel, you mock me because I have no ability to control or plan Israel's Military actions. I can't make a step-by-step plan for many reasons, but among them: I can't look into how much it would cost to build any encampments or how much it would cost to restore Gaza to the point where people can live there again without as much aid as they require now. Nor can I predict irrational human behaviors which would be involved. I don't think you or anyone else on this forum could do much better than vague generalities at this stage considering how long this situation has been brewing, and that's not a reason to attack or mock anyone over it. I can point out how continuing to bomb people where you told them to move so they wouldn't be bombed is wrong, and how it isn't going to attain the goal of Israel not being hated or attacked by Hamas/anyone else.

You also ask questions that are answered in the next bit you isolate just so you can add more mockery, and you talk about how hard it is to find a post you already replied to the day before – 1 day. You aren't even trying to debate in good faith and have abandoned any form of respect, you're just being combative as is a pattern you've had for a long time now.

So you are suggesting that someone who trains e.g. boxing can train karate instead, or train aikido instead of MMA, or wrestling instead of kung fu? Do you understand how incredibly clueless and funny that is? Because all of it is "fighting"? Again - that's like suggesting to someone who plays basketball that they can play handball instead, they are both played with balls. What you are saying makes zero sense. It must be hard to talk about something you clearly have no knowledge about, unfortunately...

On Israel you went from "you should be aware of the alternative I suggested they could have initiated last year" to "I can't make a step-by-step plan for many reasons" and "I don't think you or anyone else on this forum could do much better than vague generalities at this stage"
So what are you saying, exactly? That no one on this forum can do better than vague generalities I agree with, that was my point.

I remember you saying that moving Palestinians around to bomb/invade areas wouldn't work because Hamas would just move as well, not sure if that's what you're referring to?
Well, about 3 months ago, Israel stated they had killed ~10k Hamas fighters (and this is incl. in the 30k+ total Palestinians killed), and at the time an Hamas official reportedly admitted to Reuters ~6k Hamas fighters had been killed. This was 3 months ago.

On the spaghetti logic, I will just quote you again to see if this makes sense, as it speaks for itself: "what I brought up shortly after the initial october attacks in the post you replied to which is the one I replied to and reminded you of (Which you are replying to here)"
If you want to make me aware of the alternative approach you proposed, you can please just tell me the # number of the post I should read.

[Zelena]

Some places, like Brazil, are getting hit hard right now. Other places are only just experiencing the outer edges of the effects. I don't know enough about what makes some places more vulnerable than others, but the effects should become more widespread and more noticeable over the next ten years or so.

The climate change increases the effects of natural climatic variations. After all, climate probably played a role in Mayan civilisation collapse.

Nowadays we cover a larger part of the surface of the Earth so more prone to be victim of natural catastrophies. Hard to say if we are more or less resilient than past civilisations.

One thing is sure: climate change is here to stay and we don’t know how far it will go…