All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[The Cool Thatguy]

I get what you're trying to say, but my point is that my beliefs are not misinformed preconceptions borne out of ignorance, as yours seem to be, but rather come from many years of living in the region and getting to know people and how they think about these issues, as well as applying some of my own knowledge about game theory and strategic thinking to try and analyze the geopolitical calculus at work. It's not that I categorically refuse to change my mind, it's just that your arguments are not particularly convincing and are nothing more than regurgitated talking points that anyone with a passing familiarity with US-China relations has heard a million times already.

Obviously I am no expert on these topics, they're a fair bit outside my own field and even though I've been around a bit I still have spent most of my life in America and much of the culture in Asia is as alien to me now as it would be to any of you. That being said, I will be damned before I get lectured on any of these topics by someone like you who has zero knowledge about them and zero interest in learning anything about it. However, I am more than glad to put aside all of that and discuss any of these issues with you if you want.

I'm not pretending to be super well informed about these issues.

I'm simply taking issue with how casually you seem to accept China trying to conquer another country, after turning Australia buying US subs into a long winded spiel about the evils of the West.

It's the double standards I am taking issue with, thanks.

[worstblogever]

Anyone on the left who loathes Joe Manchin has a poor understanding of American politics. From the Democratic party's perspective, he is one of the five most essential members of Congress.

He's frequently Mitch McConnell's catspaw to slow progress of late, and again, you're trying to convince someone who isn't stupid of Republican talking points.

Save them for your own, thanks.

[Gray Lensman]

He's frequently Mitch McConnell's catspaw to slow progress of late, and again, you're trying to convince someone who isn't stupid of Republican talking points.

Save them for your own, thanks.

The issue with hating Manchin too hard is people seem to forget where he comes from - a solid deep red state. Manchin is the best Democrats can get out of West Virginia. He is the reddest of Democrats, and comes across as the now extinct (at least on the national level) moderate Republican. But he also caucuses with the Democrats, and will be replaced by a Trumper if the Dems manage to successfully primary him with someone more to the left.

You'll have much better luck replacing Sinema, although she also seems more likely to change parties out of spite if censured or primaried.

[Tami]

Understanding people, especially politicians, is good. But I wish there would be more problem solving than finger pointing.

[Gray Lensman]

Understanding people, especially politicians, is good. But I wish there would be more problem solving than finger pointing.

Every negotiation with Mitch McConnell needs to be recognized as what it truly is - best summed up by Alfred Molina's famous scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. "Throw me the idol and I'll throw you the whip."

[Mister Mets]

He's frequently Mitch McConnell's catspaw to slow progress of late, and again, you're trying to convince someone who isn't stupid of Republican talking points.

Save them for your own, thanks.

I will be very happy to cowrite a joint statement with you about how Manchin should just switch to the Republican party.

[PwrdOn]

I'm not pretending to be super well informed about these issues.

I'm simply taking issue with how casually you seem to accept China trying to conquer another country, after turning Australia buying US subs into a long winded spiel about the evils of the West.

It's the double standards I am taking issue with, thanks.

Interestingly enough, if there is one place that you could point to where ethnic Han Chinese colonizers actually displaced and marginalized a large community of indigenous peoples (though honestly most of it was at the initiative of Dutch and Japanese imperialists but I digress) it would be Taiwan, where only around 2% of the population is aboriginal and the vast majority have relatively recent roots in the southern Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. So yeah, condemnations and criticism all around for that ugly history, am I right?

[The Cool Thatguy]

Interestingly enough, if there is one place that you could point to where ethnic Han Chinese colonizers actually displaced and marginalized a large community of indigenous peoples (though honestly most of it was at the initiative of Dutch and Japanese imperialists but I digress) it would be Taiwan, where only around 2% of the population is aboriginal and the vast majority have relatively recent roots in the southern Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. So yeah, condemnations and criticism all around for that ugly history, am I right?

So that makes it okay for China to try to conquer them? Good to know!

[PwrdOn]

So that makes it okay for China to try to conquer them? Good to know!

Well, since we're applying consistent standards, do you also condemn the bloody Union conquest of Confederate territory?

[Tami]

Well, since we're applying consistent standards, do you also condemn the bloody Union conquest of Confederate territory?

You did not just say that.....

[PwrdOn]

You did not just say that.....

Hypothetically, if the Confederates had somehow managed to flee to Puerto Rico and hold out there for all this time, and now requested Chinese military assistance to preserve their "Puerto Rican self determination" would that be legitimate in your eyes?

[Malvolio]

Anyone on the left who loathes Joe Manchin has a poor understanding of American politics. From the Democratic party's perspective, he is one of the five most essential members of Congress.

Is there more support for the Build Back Better Act? Is there a significant constituency opposed to the infrastructure bill who otherwise supports the reconciliation bill?

It's possible to loathe someone or something and still understand that they are essential. For instance, I loathe having to separate my recyclables before taking them out to the curb, but I understand why it's essential to do so.

[Malvolio]

Hypothetically, if the Confederates had somehow managed to flee to Puerto Rico and hold out there for all this time, and now requested Chinese military assistance to preserve their "Puerto Rican self determination" would that be legitimate in your eyes?

But Puerto Rico was still a Spanish colony at the time of the American Civil War. It didn't become an American protectorate until the Spanish American War of 1898. Your hypothetical makes no sense.

[Mister Mets]

Hypothetically, if the Confederates had somehow managed to flee to Puerto Rico and hold out there for all this time, and now requested Chinese military assistance to preserve their "Puerto Rican self determination" would that be legitimate in your eyes?

Who has fought for a cause as odious as the confederacy in Taiwan?

It's possible to loathe someone or something and still understand that they are essential. For instance, I loathe having to separate my recyclables before taking them out to the curb, but I understand why it's essential to do so.

Sure, but someone would call you out if you're ranting about recycling.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Hypothetically, if the Confederates had somehow managed to flee to Puerto Rico and hold out there for all this time, and now requested Chinese military assistance to preserve their "Puerto Rican self determination" would that be legitimate in your eyes?

As hypothetical scenarios go, that sounds batshit crazy.