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

[DrNewGod]

This is not a defense of any capitalist businessman like Trump BUT... Well, you can't really blame Trump directly for kids in cages. That's America's racist immigration policy, which it has always had. The cages were built under Clinton and kids and families have been put in them for decades. The INS gave way to ICE and both should be abolished. You can blame Trump for alienating our allies YES, but most of that blame is not Trump alone... but bipartisan foreign policy.

2) I would argue that Reagan's domestic economic policies did and have indeed dismantled any freedoms that American workers had over the last 40 years... I won't use the term DEMOCRACY because America has never been a democracy. EVER! It is a Republic for rich people... built on slavery, stolen Native land, murder of indigenous peoples, and exploitation of the working class.

As far as Trump putting his kids in powerful positions... Well, what else is to be expected from a narcissist businessman?

The worst thing Trump has been guilty of, barring his Covid response, is those goddamned tariff wars on China! And he's a mysoginist, racist $hitbag who bombs brown people... but, so were his predecessors.

You make some sound points, particularly regarding Jackson. However, The Founders Institutions were left intact by Jackson and Reagan; Trump has:

• Done all within his power (and, it would seem, a lot of dirty shit in dark corners) in an effort to tear those institutions down to ease satisfying his every whim.
• Attempted to legitimize the militias and hate groups while pushing down on POC with all of his might
• Put foreign relations in so low place that the EU just cut a deal with China against our mutual interests without waiting to talk to the more reasonable crew coming aboard in three weeks.

I have to agree with others on this board: Trump's at the fetid bottom of the stack.

[Comics N' Toons]

Honestly until the pandemic I would have said Bush was clearly worse

We need to put Bush Jr. in context. His entire presidency was built around the failures of Daddy Bush. Daddy Bush tried and failed to get Sadam. Well, Bush II got him. Daddy Bush used the Gulf War and Desert Storm to try to secure "resources" for America into the 21st century. Bush II got it done. Created programs to spy on people and destroy whatever civil liberties we had left as well as decimate the Middle East... but he avenged Daddy Bush's failures. So, hey... Great right?

After all that, Bush 2, still has not had the negative effects that Reaganomics has laid upon this nation. REAGAN was the worst in modern history. Everything since him has been an outgrowth of Reaganomics (including wars in the Middle East, Patriot Act, Obama's PRISM program etc.)

WAS TRUMP SERIOUS about ending interventionism and the Forever Wars abroad? It appears so, but he's had varied success at it.

[Comics N' Toons]

When I get back to my computer I'll link to The Cynical Historian and his take on the worst- Woodrow Wilson. The guy makes a compelling case, that Wilson's successes set up failures and misery for nearly a century. Certainly far worse than some schmuck who died after a few weeks that seems to bein everyone else's Worst 5 list.

I can and DO agree that Wilson was awful (aren't they all?) BUT... I wouldn't include him as a Modern President but maybe that depends on a certain definition of modern. I think Modern Presidencies start with FDR. Wilson was openly racist (his fav. film was Birth of a Nation).

Wilson's biggest sins (something that laid the foundation of misery and gave us the road to Reaganomics) was... he gave all power to the business class. Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in December 1913. Well, that was meant to curb the booms and busts of the capitalist system. Did it? The Federal Reserve is basically a way for the moneyed class to create the rules and game the system in their favor... at the expense of the poor. I can agree that the source of human misery in America (the capitalist class) got their stronghold during the Wilson years.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

You make some sound points, particularly regarding Jackson. However, The Founders Institutions were left intact by Jackson and Reagan; Trump has:

• Done all within his power (and, it would seem, a lot of dirty shit in dark corners) in an effort to tear those institutions down to ease satisfying his every whim.
• Attempted to legitimize the militias and hate groups while pushing down on POC with all of his might
• Put foreign relations in so low place that the EU just cut a deal with China against our mutual interests without waiting to talk to the more reasonable crew coming aboard in three weeks.

I have to agree with others on this board: Trump's at the fetid bottom of the stack.

Let’s not forget Trump’s hamfisted attempts at overturning the election and a dangerous slide into destroying democracy as we know it for no other reason than to hold onto presidential immunity from prosecution, what with SDNY breathing down his neck.

[GOLGO 13]

41 year old Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow (R-LA-4) has died of Covid, just days before he was to be sworn into office.

And the party will learn nothing from it.

"THOUGHTS & PRAYERS"

Turns out 'Owning the Libs' has consequences, who'd a thunk? "THOUGHTS & PRAYERS"

[Revolutionary_Jack]

"THOUGHTS & PRAYERS"

Turns out 'Owning the Libs' has consequences, who'd a thunk? "THOUGHTS & PRAYERS"

The disturbing thing is that it seems that more GOP politicians have died of COVID-19 than Dems, and yet they are the ones who are committed to this kind of cult-like extreme right-wing behavior.

What this confirms is the level of ideology and the role of it in thinking...it's a bit like the Prussian military before World War I, kadavergehorsam (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kadavergehorsam), "even the corpse will obey".

I don't think the Left or liberals is committed to that extent. It's baffling and terrifying to know that yes deep down the GOP truly do believe in that extreme right wing vision and are loyal to that in the face of death and personal hazard.

[Comics N' Toons]

Let’s not forget Trump’s hamfisted attempts at overturning the election and a dangerous slide into destroying democracy as we know it for no other reason than to hold onto presidential immunity from prosecution, what with SDNY breathing down his neck.

Yeah. Uncle Donald acts like a child... but, again... his threats to the electoral system IS NOT a threat to democracy. We have always had a Plutocracy in the U.S.

His threats to the electoral system are more dangerous because they could lead to full-blown fascism. Trump's threats to the Postal Service are in evidence here... but, clearly, as has been shown... McConnell (and those like him) can be just as dangerous!

[Gray Lensman]

I can and DO agree that Wilson was awful (aren't they all?) BUT... I wouldn't include him as a Modern President but maybe that depends on a certain definition of modern. I think Modern Presidencies start with FDR. Wilson was openly racist (his fav. film was Birth of a Nation).

Wilson's biggest sins (something that laid the foundation of misery and gave us the road to Reaganomics) was... he gave all power to the business class. Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in December 1913. Well, that was meant to curb the booms and busts of the capitalist system. Did it? The Federal Reserve is basically a way for the moneyed class to create the rules and game the system in their favor... at the expense of the poor. I can agree that the source of human misery in America (the capitalist class) got their stronghold during the Wilson years.

Here is part 1 of the video.

[Gray Lensman]

Part Two.

[Gray Lensman]

And a bonus round all about 1919! Just in case you thought that 2020 was the worst year in US history. I'm glad I won't be around for 2121.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Yeah. Uncle Donald acts like a child... but, again... his threats to the electoral system IS NOT a threat to democracy. We have always had a Plutocracy in the U.S.

His threats to the electoral system are more dangerous because they could lead to full-blown fascism. Trump's threats to the Postal Service are in evidence here... but, clearly, as has been shown... McConnell (and those like him) can be just as dangerous!

Those same Republicans could’ve stopped Trump back in January but chose not to because they enjoyed riding that crazy train.

[Tami]

Cops Probing if Nashville Bomber Believed in Lizard Conspiracy, Went Hunting for Aliens

Police are investigating whether the Anthony Quinn Warner, the Nashville Christmas Day bomber, believed in a bizarre reptilian conspiracy theory that believes some celebrities and politicians are actually lizard-like creatures that have come to Earth from outer space and are here to take over. The Obamas, the Clintons and Justin Bieber are some of the lizard people, according to the bonkers theory. Investigators are going through Warner’s online presence and looking into the possibility that his motive was connected to one of a number of conspiracy theories. They’re also looking into allegations that he took periodic trips to hunt for aliens in Tennessee. Warner’s girlfriend told police a year ago that he was making bombs inside his RV, but officials never examined the vehicle.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

And a bonus round all about 1919! Just in case you thought that 2020 was the worst year in US history. I'm glad I won't be around for 2121.

Oh, I wouldn’t know about that. Maybe there’s a Dr. Daystrom out there who’ll encode our brains onto computers and we’ll live forever!

[babyblob]

Oh, I wouldn’t know about that. Maybe there’s a Dr. Daystrom out there who’ll encode our brains onto computers and we’ll live forever!

In the words of Sheldon Cooper.
"If I can keep my Gmail account I would be fine with that."

[Comics N' Toons]

Those same Republicans could’ve stopped Trump back in January but chose not to because they enjoyed riding that crazy train.

When was the last time in modern history that major party figures dissented on the Prez. when their candidate was in office???? That simply doesn't happen.