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

[Mister Mets]

The current situation with guns in the U.S. can be laid squarely at the feet of the GOP and their steady erosion of campaign finance laws which make it possible for the NRA to spread money around Washington. That's the only thing that allowed the NRA to basically write their own interpretation of the Second Amendment and make it stick. The GOP is Satan as far as the U.S. is concerned.

The idea that NRA spending is why we have the gun laws we do doesn't fit the facts.

The NRA spent $54 million on political spending in 2016.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/201...t-all-of-them/

If this was all that mattered, blame goes to Mike Bloomberg for not spending $55 million.

In previous cycles, their spending was less than organizations like the Service Employees International Union, or the Chamber of Commerce.
https://www.opensecrets.org/outsides...&type=p&disp=O

The money the NRA spends isn't that important. It's more about motivating voters concerned about gun rights.

[numberthirty]

If asking why a 17 year old becomes a murderer because he's most likely been indoctrinated by some nutty right wing militia ideology is an issue, than your country truly is in a sad state of affairs.

Not really going to disagree much there.

Past what you mentioned, that it looked a lot like someone in the group of folks he fired on had attacked him as well.

Just way too many situations where it feels like "Violence" is a lot of people's go to reaction.

Personally, I just haven't seen any of that kind of violence getting us anywhere you would actually want to go.

[Joker]

The idea that NRA spending is why we have the gun laws we do doesn't fit the facts.

The NRA spent $54 million on political spending in 2016.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/201...t-all-of-them/

If this was all that mattered, blame goes to Mike Bloomberg for not spending $55 million.

In previous cycles, their spending was less than organizations like the Service Employees International Union, or the Chamber of Commerce.
https://www.opensecrets.org/outsides...&type=p&disp=O

The money the NRA spends isn't that important. It's more about motivating voters concerned about gun rights.

You pick some weird fucking hills to "actually" on, man.

[Gray Lensman]

You pick some weird fucking hills to "actually" on, man.

He's right, though. I know a few NRA types and they are very motivated single issue voters. Even the 20somethings among them vote EVERY, SINGLE ELECTION and do so based on the candidate's stance on guns to the exclusion of all else. The pro-lifer will vote for an abortion provider if that person has a higher pro-gun rating than the anti-abortion crusader. The avowed racist will vote for the foreign-born black man, and so on. 2nd amendment voters will choose that stance over every other issue combined, they vote every single election and most primaries, and they network better than anyone else I know.

[Joker]

I am aware. It’s not new news.

Maybe throw a “the NRA lobbying is absolutely a part of a problematic system.” or something. To pretend that these politicians are not benefiting from the NRA money, to support pro gun legislation is bananas.

[Jack Dracula]

The idea that NRA spending is why we have the gun laws we do doesn't fit the facts.

The NRA spent $54 million on political spending in 2016.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/201...t-all-of-them/

If this was all that mattered, blame goes to Mike Bloomberg for not spending $55 million.

In previous cycles, their spending was less than organizations like the Service Employees International Union, or the Chamber of Commerce.
https://www.opensecrets.org/outsides...&type=p&disp=O

The money the NRA spends isn't that important. It's more about motivating voters concerned about gun rights.

Did I say anything about how much they're spending? You're making an argument that doesn't exist. Impressive bunch of links you got there though.

The issue is how the GOP is absolutely responsible for the NRA having the opportunity to warp the interpretation of the Second Amendment to make it easier for irresponsible people to own semi-automatic weapons.
I repeat: The GOP is satan.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Well, he doesn't have anything else to run on except to fearmonger about an imaginary version of Joe Biden, because it's kind of hard to look around American right now and be like, "YEAH, NOW THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING."

To be fair Donald Trump Jr tried to tell people to "Imagine what the Trump presidency will be like..." The Daily Show comically ripped it with a FB post of , why should we imagine what a Trump presidency is ? Were already 3+ years into one.

[Tami]

To be fair Donald Trump Jr tried to tell people to "Imagine what the Trump presidency will be like..." The Daily Show comically ripped it with a FB post of , why should we imagine what a Trump presidency is ? Were already 3+ years into one.

The Trump family is still in a state of shock (like the rest of us) that Donald actually won, but for them, the shock never faded. They keep reliving the past before the November 2016.

[GindyPosts]

The current situation with guns in the U.S. can be laid squarely at the feet of the GOP and their steady erosion of campaign finance laws which make it possible for the NRA to spread money around Washington. That's the only thing that allowed the NRA to basically write their own interpretation of the Second Amendment and make it stick. The GOP is Satan as far as the U.S. is concerned.

Thing is, the NRA wasn't this militant. It wasn't until the Revolt in Cincinnati in the late 1970s that saw the NRA go from a group that mostly saw firearms as an outdoorsman pursuit, to the point where they planned on moving to a new HQ in Colorado Springs that would exemplify this stance, to a hardline, lobbying group that felt the US should have guns with reverence in everyday life.

And the GOP embraced this new NRA and all the money that came pouring into their campaigns.

[Jack Dracula]

Thing is, the NRA wasn't this militant. It wasn't until the Revolt in Cincinnati in the late 1970s that saw the NRA go from a group that mostly saw firearms as an outdoorsman pursuit, to the point where they planned on moving to a new HQ in Colorado Springs that would exemplify this stance, to a hardline, lobbying group that felt the US should have guns with reverence in everyday life.

And the GOP embraced this new NRA and all the money that came pouring into their campaigns.

The NRA has always been an extension of the weapons manufacturing industry. Only some of their funding comes from membership. From the beginning, it's always been about manipulating our society to put as many weapons in the hands of as many people as possible. The craven opportunists in the GOP saw the possibilities and crawled into bed.

[Robotman]

Cell phone footage shows Kenosha police telling armed militia men, “We appreciate you guys. We really do,” and giving them bottles of water. Shortly after this video was taken, one of these men shot and killed two protesters and wounded another.

[The no face guy]

Cell phone footage shows Kenosha police telling armed militia men, “We appreciate you guys. We really do,” and giving them bottles of water. Shortly after this video was taken, one of these men shot and killed two protesters and wounded another.

It is a consequence of having a President who runs his campaign on painting one side (The protesters) as the enemy of America, & militia men as "very good people" who are defending themselves against the radical left.

No matter what you think of the protesters (and I don't think much of those who damage property) or militia men (whose wacko ideology just warped the mind of a 17 year old boy into a shooter)

It is the President's job to show maturity and tolerance, and help steer the youth of America away from radicalism & extremism, not inflame it. He should be supporting legislation for police reform, attending the funerals of the victims and using the national guard responsibly.

A good President dampens political extremism in a country and stops it from growing, a bad one throws fuel on the fire to help it grow, Trump is the first President in my lifetime to due the latter.

[Username taken]

Well at least I know why people are talking about about police brutality again. I wasn't aware of what happened in Wisconsin. Your country is F'd. First...

1)Why did the police officers need to draw their guns? (was Jacob Blake armed?)

2)Why are they following him around with their guns drawn?

3)Why don't your police have training to de-escalate as opposed to escalate the situation?

4) Why is a 17 year old wandering around with a semi automatic rifle?

5) Who would take a picture of their kid wearing a semi automatic rifle?

He's just a kid, a no matter what you think of the conduct of the protesters, he's now a murder and has obviously been indoctrinated/brain washed by some sort of right wing militia ideology.
Raw video footage is up on you tube, I won't post it.

That point in de-escalation should be a critical part of police training.

I’ve seen videos recently of Police being all “fired up” when confronting suspects in black neighborhoods only for bystanders to calm down the situation....when it should be the other way round.

That’s what made the George Floyd incident so galling, people were literally trying to calm down the officers but they got even more incensed. The Police aren’t attack dogs or a domestic military force, they should know how to peacefully de-escalate situations especially when they are dealing with UNARMED MEN.

As Trevor Noah said, a Police man that is so terrified of an unarmed man that he needs to apply lethal force shouldn’t be a Police man, period.

[Steel Inquisitor]

If asking why a 17 year old becomes a murderer because he's most likely been indoctrinated by some nutty right wing militia ideology is an issue, than your country truly is in a sad state of affairs.

That's been a thing for years, and websites like the chans, reddit and You Tube aren't only problems for America. The Christchurch incident, in New Zealand, happened because of this. The shooter broadcast it live on Facebook! Governments need to do more about these websites to stop their radicalisation.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

That's been a thing for years, and websites like the chans, reddit and You Tube aren't only problems for America. The Christchurch incident, in New Zealand, happened because of this. The shooter broadcast it live on Facebook! Governments need to do more about these websites to stop their radicalisation.

Being honest I had thought the killer posted it on Twitch. That he was streaming it...