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

[WestPhillyPunisher]

44% of Republicans think Bill Gates wants to use coronavirus vaccine to microchip them: poll

To quote the esteemed Ace Ventura, “Alrighty then!”

[The Cool Thatguy]

44% of Republicans think Bill Gates wants to use coronavirus vaccine to microchip them: poll

As a meme online said, the same people scared that Gates will chip them carry a tracking devise willingly in their pockets.

[jetengine]

Trumps base is about 40%, the remaining 4% are conspiracy theorists

[PwrdOn]

What dignity is there to protect them? I literally called out one of them who used to post here as one of the stupidest posters I ever met.

The thing I always keep saying is while African-Americans are historically inclined to vote conservative, what exactly is there motivation for them to gain from supporting Republicans? The Southern Strategy Barry Goldwater implemented resulted in all the Southern Democrats who helped keep Jim Crow laws in place transition to the Republican Party as the Democratic Party moved further into the liberal/moderate shift. Meanwhile, history revisionists like Dinesh D'Souza keep arguing Democrats have always been the party of racists and bigots, going back to the first Democratic president (Andrew Jackson, a fervent right-winger who carried on the ticket for being a war hero and resulted in some of the worst policies enacted during his reign), ignoring the gradual transition of party lines around the beginning of the 20th century. The Democratic Party of the 1930s was nowhere the same as the party of the 1830s (unless you lived in the South and legit believed in racist policies and theology, hence the term "Southern Democrat").

A good portion of today's Republicans argue for nationalistic policies that seem to want to hearken back to a time period where white men held all the influence, and that's what baffles me when I see people that aren't white men agreeing with it. Why would you support policies that are clearly designed to make you worse off?

The problem for black voters is that, because everyone expects them to vote Democrat in every election, the party basically treats them as a captive audience and never really prioritizes the issues that are relevant to them. Meanwhile the GOP will never make any serious attempts at outreach because they decided decades ago that the racist white vote is more valuable. I suppose there is an argument to be made that black people are generally more socially conservative and would be inclined to vote Republican if the party wasn't so actively hostile towards them, but frankly given the history of this country I doubt that there even exists a non-racist version of American conservatism that would be at all logically consistent. So because they basically have no choice but to vote Democrat and hope that the party will repay them for their loyal support, the party has no incentive to actually listen to their concerns.

[Farealmer]

The problem for black voters is that, because everyone expects them to vote Democrat in every election, the party basically treats them as a captive audience and never really prioritizes the issues that are relevant to them. Meanwhile the GOP will never make any serious attempts at outreach because they decided decades ago that the racist white vote is more valuable. I suppose there is an argument to be made that black people are generally more socially conservative and would be inclined to vote Republican if the party wasn't so actively hostile towards them, but frankly given the history of this country I doubt that there even exists a non-racist version of American conservatism that would be at all logically consistent. So because they basically have no choice but to vote Democrat and hope that the party will repay them for their loyal support, the party has no incentive to actually listen to their concerns.

It's not like it's an impossible to please crowd either. It's just a very unfortunate situation I can only hope will change one day.

[GindyPosts]

The problem for black voters is that, because everyone expects them to vote Democrat in every election, the party basically treats them as a captive audience and never really prioritizes the issues that are relevant to them. Meanwhile the GOP will never make any serious attempts at outreach because they decided decades ago that the racist white vote is more valuable. I suppose there is an argument to be made that black people are generally more socially conservative and would be inclined to vote Republican if the party wasn't so actively hostile towards them, but frankly given the history of this country I doubt that there even exists a non-racist version of American conservatism that would be at all logically consistent. So because they basically have no choice but to vote Democrat and hope that the party will repay them for their loyal support, the party has no incentive to actually listen to their concerns.

I mean, it is unfortunate that so many Democratic politicians do take the minority vote for granted, considering that urban areas have to deal with blight in large part thanks to the lingering aftermath of racist policies in both the North and South (in the North, you didn't need Jim Crow laws because the wealth gap was a good enough deterrent in keeping the riff-raff out) and being afraid to discuss it out of fears of pissing off the angry bigots in your district who complain about everything you do anyway. However, considering it's important to have these serious issues and if people aren't willing to talk about them without demanding the topics be dumbed down to "gun control" and "abortions", then they shouldn't be part of the discussion to begin with. And a constant refusal to have this argument just enables both the continuation of problems in communities and also, inadvertently, the angry bigots you're trying to ignore.

The problem with American conservatism, at least the one that I feel is often stressed, is it applies an "appeal to nostalgia" argument, about how things were better in the old days, when gay people didn't exist, and women didn't have an active role in society, and minorities stayed in one side of town... that we need to go back. While American liberalism often argues about change for the sake of change (which itself has problems), American conservatism implores society must remain constant and any disruption to this is dangerous to the American way... a way, mind you, was established more than 200 years ago by people who are all long dead and never considered things like homosexual rights and welfare programs.

[Tami]

No masks allowed: stores turn customers away in US culture war

In the last few weeks a spate of American stores have made headlines after putting up signs telling customers who wear masks they will be denied entry. On Thursday, Vice reported on a Kentucky convenience store that put up a sign reading: “NO Face Masks allowed in store. Lower your mask or go somewhere else. Stop listening to [Kentucky governor Andy] Beshear, he’s a dumbass.”

Another sign was posted by a Californian construction store earlier this month encouraging hugs but not masks. In Illinois, a gas station employee who put up a similar sign has since defended herself, arguing that mask-wearing made it hard to differentiate between adults and children when selling booze and cigarettes.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump finally caved and wore a face mask yesterday – something he didn’t want to “give the press the pleasure of seeing”. But while it is gratifying to see the emperor finally forced to wear clothes, you’ve got to wonder to what extent the virus will spread thanks to the actions of citizens insisting on protecting their “freedom” over the right of others not to get sick.

Anti-lockdown protesters have argued that it is anti-American for the government to curtail people’s freedoms in order to reduce deaths as a result of Covid-19. Meanwhile, store owners tell customers what they can and cannot wear before entering, and customers cough in the faces of workers in the name of freedom.

[Mister Mets]

The problem for black voters is that, because everyone expects them to vote Democrat in every election, the party basically treats them as a captive audience and never really prioritizes the issues that are relevant to them. Meanwhile the GOP will never make any serious attempts at outreach because they decided decades ago that the racist white vote is more valuable. I suppose there is an argument to be made that black people are generally more socially conservative and would be inclined to vote Republican if the party wasn't so actively hostile towards them, but frankly given the history of this country I doubt that there even exists a non-racist version of American conservatism that would be at all logically consistent. So because they basically have no choice but to vote Democrat and hope that the party will repay them for their loyal support, the party has no incentive to actually listen to their concerns.

What issues should Democrats prioritize that are relevant to African-American voters? What policies would increase/ solidify turnout among this voting bloc?

[Steel Inquisitor]

The problem for black voters is that, because everyone expects them to vote Democrat in every election, the party basically treats them as a captive audience and never really prioritizes the issues that are relevant to them. Meanwhile the GOP will never make any serious attempts at outreach because they decided decades ago that the racist white vote is more valuable. I suppose there is an argument to be made that black people are generally more socially conservative and would be inclined to vote Republican if the party wasn't so actively hostile towards them, but frankly given the history of this country I doubt that there even exists a non-racist version of American conservatism that would be at all logically consistent. So because they basically have no choice but to vote Democrat and hope that the party will repay them for their loyal support, the party has no incentive to actually listen to their concerns.

This is what I'd expect a Republican to say to chip off Black voters, it's the gross "Democratic plantation" fallacy.

https://www.newsweek.com/fox-and-fri...-owners-904054

"We are very thankful to the white Republicans that allowed us a seat at the table to speak our truth about what's going on, unlike the black men. And the reason why I say that is because we have been on the Democrat plantation," said Richardson also known as Silk. "We know what it's like over there. They are the ones that condition black people's minds to make us think that white Republicans don't want us to work, don't want us to have any money in our pocket, but it was a black man that was concerned about how much money Diamond and Silk was making and was appalled about us making money legally."

[Kirby101]

What issues should Democrats prioritize that are relevant to African-American voters? What policies would increase/ solidify turnout among this voting bloc?

I would think police shooting unarmed black people would be one.

[Kirby101]

Tough to argue when facts aren't on your side. Always easy to ignore rather than engage. Can't say I'm surprised, but still a bit disappointed so many take that stance.

At this point in the Administration of one of the most corrupt and incompetent Presidents in history, what could anyone possible say that would make him loose your support? Maybe no one wants to spend time in a futile effort?

[GindyPosts]

What issues should Democrats prioritize that are relevant to African-American voters? What policies would increase/ solidify turnout among this voting bloc?

For starters, crime. In high crime areas, people usually don't turn to crime for the sake of hooliganism and making life hell for everyone, as it's depicted in TV shows and movies. Urban blight and decay happened when all the people who could afford leaving the city to the suburbs left and left the area to rot, and rather than approach the solution as if improving the areas by tearing down abandoned lots (which attract drug dealers, vandalism, and solicitation) and building affordable apartments, the solution is to increase police activity and treat it like a warzone. In New Orleans, the city is still recovering from Katrina, but if you go to East New Orleans, you could make the case the area was hit by the hurricane a few weeks ago. The city decided what was important to invest in when they rebuilt and East New Orleans was at the very bottom of the list, and as a result, if you're living in that area, criminal activity becomes very tempting to survive. This is often true with prostitution and drug dealers; despite those after school specials and commercials, it's highly unlikely people slinging illegal drugs are doing it maliciously, but rather trying to survive himself. And the War on Drugs, which was supported by both Democrats and Republicans, resulted in too many people in jail for drug charges, and was a huge failure. On a local level, the near east side is always the butt of peoples jokes; I remember a teacher in the 7th grade once commenting that they should nuke the side. They're building a new jail facility on an old coke plant site in that side of town because it had the lowest opposition.

[GindyPosts]

At this point in the Administration of one of the most corrupt and incompetent Presidents in history, what could anyone possible say that would make him loose your support? Maybe no one wants to spend time in a futile effort?

People who voted for him in 2016 and wanted to reelect him made up their minds years ago and still consider him the greatest president ever. James freaking Woods thinks he's the most patriotic president we've ever had despite him never serving in combat, and many religious people are willing to ignore his impurities and illicit acts (thrice married, sexual deviant, casino owner) as he's apparently the second coming of Jesus.

You're willing to believe anything if you set your mind to it hard enough.

[GindyPosts]

This is what I'd expect a Republican to say to chip off Black voters, it's the gross "Democratic plantation" fallacy.

https://www.newsweek.com/fox-and-fri...-owners-904054

Mmm... that Candace Owens/Diamond & Silk talk sure resonates with the middle aged suburban people who get their news from the National Enquirer.

[Tami]

Trump’s Press Secretary Displays One of His Checks in a Little Too Much Detail

WASHINGTON — It’s a feel-good story that President Trump’s press secretaries have relished over the years: the quarterly announcement of which government agency Mr. Trump has selected to be the lucky recipient of his salary, an easy way to show the president sticking to his 2016 campaign pledge to forgo his $400,000 salary and donate it.

In the past, the $100,000 check from Mr. Trump has been made out to the Small Business Administration initiative to help veteran entrepreneurs, to the Office of the Surgeon General to fight the opioid epidemic, and to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, among other places.

But on Friday, Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, did not just reveal that the president was sending his salary to the Department of Health and Human Services to help “support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain and combat the coronavirus.”

She also displayed the president’s private bank account and routing numbers.

The $100,000 check she held up like a prop appeared to be a real check from Capital One, complete with the relevant details. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but an administration official said mock checks were never used in the briefing.