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

[hyped78]

That anti-trans policies are sadly becoming more normalized in other countries doesn't actually support your view that it isn't ugly.

No, but the medical assessments behind it do

“The changes in Europe are occurring more often at the health care policy level initiated by medical professionals, rather than through new or adjusted laws pushed by legislators, and experts say they haven’t been politicized to the extent they have been in the U.S.”

You just sound like the equivalent of an anti-vaxxer

[thwhtGuardian]

No, but the medical assessments behind it do

“The changes in Europe are occurring more often at the health care policy level initiated by medical professionals, rather than through new or adjusted laws pushed by legislators, and experts say they haven’t been politicized to the extent they have been in the U.S.”

You just sound like the equivalent of an anti-vaxxer

Then where are all the studies that definitively show that there is an overwhelming chance of harm?

Surely over the course of forty years that would have been established.

This all just reads like you're enjoying that transphobia is being codified.

[4saken1]

Today, there are more people working two jobs to make ends meet than before the pandemic.

Not getting those extended child tax credits has caused many to seek other sources of income, I imagine.

Your story states that the 8.7 million is the highest since pre-pandemic. Can you direct me to where it says it is higher?

[Kirby101]

Not getting those extended child tax credits has caused many to seek other sources of income, I imagine.

Your story states that the 8.7 million is the highest since pre-pandemic. Can you direct me to where it says it is higher?

This says it was 13 million in 2019. Who was President then?

And which Party wants to raise the Minimum Wage, and which Party has not a single member vote for an increase?

[Catlady in training]

A person who supports that e.g. trans women shouldn't compete in women's sports is a terrible person? Or stopping the routine administration of puberty blockers to kids based on an independent, non partisan, 4-year medical review? Just trying to understand because you made a sweeping statement

On sports: In professional sports, there should be a discussion, but probably only among the people who do those sports, not the general public who don't know what factors into individual performances. But it should start at determining whether there even should be separation for male and female athletes, for each sport separately. Preferably free of some sexist notions that women are some delicate flowers who can't hold their own against men. If there is a serious reason for separation, continue with determining how changes in trans people's bodies change their ability to perform those things. If not, why don't just merge them?
But at some point, it needs to be acknowledged that the abilities of people to perform professional sports are in part based on skills and physique they are born with, so there is never going to be full equality. A person with short legs is never going to run as fast as a person with long legs that trains exactly as hard. And I think it's fair to be wary that this gatekeeping of trans women will eventually move into gatekeeping of others, most likely black people who seem to be naturally better at some sports. Black cis women will probably suffer most, especially those with physiques that make them naturally better. Just look at the vile comments routinely thrown at Serena Williams, it's not exactly a new thing.

For non-professional sports, like school-sports, give me a break. People take them way too seriously already and traumatize children by yelling at them, teaching them to be overtly-competitive and only care about winning. They should be glad if children want to play any sports these days and don't just sit in front of a computer. When I was at school, we had everything together for competitions anyway, except for football for whatever reason, we had that one separately for girls and boys. That was honestly a nightmare, because there was just a few of us in my class, so we were all usually guilted into participating and guess who ended up bullied the most for being terrible at it.

[Jack Dracula]

Fast food seeing a drop in low income people

Two weeks ago, my wife, child and I went to Taco Bell and it was a little over $20. I was reading an article the other day that stated retired people, who once were the bulk of canned food donors to food pantries, are now receiving food from pantries.

Today, there are more people working two jobs to make ends meet than before the pandemic.

And yet, the Biden admin has conned people into believing that things are fine.

Just out of curiosity, are you posting this to convince people to not vote for Biden?
What is the end goal here?

[JackDaw]

On sports: In professional sports, there should be a discussion, but probably only among the people who do those sports, not the general public who don't know what factors into individual performances. But it should start at determining whether there even should be separation for male and female athletes, for each sport separately. Preferably free of some sexist notions that women are some delicate flowers who can't hold their own against men. If there is a serious reason for separation, continue with determining how changes in trans people's bodies change their ability to perform those things. If not, why don't just merge them?

What percentage of professional women athletes do you think want to see the separate women’s category abolished?

There’s maybe a case for abolishing men’s only categories, and turning that into “open for all” and preserving a women’s only category? (In most sports, of course, I agree there are some events where just the open category would suffice. But I do think that’s only true in a substantial minority of events.)

[CaptainEurope]

As if Trump would make it better!

Economic stats in the US show that things are indeed markedly better, which is not to say they're perfect

It's also worth pointing out that a lot of things are not fine because the GOP keeps blocking Democratic initiatives like a higher minimum wage or Medicare expansions, child tax credit.

[CaptainEurope]

The right-wing online news portal Voice of Europe has been revealed as a Kremlin operation.

Czechs Bust Major Russian Propaganda Network

The group used the Prague-based Voice of Europe news site to spread information seeking to discourage the European Union from sending aid to Ukraine, which has been battling a Russian invasion since February 2022.

Fiala said the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) discovered that the pro-Russian network was indulging in activities that "would have a serious impact on the security of the Czech Republic and the EU."

"This group sought to carry out operations and activities on EU territory aimed against the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine," Fiala told reporters.

"The group's activity... also reaches the European Parliament," he said, refusing to disclose further details.

The Denik N daily said the news site had published statements by politicians demanding the EU halt aid to Ukraine.

Some European politicians cooperating with the news site were paid from Russian funds that in some cases also covered their 2024 EU election campaign, the daily adds.

The payments targeted politicians from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Poland, Denik N said, citing a Czech foreign ministry source.

It singled out the far-right German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) as being involved.

Taking Russian money to speak against European interests. Treason.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

It's also worth pointing out that a lot of things are not fine because the GOP keeps blocking Democratic initiatives like a higher minimum wage or Medicare expansions, child tax credit.

It's standard operating procedure for Qpublicans to block, if not straight up kill any legislation that would help the working people, especially when a Democrat is in the Oval Office.

[kidfresh512]

Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in New York hush-money criminal case

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order ahead of his April 15 hush-money criminal trial, making a fallacious claim about his daughter and urging him to step aside from the case.

In a social media post, the former president suggested without evidence that Judge Juan M. Merchan was kowtowing to his daughter’s interests as a Democratic political consultant. He also made a claim — later repudiated by court officials — that she had posted a social media photo showing Trump behind bars.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, complained on his Truth Social platform that the gag order issued Tuesday was “illegal, un-American, unConstitutional.” He said that Merchan, a veteran Manhattan jurist, was “wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement” by Democratic rivals.

Trump claimed that Merchan’s daughter, Loren Merchan, whose firm has worked on campaigns for President Joe Biden and other Democrats, had recently posted a photo on social media depicting her “obvious goal” of seeing him jailed.

In a statement, a spokesperson for New York’s state court system said that claim was false and that the social media account Trump was referencing no longer belongs to Loren Merchan. It appears to have been taken over by someone else after she deleted it about a year ago, court spokesperson Al Baker said.

This is so swampy. and his supporters scream bloody murder when he gets a gag order slapped on him. Instead of defending himself and saying he didn't do these crimes. He and his people just go after the judges, family, court system in general. Muddy the cases, hurl accusations that even after they are proven false they will never be clear in the eyes of his MAGA supporters and disinformation party.

[CaptainEurope]

Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in New York hush-money criminal case



This is so swampy. and his supporters scream bloody murder when he gets a gag order slapped on him. Instead of defending himself and saying he didn't do these crimes. He and his people just go after the judges, family, court system in general. Muddy the cases, hurl accusations that even after they are proven false they will never be clear in the eyes of his MAGA supporters and disinformation party.

Maybe in the inevitable appeal they will claim that Trump could not get a fair trial because he had previously attacked the judge and his daughter?

[Dalak]

On sports: In professional sports, there should be a discussion, but probably only among the people who do those sports, not the general public who don't know what factors into individual performances. But it should start at determining whether there even should be separation for male and female athletes, for each sport separately. Preferably free of some sexist notions that women are some delicate flowers who can't hold their own against men. If there is a serious reason for separation, continue with determining how changes in trans people's bodies change their ability to perform those things. If not, why don't just merge them?
But at some point, it needs to be acknowledged that the abilities of people to perform professional sports are in part based on skills and physique they are born with, so there is never going to be full equality. A person with short legs is never going to run as fast as a person with long legs that trains exactly as hard. And I think it's fair to be wary that this gatekeeping of trans women will eventually move into gatekeeping of others, most likely black people who seem to be naturally better at some sports. Black cis women will probably suffer most, especially those with physiques that make them naturally better. Just look at the vile comments routinely thrown at Serena Williams, it's not exactly a new thing.

For non-professional sports, like school-sports, give me a break. People take them way too seriously already and traumatize children by yelling at them, teaching them to be overtly-competitive and only care about winning. They should be glad if children want to play any sports these days and don't just sit in front of a computer. When I was at school, we had everything together for competitions anyway, except for football for whatever reason, we had that one separately for girls and boys. That was honestly a nightmare, because there was just a few of us in my class, so we were all usually guilted into participating and guess who ended up bullied the most for being terrible at it.

On the issue of Transgender Sports, when Trans bans and selective championship removals were enacted for CHESS of all things it's clear it's not about science or biology. If you support that sort of thing, it's not about protecting women who are just as smart as Men if not smarter on-average. Chess skills recognize no gender.

It's also worth pointing out that a lot of things are not fine because the GOP keeps blocking Democratic initiatives like a higher minimum wage or Medicare expansions, child tax credit.

It's standard operating procedure for Qpublicans to block, if not straight up kill any legislation that would help the working people, especially when a Democrat is in the Oval Office.

Pretty much this, it's so commonplace that people have been blaming the Dems for not having the ability to push past this constant constraint for years now.

The right-wing online news portal Voice of Europe has been revealed as a Kremlin operation.

Czechs Bust Major Russian Propaganda Network

Taking Russian money to speak against European interests. Treason.

Misinformation from high and low deserves to be taken down.

Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in New York hush-money criminal case

This is so swampy. and his supporters scream bloody murder when he gets a gag order slapped on him. Instead of defending himself and saying he didn't do these crimes. He and his people just go after the judges, family, court system in general. Muddy the cases, hurl accusations that even after they are proven false they will never be clear in the eyes of his MAGA supporters and disinformation party.

Maybe in the inevitable appeal they will claim that Trump could not get a fair trial because he had previously attacked the judge and his daughter?

The gag order limited who he could attack, and he has to attack someone to keep the violent masses he's been whipping up for years now on-target. Otherwise they'll eat their own as shown by the US House. Trump's appeals in all cases lack merit, but the American legal system allows his lawyers to make them and has the Judge in question say if it has merit except in special circumstances which these cases don't count for. That's part of why the "Put up the money to appeal" clause is so popular.

[kidfresh512]

Republican-passed bill removes role of Democratic governor if Senate vacancy occurs in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a bill stripping the state's Democratic governor of any role in picking someone to occupy a U.S. Senate seat if a vacancy occurred in the home state of 82-year-old Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

The legislation calls for a special election to fill any Senate vacancy from the Bluegrass State. The special election winner would hold the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term.

“So it would be a direct voice of the people determining how the vacancy is filled,” Republican Senate President Robert Stivers said while presenting the bill to his colleagues.

The state Senate voted 34-3 after a brief discussion to send the bill to Gov. Andy Beshear. The governor has denounced the measure as driven by partisanship, but the GOP supermajority legislature could override a veto when lawmakers reconvene for the final two days of this year's session in mid-April.

Everything fine when they have the House/Senate and Gov office. But when those pesky Dems start winning we gotta make sure that "the people" can decide. Unless they decide to vote to have Abortion in red state constitutions then we need to make sure that stops too!

[Malvolio]

So what Trump does is trash talk the judge, then have his lawyer claim that the judge can't possibly be impartial when the defendant has trash talked against him. That's a pretty sneaky strategy. And it should be thrown right out.