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

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I guess we'll see where Abbott goes from here. Some of the anti-mask, anti-vax crowd do a 180 when they get Covid themselves and they start encouraging people to get vaccinated and/or wear masks. But some of them double-down and continue their foolishness.

I suspect you can count Abbott in the bolded category, especially since it was reported he had been vaccinated beforehand, so his symptoms were said to have been minor. Even if he had been like Trump who, depending on who you talk to, had been in seriously bad health from the virus, Abbott will continue being an assclown about the situation, just like Steve Scalise who remained a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, despite having nearly died from gunshot wounds suffered during the Congressional Ballpark Shooting several years ago. Bottom line: Qpublicans don't back away from the edge when given the chance, they gleefully jump off same.

[thwhtGuardian]

I just cannot make myself believe that, in general, the members of any society want themselves to have fewer opportunities than others in the same society.

I wouldn't like to think that myself either, and yet in many places all over the world it seems to be the case. I'd like a free and open society in the East, I just don't think we can force it, for it to happen the people have to want it and it has to come about organically from the inside because I can't really think of a successful case of nation building to date.

Maybe South Korea? But heck, even there, would they last if we pulled up stakes tomorrow?

I guess an argument that Japan was a successful case of nation building could be made(though I'd contend it was heading that way long before the US led reconstruction) but even so, that's two instances (with South Korea) out of how many attempts?

[The Cool Thatguy]

I wouldn't like to think that myself either, and yet in many places all over the world it seems to be the case. I'd like a free and open society in the East, I just don't think we can force it as I can't really think of a successful case of nation building to date.

Maybe South Korea? But heck, even there, would they last if we pulled up stakes tomorrow?

If they wouldn't last, it'd be because North Korea would launch an attack because of North Korea's amazingly stupid policies

[thwhtGuardian]

If they wouldn't last, it'd be because North Korea would launch an attack because of North Korea's amazingly stupid policies

That's part of what I'm saying, would they be able to hold their own against the North if hostilities resumed with out our aid? I mean, if western democracy is so star spangled awesome shouldn't it be triumphant on its own at this point in South Korea?

[The Cool Thatguy]

That's part of what I'm saying, would they be able to hold their own against the North if hostilities resumed with out our aid? I mean, if western democracy is so star spangled awesome shouldn't it be triumphant on its own at this point in South Korea?

They'd be facing an army that's been brainwashed for decades and hungry, literally, for their resources. North Korea would be an external threat. The Taliban are an internal threat, big difference.

[PwrdOn]

They'd be facing an army that's been brainwashed for decades and hungry, literally, for their resources. North Korea would be an external threat. The Taliban are an internal threat, big difference.

South Korea is pretty barren of natural resources, most of the wealth of the country comes from its scientific and technical expertise, none of which would pass to the North in the case of a takeover. And North Korea is only an "external threat" because decades of geopolitical meddling by foreign powers has kept the country divided against the will of people on both sides. One of these days, the Americans will have to leave and Korea will be unified one way or another, and regardless of how advanced and prosperous the South has become, I honestly have a difficult time seeing them victorious in that struggle.

[thwhtGuardian]

South Korea is pretty barren of natural resources, most of the wealth of the country comes from its scientific and technical expertise, none of which would pass to the North in the case of a takeover. And North Korea is only an "external threat" because decades of geopolitical meddling by foreign powers has kept the country divided against the will of people on both sides. One of these days, the Americans will have to leave and Korea will be unified one way or another, and regardless of how advanced and prosperous the South has become, I honestly have a difficult time seeing them victorious in that struggle.

That's my feeling as well, the division is of our making and not something that has naturally been decided by those living there which makes me wonder if it could succeed continuously with out our involvement.

[worstblogever]

Well, similar to Rand Paul's wife owning stock in a company producing Covid-19 treatments whose profit margins will be helped by there being more sick people and having him spreading Covid-19 information to ostensibly help his own family's bottom line...

We may now know why Ron DeSantis is questioning vaccine efficacy, and has been plainly so anti-mask/pro-gatherings during a pandemic... DeSantis' biggest political donor owns the company that makes the Regeneron treatment (per today's Orlando Sentinel).

They're killing people to help their stock options, and that of their donors.

[The Cool Thatguy]

South Korea is pretty barren of natural resources, most of the wealth of the country comes from its scientific and technical expertise, none of which would pass to the North in the case of a takeover. And North Korea is only an "external threat" because decades of geopolitical meddling by foreign powers has kept the country divided against the will of people on both sides. One of these days, the Americans will have to leave and Korea will be unified one way or another, and regardless of how advanced and prosperous the South has become, I honestly have a difficult time seeing them victorious in that struggle.

Yes, 'meddling foreign powers' that have kept any South Koreans from being thrown into concentration camps.

I know both Koreas would love to reunite, but I think we all know how it would go. And that their countries have diverged enough to consider them two different countries. One without systemic rape and human rights abuses, and one with.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Well, similar to Rand Paul's wife owning stock in a company producing Covid-19 treatments whose profit margins will be helped by there being more sick people and having him spreading Covid-19 information to ostensibly help his own family's bottom line...

We may now know why Ron DeSantis is questioning vaccine efficacy, and has been plainly so anti-mask/pro-gatherings during a pandemic... DeSantis' biggest political donor owns the company that makes the Regeneron treatment (per today's Orlando Sentinel).

They're killing people to help their stock options, and that of their donors.

At the end of the day, as with most things in life, it's all about the Benjamins, plain and simple. Makes me wonder if Greg Abbott, another strident anti-mask/anti-vaxxer has a deal similar to that of Paul and DeSantis.

[thwhtGuardian]

Yes, 'meddling foreign powers' that have kept any South Koreans from being thrown into concentration camps.

I know both Koreas would love to reunite, but I think we all know how it would go. And that their countries have diverged enough to consider them two different countries. One without systemic rape and human rights abuses, and one with.

Culturally? I don't really think that's the case.
I'm not saying I favor the way things are over North Korea, I'm just saying that I'm not sure that propping up countries is the way to go even if the alternative may not be better for the people involved. I don't think we can "export" democracy, I think it has to be home grown or it's doomed to fail.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Culturally? I don't really think that's the case.
I'm not saying I favor the way things are over North Korea, I'm just saying that I'm not sure that propping up countries is the way to go even if the alternative may not be better for the people involved. I don't think we can "export" democracy, I think it has to be home grown or it's doomed to fail.

Except with Korea we're not really exporting, we're supporting. Same with Taiwan.

The inability of 98 pound democracies from stopping 500 pound dictatorships isn't an internal institutional flaw so much as a simple matter of physics

[Kirby101]

I am not sure that N Korea could overwhelm S Korea without the support of China. Unless they go nuclear, then they all become a glowing, barren landscape.

[Tendrin]

I am not sure that N Korea could overwhelm S Korea without the support of China. Unless they go nuclear, then they all become a glowing, barren landscape.

I think it's a mighty huge assumption that North Korea would win. While they have a large military, the Republic of Korea is not that far behind them.

In South Korea, support for reunification has been steadily falling, unsurprisingly so.

[Kirby101]

I think it's a mighty huge assumption that North Korea would win. While they have a large military, the Republic of Korea is not that far behind them.

In South Korea, support for reunification has been steadily falling, unsurprisingly so.

I would think the support for unification under Kim in the South would be close to zero.