Politics XXXIV (Politics never changes)

[ShadySands]

I guess technically it could be considered a conspiracy but it's pretty much what happened last time as Zor pointed out. The party is allowed to try to tip the scales as it sees fit and while it might be unfair to Bernie such is life.

Edited March 5, 2020 by ShadySands

[ComradeYellow]

As it should be.  Democrats should remain the staunchly centrist party, not the "progressive liberal" party that it was in the 1930's.  To me, Bernie just seems like the equivalent as someone running as a ghost of Abraham Lincoln in the 1932 Republican primary, how silly would that have been?

Neo-progressives are more libertarian than liberal, and that's how it should be for the foreseeable future.  I can't even read my Twitter feed because the meltdowns are so ridiculous.  I feel like I'm the only online person who has it figured out and it's kinda frustrating.

[Malcador]

Feel Sanders would probably still lose to Trump, so guess screwed either way.

[ShadySands]

Oh yeah, I think we've got Trump again for the next however many years.

[Hurlshort]

I'm not going to bother trying to predict anything anymore. I tried to explain how the delegate system works to my students today and I think I just made it worse. They now know less than they did at the start of the day. 

[Guard Dog]

1 hour ago, ShadySands said:

Oh yeah, I think we've got Trump again for the next however many years.

Lucky us. I suppose it could be worse. Not sure how... but somehow I guess.

[Gorth]

Imho Biden would make a just as bad a president as Trump. Same level of incompetency. Trump hides his behind bravado and threats, Biden simply can't remember how things works.

Edit: In hindsight, maybe Biden would at least let competent people run the government and not sack them every time a subordinate shows glimmers of intelligence.

[ShadySands]

Can't say I agree with that. I think Biden would at least appoint better people and also actually listen to them.

[Hurlshort]

I think I've said it before, but two bad people for 4 years is preferable to one for 8 years.

[Gorth]

30 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

Can't say I agree with that. I think Biden would at least appoint better people and also actually listen to them.

This.... sorry, I was having my edit post open for too long

[Bartimaeus]

8 minutes ago, Hurlshot said:

I think I've said it before, but two bad people for 4 years is preferable to one for 8 years.

In addition to what ShadySands said, this is also a good point. The same incompetency and/or corruption getting more and more entrenched is never a good thing: at the very least we can say we tried to throw the scumbags out, even if it turns out we just put more scumbags in. Then you throw them out the next time, too...and, you know, you'd hope that eventually someone half-decent eventually catches on in the primaries. Somehow though, it seems like we just keep cycling through incompetents or scumbags, if not both. Well, I voted for somebody I didn't think was a scumbag both this time and last, and I got multiple other people to do the same, so I can at least say I tried...I guess.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Bartimaeus

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I don't really agree, I think a lot of bad stuff that happens is independent of who is currently head of state so long as they keep managing the same policies. Trump and his crew are a lot more brazenly ****ed up than a lot of past administrations but if Biden gets in there and starts doing the same thing with his friends then it's not a comfort that a different group is doing corrupt stuff that negatively impacts me.

[Zoraptor]

I doubt Biden would do anything near the more ludicrous Trump feats; I doubt Biden could do some of Trump's more outlandish feats if he wanted to. No hotels so no currying favour by staying at them, it's unlikely that Biden's son in law (does he even have one?) is going to be appointed to write a middle east peace plan while financing illegal settlements for one party to that peace plan and being massively in debt to Mr Bone Saw; as obvious examples. With Biden it would be the same old ways of taking legalised bungs to protect special interests, but that is hardly equivalent to Trump. Which I guess is why Trump's pushing the Hunter Biden/ Berisma thing so strongly, since that would potentially be a lot closer to Trump's behaviour.

Funny thing is I actually rather like Joe Biden, but I have very little doubt he'll lose barring some major perturbation. He'd have been a better candidate than Hillary 4 years ago, and probably would have won then.

[MedicineDan]

I think Zoraptor is right, except that I'm not sure Biden would lose a general.  As far as I'm concerned, a lot of non-pundits I see are simply better than the majority of the pundits in assessing the situation. Predictions before the elections prove these chumps wrong *a lot.*  Probably because we're not in a complete echo chamber.  I did *not* write off Biden in the bad old days of the early primary.  I don't know if I said this here, but I didn't think Biden could win the nomination.  I thought he was more viable as a candidate, but the fact is that he clearly has no place running for president.  Frankly, Biden is a terrible candidate in terms of mental acumen.  In terms of likeability, which is *considerably* important, Biden does have a distinct advantage.  On the other hand, Sanders could still win.  I think the fact that people are paying attention to his extreme positions over time will be his undoing.  Even then, the Democratic base might still put him over the top.  Heaven help us all.  Trump and Biden aren't revolutionary.  Sanders is probably our most revolutionary candidate in decades.  Certainly the most if we don't count doomed third party runs.

[Hurlshort]

I chuckle at the idea that a revolutionary candidate will actually be able to do anything revolutionary while in office. The executives powers still have limits, and every big move will be challenged heavily until it becomes a smaller move.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

15 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

I doubt Biden would do anything near the more ludicrous Trump feats; I doubt Biden could do some of Trump's more outlandish feats if he wanted to.

Yeah, I was talking about stuff like drone strikes or detention camps. Trump has set a bar that probably won't be beat in terms of what he's done for personal enrichment and nepotism, but that's less impactful than standard operating procedure of the US for a lot of people.

34 minutes ago, Hurlshot said:

I chuckle at the idea that a revolutionary candidate will actually be able to do anything revolutionary while in office. The executives powers still have limits, and every big move will be challenged heavily until it becomes a smaller move.

It's weird to call Bernie revolutionary. He's talking about reforming existing structures in the US to be in line with what other developed countries have, not about guillotines for ceos or whatever some folks seem to be screeching about.

[Gfted1]

US jobs report: Economy adds 273K jobs, unemployment at 3.5 percent.

It sounds good but once you factor in the underemployed and those that simply stopped working and decided to live without the need for money, Im pretty sure the true unemployment rate is ~95.3162%  

[Guard Dog]

2 hours ago, Hurlshot said:

I chuckle at the idea that a revolutionary candidate will actually be able to do anything revolutionary while in office. The executives powers still have limits, and every big move will be challenged heavily until it becomes a smaller move.

It's a beautiful system ain't it? Imagine a system that is DESIGNED to paralyze itself. It's a masterwork! 

Not being sarcastic.

[ComradeYellow]

Unfortunately it would probably take some kind of Civil War to update the system, as both ends of the spectrum would want it completely different.

I don't like Biden at all, he's about on par with John McCain on foreign policy, suffering from mad dementia, plus the alt right and the Hillbilly Democrats seem to like him so he can go to Hell.  He may even be worse than Trump.  At least Trump occaisionally tweets something that's contrary to "Official U.S. policy" and funny but Biden is like the robot corporate establishment shill.

[Raithe]

Surprise surprise..

NYTimes - Judge call's Barr's Handling of Mueller Report "distorted" and "misleading"

[majestic]

Well guys, just let Rich Evan stells you who you should vote for:

Granted that's four years old but still relevant.

[ComradeYellow]

https://www.ccn.com/chinas-insane-fortnite-limits-take-nanny-state-to-ridiculous-new-levels/

Way to go China, you're doing a fantastic job convincing people that your system is better.  I mean in some ways it is but this kind of censorship is totally horrifying to westerners, even disillusioned ones.

[Raithe]

For that slight wander of health and politics..

 

Women details how hard it is to get tested for Cornovirus in the US

 

[213374U]

So what I'm reading is... someone who had no reason to suspect she may be infected by SARS-CoV-2 talked to doctors. She was told that she shouldn't seek testing by at least two different people who are qualified to make that call, something she is not - obligatory reminder that medical degrees obtained in the University of Internet do not qualify one to self-diagnose or practice medicine. Common cold symptoms alone do not warrant testing.

Frustrated by the medical establishment, she took to Twatter instead, where her hysteria was echoed by other people with common cold symptoms, one of which is a ****ing Ph.D (!) who was later quarantined because she had actually had contact with a carrier and whose test results came up negative.

I think I'm... going to refrain from commenting further.

Edited March 7, 2020 by 213374U

[Guard Dog]

In 2002 the West Nile Virus was going to lead to a global pandemic. Two years later everyone was told to be afraid of SARS. In 2005 ot was the Bird Flu that will lead to human extinction. Four years later we were told to be scared of the Swine Flu. Ebola made everyone nervous in 2014 then in 2016 it was Zika. Now this. See a pattern here? This week the US Congress authorized $8.3B of our money to fight the Corona virus. The request and the plan in place only asked for $2.4B. What do you suppose will happen to the balance? It will disappear into thin air. Just like the other appropriations to keep us "safe" from the other s--t they whipped us into a frenzy over. 

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed. Hence clamorous to be led to safety by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins. All of them imaginary."  H.L Mencken

BTW, the US 10 Year Treasury fell to it's lowest yield yesterday. Lowest yield ever. The United States is $23.46T in debt and unfunded liabilities. The bonds are dropping in value because people think default is likely inevitable. Gold, which is really worth $800 is selling for $1674. Silver is worth $5 and is selling for $17. Bitcoin is worthless and it is selling for $9090. And here in the US we argue among ourselves over who gets to drive the car over the cliff. Because that is where it is going. 

If you guys have never listened to a thing I say, listen to me now. Get. Out. Of. Debt. If you are in get out. Do whatever you have to do. If you are out, don't go in. Don't make bug purchases. SAVE SOME MONEY. Do NOT buy bonds. If you do invest do so in things that are not tied to any one currency. Things that have value in and of themselves. Real estate is a good choice. It will never be worthless. Commodities are another.  

Every time I watch the news I feel the need to buy more ammunition and non-perishable food.