***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[RustyShackleford]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/ahmari-french-orban/591697/

Great article on the right's hypocrisy.

Adam Sewer is the best thing at the Atlantic

I think this is worth repeating that Adam Sewer brought some bars with this, and it is required reading for any and everyone that has to deal with a right wing so called defenders of free speech.

Mans was spitting.

Black Americans did not abandon liberal democracy because of slavery, Jim Crow, and the systematic destruction of whatever wealth they managed to accumulate; instead they took up arms in two world wars to defend it. Japanese Americans did not reject liberal democracy because of internment or the racist humiliation of Asian exclusion; they risked life and limb to preserve it. Latinos did not abandon liberal democracy because of “Operation *******,” or Proposition 187, or because of a man who won a presidential election on the strength of his hostility toward Latino immigrants. Gay, lesbian, and trans Americans did not abandon liberal democracy over decades of discrimination and abandonment in the face of an epidemic. This is, in part, because doing so would be tantamount to giving the state permission to destroy them, a thought so foreign to these defenders of the supposedly endangered religious right that the possibility has not even occurred to them. But it is also because of a peculiar irony of American history: The American creed has no more devoted adherents than those who have been historically denied its promises, and no more fair-weather friends than those who have taken them for granted.

 

[gry60]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/ahmari-french-orban/591697/

Great article on the right's hypocrisy.

Adam Sewer is the best thing at the Atlantic

The Illiberal Right Throws a Tantrum
A faction of the religious right has concluded that if liberal democracy does not guarantee victory, then it must be abandoned.


That's all I needed to read.

To religious folks, God and its servants do not lose and cannot lose, even though God can be everything, including a loser or an evildoer towards its own. You know it if you were brought up in a religious environment.

Now, point out the inconsistency of that line of thought, and watch the uber religious folks ignore you.

Furthermore, the structure of religious organizations is antithetical to the fundamental foundation of democracy: one requires full obedience, and even if questioning is tolerated, it must not be done outside of the context established by religion. This is why every major religion has multiple branches that have, at one time or another, fought among themselves to impose their understanding of the scripture as the only valid one (authoritarian behavior). On the other hand, democracy demands constant questioning of the authorities (the lawmakers) themselves.

So, it is not surprising to see the Religious Right abandon democracy; it was to be expected. And the GOP, in its arrogance, thought that they could control a dynamic that is older than any political system currently in place in the world by including fundamentalist policies in their platform in order to win.

Anyone who cares about the ideals of Democracy in America should advocate for a constitutional convention that will do away with the current political system. As of right now, it is simply too easily exploitable by extremists, and we all know very well how stable countries run by zealots are.

 

[RustyShackleford]

The Illiberal Right Throws a Tantrum
A faction of the religious right has concluded that if liberal democracy does not guarantee victory, then it must be abandoned.


That's all I needed to read.

To religious folks, God and its servants do not lose and cannot lose, even though God can be everything, including a loser or an evildoer towards its own. You know it if you were brought up in a religious environment.

Now, point out the inconsistency of that line of thought, and watch the uber religious folks ignore you.

Furthermore, the structure of religious organizations is antithetical to the fundamental foundation of democracy: one requires full obedience, and even if questioning is tolerated, it must not be done outside of the context established by religion. This is why every major religion has multiple branches that have, at one time or another, fought among themselves to impose their understanding of the scripture as the only valid one (authoritarian behavior). On the other hand, democracy demands constant questioning of the authorities (the lawmakers) themselves.

So, it is not surprising to see the Religious Right abandon democracy; it was to be expected. And the GOP, in its arrogance, thought that they could control a dynamic that is older than any political system currently in place in the world by including fundamentalist policies in their platform in order to win.

Anyone who cares about the ideals of Democracy in America should advocate for a constitutional convention that will do away with the current political system. As of right now, it is simply too easily exploitable by extremists, and we all know very well how stable countries run by zealots are.

I really think people underestimate how far off the deep end the GOP has gone.

Prior to 1980 there were people in the GOP what warned that the religious right should be marginalized because of their illberal tendencies and that if they every rose to control the GOP that any sort of reasonable governance would be lost. Low life like Barry Goldwater were saying this too. But thirsty for for power and plunder they still backed Reagan, the worst of the worst came to control the GOP, and all was lost. To make matters worse we have progressively descended further and further into madness as the GOP realized their platform in fair elections is not enough to win.

We are definitely in a cold civil war right not but there are structures and habits keeping us from descending into a hot civil war. The fact that half our population is apathetic to the political process, the fact America is a large country, and the most marginalized are the least armed, is the firewall. But if we keep going down this path, those things will not be able to protect folk forever.

The righteous right is terrorizing most of this country. And I don't even think I am being hyperbolic. Think of how many death because of gun violence, epidemics, poverty, lack of health care, poor infrastructure, and so on, they have not only allowed but made worse just to impose their ideology on the country. Look how for decades they have prevent action on global warming, something that legit has a chance at wiping out humanity.

If in 20-30 years climate change is ravaging us, and liberals/leftist are winning 60% of the vote and still not be in power, **** gonna turn violent.

You either give people true democracy and agency over their lives, or else they will strip you of ours. Soon or later.

But you are right. If the right is fighting to have a constitutional convention to destroy democracy, the left must fight for one to fully install it.

 

[aepps20]

Fellas I'm back. After rooting for my Lakers/Dubs/Patriots/Clemson/Duke/Red Sox/Raptors/Blues/Alabama to an NBA championship, I'm here to let libs know that they are TOAST.

 

[whywesteppin]

Fellas I'm back. After rooting for my Lakers/Dubs/Patriots/Clemson/Duke/Red Sox/Raptors/Blues/Alabama to an NBA championship, I'm here to let libs know that they are TOAST.

Steve Kerr on Trump a couple years ago: "You want for there to be respect and dignity and there hasn’t been any.”

Fast forward to 2019:







The COUNTERPUNCHER does not miss!

#smashmouthpolitics

 

[aepps20]

Steve Kerr on Trump a couple years ago: "You want for there to be respect and dignity and there hasn’t been any.”

Fast forward to 2019:







The COUNTERPUNCHER does not miss!

#smashmouthpolitics

Can't wait for da Raptors to get the invite to the White House. They will accept and stand at attention when eating cold McDs. They will laugh at Beta Durant, Mychal's Son and Riley's Dad.

 

[Belgium]

Still no sign of a spine emerging in Don McGahn.

 

[KHUFU]

I wonder if the Raptors decline the invite to the White House, will trump try and make an enemy of Canada?
Never been to Canada, not very fond of the place! BORING. They should be grateful that America allows them to play in the NBA, a league that I do not watch, but many Americans do. If Canada was so great, why don't they have their own players on that team? Keep the players standing proud for the flag in America! #MAGA

 

[RustyShackleford]

The Raptors are probably not gonna be invited to see Trump anyway, nor do I doubt they would they go to the White House if Clinton was there.

They are probably gonna go see Trudeau

 

[Nike Jordan]

The Blue Jays went to the White House when they won the World Series.

But that was a different time.

 

[RustyShackleford]

If Obama was still president, I'm pretty sure them dudes would go.

 

[blastercombo]

Ain’t nobody but the patriots or other maga football teams going to the whitehouse

 

[deuce king]

They don't wanna see Brenard win, threw my socialist president elect in the gauntlet. Che and Sankara died for this ****.

# FailBernie2020

 

[aepps20]

The Raptors are probably not gonna be invited to see Trump anyway, nor do I doubt they would they go to the White House if Clinton was there.

They are probably gonna go see Trudeau

Rusty, Rusty, Rusty, I already said they will accept the invite and stand at attention when eating cold McDs. These players know what a disaster America was under Obummer and what a disaster Canada is under Trudeau. Kawhi is the strong silent type just like our PRESIDENT ELECT. They will connect.

 

[RustyShackleford]

aepps20 and me after Big Mama told Zel he is not invited to the 4th of July cookout because he stole her Susu money again...

Peace, finally!!!

 

[Belgium]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/15/business/india-tariffs-trade-trump.html
India Raises Tariffs, Escalating Trade Fight With Trump
India announced late Saturday that it would raise tariffs on 28 categories of imports from the United States, the latest escalation in what has been a slow-motion trade fightbetween the two countries.

The increased tariffs, on $1.4 billion of goods, went into effect Sunday morning in India and cover almonds, walnuts, apples and finished metal items, among other products.

Unlike other trade battles that President Trump has waged, such as the increasingly bitter feud with China, the conflict with India threatens far less economic pain to either country.

Tariffs on almonds, for example, will go up about 20 percent under the new rules — but that translates into a wholesale price increase of about 4.5 cents a pound for almonds in the shell, according to industry officials. India is one of the largest markets in the world for almonds from California, which produces most of the global supply, but growers are more focused on wooing Indian shoppers from locally grown nuts like cashews than on the trade duties.

India first proposed the tariffs a year ago in response to the Trump administration’s increased tariffs on imported aluminum and steel.

But the Indian government kept postponing the duties as it tried to negotiate a broader trade agreement with Washington. Those talks broke down as India headed to elections this year.

At the end of May, President Trump announced he was revoking a preferential trade status for more than $5 billion in imports from India, a move that American officials had been considering for over a year. That prompted India to finally move forward with its long-threatened tariffs.

The tit-for-tat response allows both countries to signal that they are being tough on trade before two bilateral meetings this month: first a visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to New Delhi, and then a planned meeting between Mr. Trump and India’s recently re-elected prime minister, Narendra Modi, at the G-20 summit meeting in Japan at the end of June.

Those conversations are also expected to address more substantive disputes between the countries, such as the American embargo on Iranian oil and India’s planned purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems.

 

[aepps20]

aepps20 and me after Big Mama told Zel he is not invited to the 4th of July cookout because he stole her Susu money again...

Peace, finally!!!

Will never forget the time we had to give him the hands for stealing Big Mama's Bingo winnings.

 

[IATT]

 

[Belgium]

Excerpt:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/15/...tion=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage
U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid
The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russia’s electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir V. Putin and a demonstration of how the Trump administration is using new authorities to deploy cybertools more aggressively, current and former government officials said.

In interviews over the past three months, the officials described the previously unreported deployment of American computer code inside Russia’s grid and other targets as a classified companion to more publicly discussed action directed at Moscow’s disinformation and hacking units around the 2018 midterm elections.

 

[AEA18]

 

[blastercombo]

Alabama ladies and gentlemen. Get the **** outta there if you are

 

[deuce king]

But i thought Rusty said blacks didnt like Bernie?
I thought the only blacks supporting him were Cornel West, Big Boi, and Big Mike?
2nd most liked?
Sounds good to me.
He doesnt have to be Malcolm X to get votes.

Bernie2020

Must have been a poll taken from blacks in Washington Heights champ, the ones that don’t know any better. Either way that’s not going to be enough to get Bernie to where he thinks he needs to be which is getting the nomination. His lack of black support is going to have him on the outside looking in. Just like last time which is EXACTLY where Bernie needs to be as black America doesn’t care for about Bernie Sanders. Which is just picture perfect to me.

#FailBernie2020

 

[mplsdunk]

Me and this old head at work were listening to these conservatives talking and got to talking ourselves.

It’s like mental warfare out here. They truly believe stuff that isn’t even remotely true.

The funny thing is they (the 3 conservatives) always try to gang up on him because he’s an outspoken democrat. They threw snowflake out there and he just sonned them all. Dude is a damn marine and they are calling him a snowflake because he’s for prison reform.

 

[gry60]

Excerpt:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/15/us/politics/trump-cyber-russia-grid.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage
U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia’s Power Grid
The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russia’s electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir V. Putin and a demonstration of how the Trump administration is using new authorities to deploy cybertools more aggressively, current and former government officials said.

In interviews over the past three months, the officials described the previously unreported deployment of American computer code inside Russia’s grid and other targets as a classified companion to more publicly discussed action directed at Moscow’s disinformation and hacking units around the 2018 midterm elections.

Conducting cyber military operations on enemy infrastructure but can't keep the Commander in chief in the loop...

"Twas worth it; DA LIBS WERE OWNED!!!!!!!!!11!!!!11!"

 

[boris]

Conducting cyber military operations on enemy infrastructure but can't keep the Commander in chief in the loop...

"Twas worth it; DA LIBS WERE OWNED!!!!!!!!!11!!!!11!"

At least people like dwalk got their tax breaks. The rest of America can suffer under this idiot.