World is Falling Apart Thread (Locked forever)

[Blu]

Mike, I've not seen a more voyeuristic post on a variety of topics that deflects criticism of Donald Trump more than what I just read. Seriously. Where are you getting this stuff?

Donald Trump did nothing in his visits to Detroit to give any sense of confidence or lend an olive branch to the people who live here. More importantly, it's naive to think that he's going to bring back any of these jobs (so it'll be fun watching how he backpedals once you realized he's duped you) in the global economy we currently have. Automation and cheap labor keep operating costs down, how is he going to uphold that campaign promise? He won't. He doesn't have that clout to reel that one in.

What on earth is President Obama to do, other than through Executive Action, when he's been obstructed by Congress for 8 years? Literally the GOP's tactic was make him inert, state that government is in shambles, so that they could win the presidency in 2016. He can only be a symbol at this point. At least he carried the dignity of the office for those 8 years, bearing the brunt of a helluva a lot of insults that neither you nor I would be subjected to, on the basis of the color of our skin. Keep in mind that your esteemed president-elect, Donald Trump, claimed he was illegitimate to office by birth. Remember that one? Because that's there. Funny, I can't recall when a white president was deemed to be ineligible to govern because of allegations he wasn't native-born citizen. There's your full-blown dogwhistle racism, keep normalizing it, rationalizing it.

A man who can't control his sexual urges (confirmed), who can't control his temperament (confirmed), who wouldn't rent to people of color in his apartments (confirmed, just like his daddy), or control any of his impulses just won the presidency. He's a fragile little manchild who can't stand criticism of any sort. He's got as his right-hand man a person who feels gay conversions are A-OK (not traumatic at all) and telling women what's right and not right to their bodies is appropriate.

He's insulted people on ability, class, race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin. Perhaps it's really insular in your woods in Minnesota, but we have plenty of friends now that are uncertain if it's safe to remain in this country. People's whose futures are questioned. My friend's children are talking about how their classmates were laughing and joking that they're going to be sent away because they have different color skin. People who will have their ability to be parents questioned because they're gay. There's your attitudes that have been normalized and setting us back 50+ years, brought out into the open.

For someone who hold's Christ's teachings so dear and close to their heart, I have hardly any idea what you see in him. He's not a Christian, let alone a decent human being. Your children have a great role model to look to in our president-elect, I hope you can explain to them (read: rationalize to them) how he reflects your values in the coming four years.

But no, you won't bear the brunt of any of the decisions he makes. All that you'll have left is your white man's guilt if things actually do take a turn for the worse. No, anyone that's had to bear the racist, xenophobic, homophobic, ableist, sexist nonsense over the past year is who's going to suffer under this administration.

[Exhuminator]

You think your country has been leaning "hard left"? Really?

Versus the previous eight Bush years? Yes it has.* You have to maintain a relative perspective.

And of course "hard left" for the USA is not equivalent to Europe's. I didn't say it was.

*Edit: During Obama's presidency, national gay marriage was legalized, and in many states marijuana use was legalized. Just two examples of left leaning politics taking action.

[Sarge]

I've never been a fan of Trump, but I feel there's an off chance that with the right people surrounding him, it won't be a train wreck. He's a wild card. I know what Sec. Clinton is. The corruption that I see from her and her camp is enough that I view her as the greater of two evils. I certainly didn't relish my vote, because we could have had so much better, but I can't change history. Yet.

I'll be honest, I'm a bit disappointed at how many here believe what Sec. Clinton said, in both substance and in number, but probably no more than y'all are of me viewing Trump as the lesser of the evils. And it's not like this is a new phenomenon; I'm practically numb to it at this point from a personal perspective.

[Reprise]

You think your country has been leaning "hard left"? Really?

Versus the previous eight Bush years? Yes it has. You have to maintain a relative perspective.

And of course "hard left" for the USA is not equivalent to Europe's. I didn't say it was.

Oh right, I getcha now. Sorry, it's just over here, the hard left is only used to describe concepts like Trotskyism and Communism. I mean, real Communism, by the way; not what you Americans call Communism (e.g. being nice to people and believing in concepts like equality, not shooting people and having accessible healthcare)

[Ack]

I've never been a fan of Trump, but I feel there's an off chance that with the right people surrounding him, it won't be a train wreck.

Speaking of which, Trump's transition team is already putting together sets of names for cabinet postings and other presidential appointments, all of which will apparently be reviewed first by Sen. Jeff Sessions, then by Donald Trump, possibly with suggestions from other supporters such as Chris Christie along the way. No announcements yet, though defense and intelligence-related positions are apparently being favored for his stronger supporters.

There is also the question of whether Paul Ryan will maintain his position as Speaker of the House.

[Exhuminator]

Oh right, I getcha now. Sorry, it's just over here, the hard left is only used to describe concepts like Trotskyism and Communism. I mean, real Communism, by the way; not what you Americans call Communism (e.g. being nice to people and believing in concepts like equality, not shooting people and having accessible healthcare)

I was talking about stuff like national gay marriage was legalized, and in many states marijuana use was legalized. Just two examples of left leaning politics taking action during Obama's time in office.

Dude, this is America leaning hard left:



Not quite as dramatic as full blown communism, I admit.

[Jmustang1968]

You think your country has been leaning "hard left"? Really?

Versus the previous eight Bush years? Yes it has. You have to maintain a relative perspective.

And of course "hard left" for the USA is not equivalent to Europe's. I didn't say it was.

Oh right, I getcha now. Sorry, it's just over here, the hard left is only used to describe concepts like Trotskyism and Communism. I mean, real Communism, by the way; not what you Americans call Communism (e.g. being nice to people and believing in concepts like equality, not shooting people and having accessible healthcare)

Lol yep Europe sets the foundation on being nice to each other...

[Sarge]

I mean, real Communism, by the way; not what you Americans call Communism (e.g. being nice to people and believing in concepts like equality, not shooting people and having accessible healthcare)

That's an awful lot of stereotyping...

[Reprise]

Lol yep Europe sets the foundation on being nice to each other...

I didn't say Europe sets any foundations.

I simply stated two facts:

- Hard Left is Trotskyism, Communism etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_left
- Americans, as a broad generalisation, often conflate terms opposing concepts like Socialism, Communism and Liberalism, and basically just think anything close to being 'left wing' = "evil communism". Case in point, describing America as being "hard left". I was mostly joking though and now understand what Exhuminator meant (compared to the Bush years).

I mean, real Communism, by the way; not what you Americans call Communism (e.g. being nice to people and believing in concepts like equality, not shooting people and having accessible healthcare)

That's an awful lot of stereotyping...

I'm pretty sure we can't call it stereotyping when you guys just elected Trump as president...

[Sarge]

The vast majority of us are trying to just live our lives, and figure out the optimal way to help everyone. We just happen to disagree on how best to achieve this. Said disagreement does not make the other side evil.