US Politics Thread 2021-24

[Rockstar]

And just to clarify what I mean when deficit spending keeps the taxpayer out of the loop and prevents us from having a say where OUR money goes.

Deficit Spending: The spending of public funds obtained by borrowing rather than by taxation.

At this point taxes are doing nothing other than just paying the interest on the money the FED keeps printing and loans to the Congress. And with interest rates going up that’s going to become harder and harder to do. So the call goes out to increase taxes even more. Let’s tax the rich! That gets votes! Meanwhile our economy is quickly turning into a dumpster fire thanks to decades of team politics and stupid campaign slogans.

[Dowly]

Just gotta weather it out, the trickle down effect will kick in aaaany day now.

[Moonlight]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Just gotta weather it out, the trickle down effect will kick in aaaany day now.

The midterm elections on November 8th? will be a kick in the ballot box for any politician who mentions the "Trickle Down Effect", I think the person who came up with that slogan is still pissing himself silly with laughter.

Midterm Elections
The Republicans are attempting to retake control of the House of Representatives and Senate to block Joe Biden's agenda, while most midterm elections can be a loss for the government, this one has the economy, inflation, immigration, rising crime and that Roe v Wade thing attached to it as well. Perhaps there are too many issues for the Republicans to focus on for them to take control of The Senate and the House this time but I wouldn't like to bet on the outcome of it.

Squeaky Bum time for the Democrats and the Republicans me thinks.

[Ostfriese]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Just gotta weather it out, the trickle down effect will kick in aaaany day now.

Like Elon Musk always says: "Next Year" And don't worry, he'll say the same in six months.

----

On a more serious note: I share Skybirds worries.

Within a decade American politics have managed to push the American people into a frenzied, increasingly violent "We vs. Them", in which they happily participate (no matter the political color). I cannot say whether this "we vs them" mentality has always been around, but it has definitely taken hold, and politicians and political candidates are only too happy to build on this mentality, even stoking it.
The important issues are no more than a side note. No political candidate offers even a hint of a solution, but a lot of emotions and a finger pointed at someone else (and more often than not it's the proverbial middle finger, not the index finger). Even worse: if a political candidate does not point his fingers at his/her opponent it's considered a weakness.

It's a situation which keeps the people busy with being at each others' throats so that they won't (and don't) notice how they are continually exploited. Warren Buffet once said there's class warfare, and it's the rich making war. With a population heavily engaged in a "we vs. them" trench war it's only too easy to exploit them. Those who feel they are superior and winning in the trench war will only take longer to notice that they lost to those who sent them into the trenches.

Someone in the German media said a few days ago that Americans had unlearned the art of compromise. That doesn't go far enough in my opinion. The American people have been systematically discouraged from even seeking compromises, they have been told that comprimises with the other party aren't possible anyway.
This is not a problem only the American people face, it's done in Democracies all over the world. However, I'm deeply worried about how well it has worked and still works in the US, because once you are in this struggle it's going to take a long, difficult time to get out of it.

[em2nought]

Compromise leads to men wearing nothing but ladies lingerie reading woke stories to your soon to be confused children.

[Ostfriese]

Originally Posted by em2nought

Compromise leads to men wearing nothing but ladies lingerie reading woke stories to your soon to be confused children.

You just proved my point.

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by Ostfriese

You just proved my point.

We've well learned that when the word compromise is used it really means they get what they want, and they always want more. They don't want the USA, they want something else.

[Dowly]

I think you're confusing compromise with kompromat.


See, the former is a deal that all parties agree on. So, for example, if the result would be men wearing women's lingerie, then the blame for that would be on all the parties. Including yours.


The latter is why the GOP loves Russia more than their own country.


Hopefully that cleared it.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by Dowly

The latter is why the GOP loves Russia more than their own country.

That is hilarious. Do you write your own material?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by u crank

That is hilarious. Do you write your own material?

It writes itself.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by Dowly

It writes itself.

Of course. Comedy is not an exact science.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by Ostfriese

Within a decade American politics have managed to push the American people into a frenzied, increasingly violent "We vs. Them", in which they happily participate (no matter the political color). I cannot say whether this "we vs them" mentality has always been around, but it has definitely taken hold, and politicians and political candidates are only too happy to build on this mentality, even stoking it.

What you say here is true but some reference points are needed. I was 18 years old in 1968. I remember what was going on very well. The US seem to be coming apart. Violent anti war protests, cities burning because riots, assasinations of major political figures (RFK and MLK), and a Democrat convention in Chicago which was called a police riot to name a few events. Not much has changed but we have yet to see that level of political division and violence since. Hope it stays that way.

No political candidate offers even a hint of a solution, but a lot of emotions and a finger pointed at someone else (and more often than not it's the proverbial middle finger, not the index finger). Even worse: if a political candidate does not point his fingers at his/her opponent it's considered a weakness.

Sad but true. Both Trump and Biden are shining examples of this problem. The demonization of political beliefs. There is no debate. It is good vs evil.

[mapuc]

Have USA entered the Twilight zone ?

It looks they have. What is there to expect now they are there ?

Markus

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Have USA entered the Twilight zone ?

It looks they have. What is there to expect now they are there ?

Markus

Like I said before, the vast majority of Americans have absolutely nothing to do with the headlines.

[Dowly]

At the bare miminum, anyone who has voted does have something to do with the headlines. All of the representatives have been voted in by the american people.