General Current Events/Political Discussion

[CodysGameRoom | 2,009]

Still waiting for supporters to chime in supporting this racist BS behavior.

[Strange | 1,702]

I agree that almost any of the other candidates would have been better than Biden, but don’t underestimate that silent group of “undecided” folks who don’t post online but decide elections regardless. They aren’t Trump supporters, they’re middle class swing voters and many of them are yearning for a return to “normal.”
 

That was said to me by someone I know who works in DC. He’s more optimistic than I am, but I hope he’s right.

[Tanooki | 4,953]

10 hours ago, MrWunderful said:

Wasnt he a registered democrat before?

 

Trump was good at convincing a significant amount of people that their problems were all someone else’s fault (Democrats/hillary) when in fact its conservatism that has left them behind. Being a great Con man, he somehow got people to identify himself has a common man out for working families- Which I will never understand, as he is known as the exact opposite. 
 

Born with a silver spoon, and never had to work an honest day in his life. He lied cheated and stole to get where he was, and used to laugh about not paying contractors who worked on his properties, daring them to sue him. 
 

He hired illegal immigrants, while accusing them of being rapists and stole money to upgrade soliders barracks to make a worthless wall to keep them out. 
 

Everything he does is 180 of conservatism that I grew up believing in. 
 

Somehow the GOP figured this was a horse  they could tie their cart to, because of an enthusiastic base that hated Hillary Clinton. 
 

Now, lifelong Conservatives who have actually made headway on an agenda are beings screamed at as RINOs because they arent a sycophant. 
 

But hey, if you can make everyone who doesnt believe what we believe in go away, then everything will be back the way it used to be. 

He was a democrat as far back as anyone can remember except for a couple years he was in the reform party and a couple more before switching to republican in 2012 as an independent.  If you track his speech, beliefs, antics and the rest the dude was anything but a republican and seemed to use his nickel show huckster podium act of knowing what to say to the right people at the right time to close a business deal, the deal being the nomination, then the election.  That's it.  He basically stated the obvious about Hillary and the democrats at that period while fairly well keeping his shittier elements in check to just squeak by and make the victory in 2016 for himself.  That's why there was before and after getting in a fairly numerous amount of right leaning independents and republicans (or conservatives) who were doing that whole NeverTrump thing and still enough cling to it.  The GOP didn't want that ass clinton in office, and didn't want to see anyone continuing the Obama era tactics either, so they took whatever worked to win and basically sold out.  Had Trump never entered I would have loved to see Rubio or Cruz go up against Hillary as she was wholly an awful unelectable person outside of the core democratic base that would rather not vote, than vote something else. I would have voted for either of them, ended up voting no one an stayed home.

[Crazy Climber | 150]

Here is some pics I took of Minneapolis this weekend. I wonder if my package at the post office is okay...tracking says it's still there...

These pics include - Wagreens, post office USPS, Arbys, Dollar Family Dollar,  Popeyes chicken, Uncle edgars/Hugos science fiction book store (I really liked that place), candy store, target, various apartments. This is just a SMALL fraction of what was hit. I think I'm most sad about the science fiction book store,has been there for like 50 years and was one of a kind for sure,I even feel bad for the crabby old owner that didn't like anyone. He didn't deserve to have his store burned down...

[Crazy Climber | 150]

Here is the science fiction book store before/after it was burned down,really going to miss that place...was a nerd paradise,he had everything you could think of...

[CodysGameRoom | 2,009]

Where are the board members who were arguing two months ago that systemic racism isn't a giant problem in this country? 

 

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

7 minutes ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Where are the board members who were arguing two months ago that systemic racism isn't a giant problem in this country? 

 

Thats what I said in that other thread. Still waiting to hear from an Honest to god Trumper who will convince me that they are better off now, and what Trump is doing is improving the USA.  
 

Something with proof of course, not Fox news regurgitation. 

[Strange | 1,702]

I’ve never in my life been a Biden fan and I’m still not, but it speaks volumes and volumes that Trump is hiding in his bunker while his opponent, Biden, is out meeting with protestors and asking them about their grievances.

Nation on fire. Civil unrest. Record unemployment. The current president is hiding from his problems while his opponent is out trying to help heal the nation. If this were almost any other country the choice would be clear. Unfortunately this is America.

[NESfiend | 1,517]

With the news feed providing so little to be hopeful about, I thought I would share this. This is a really cool story if anyone didn't see it. 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/us/flint-michigan-protest-police-trnd/index.html

[avatar! | 1,831]

5 hours ago, Crazy Climber said:

Here is some pics I took of Minneapolis this weekend. I wonder if my package at the post office is okay...tracking says it's still there...

Thank you for sharing the pics. I hope you stay safe. I fully support the protests against police brutality. However, once you become brutal yourself and riot, are you not the same monster?

But then, I've heard from people who evoke "The Boston Tea Party" and the founding of America... so are riots legit? Do they work? Well, perhaps it depends on whom you ask and what specifically you're asking. 

https://time.com/3951282/riot-violence-use-american-history/

Sherry Hamby  "violent resistance has sometimes led to positive social change...drawn attention to oppressive authoritarian rule...also spurred investigations into law enforcement or other government systems...But rioting—or other violent resistance—does not always make people’s lives better. The 2005 French riots surrounding Paris led to deaths, injuries, car burnings, and arrests."

Lawrence Grandpre "It’s presumptuous to assume those who have not experienced 400 years of anti-black violence have a right to moralize on the black community’s expressions of grief and rage. As such, to the extent to which urban rebellions help expand the range of askable questions and speakable thoughts on race in America, these actions have value."

John Hope Bryant "Can urban riots cause change? It’s a bit of a paradox...I wanted to unpack power and money and prosperity and repack it with poor people in mind, because it dawned on me that middle-class neighborhoods no matter their racial makeup didn’t riot; only poor ones did."

Noche Diaz "Was it right for Baltimore youth to rise up? Or Ferguson youth before that? Will it be right the next time people are sick of police killing them off? Yes, yes, yes!"

https://www.vox.com/2015/4/30/8518681/protests-riots-work

Rioting can spur change, but it can also lead to destructive backlash...In the immediate aftermath, riots can scare away investment and business from riot-torn communities. This is something that remains an issue in West Baltimore, where some buildings are still scarred by the 1968 riots..."Riots cut both ways," Sugrue said. "They do give a voice to the voiceless, but they can also lead to consequences that those who are challenging the system don't intend."

[LaytToTheParty | 22]

12 minutes ago, avatar! said:

Thank you for sharing the pics. I hope you stay safe. I fully support the protests against police brutality. However, once you become brutal yourself and riot, are you not the same monster?

But then, I've heard from people who evoke "The Boston Tea Party" and the founding of America... so are riots legit? Do they work?

The Boston Tea Party didn't help anything. It actually raised tentions between British soldiers and Boston civilians. As a result of the BTA, the King sent another 4,000 or so soldiers, and there were only about 20,000 civilians in Boston at this point. The most effective protests were peaceful. Boycotts shook the British government and forced them to repeal certain acts.

Seems like a similar situation here. I feel like violence is not the answer here, but not all of the crimes being committed are protesters. Oppurtunists and looters fucking suck. 

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

Heres a hilariously Ironic article about Trumps tweets and the Ferguson Riots where he  completely blamed Obama for the riots. Its a huffpost article for the FaKeNewS crowd (even though they are of little donnie’s tweets)

 

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5ed46ceac5b64286c7066ffd?ncid=APPLENEWS00001

 

 

THANKS OBAMA

[B.A. | 1,139]

9 hours ago, Crazy Climber said:

Here is the science fiction book store before/after it was burned down,really going to miss that place...was a nerd paradise,he had everything you could think of...

This one really sucks. Not enough cool unique places like this around anymore.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,019]

13 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Where are the board members who were arguing two months ago that systemic racism isn't a giant problem in this country? 

 

That's not what burned down buildings though and had pallets of bricks delivered just hours before peaceful protests were planned. 

So much of the destruction and provoking violence is done by suburban people who want to promote anarchy in this country. 

The destruction of public and private property is not a reflection of racial injustice in this country. It's a strain left by opportunists trying to advance their radical agenda. 

[Californication | 1,490]

People are stressed and tired. There are structural inequities and everyone can see them now. My estimate was that if the next stimulus program was as one sided as the first ones then people would riot, but I guess it just took one incredibly stupid cop to set everyone off. 

[YOURTURN | 1,257]

15 minutes ago, Californication said:

People are stressed and tired. There are structural inequities and everyone can see them now. My estimate was that if the next stimulus program was as one sided as the first ones then people would riot, but I guess it just took one incredibly stupid cop to set everyone off. 

There are talks that Derek Chauvin knew George Floyd from the time they both worked at a nightclub. Plus his body language in that now infamous photo not only has me believe that, it also has me believe that this was planned out for some time. So for me I am wondering what can happen if they found out his intent was pre-meditated after he was found guilty of third degree murder. 

As with the stimulus check, everything done with this Administration was mostly one-sided. Then again Trump has issues with a certain portion of the nation was fine letting Obama be the POTUS.

Edited June 2, 2020 by FenrirZero

[Californication | 1,490]

@Fenrirzero, 

The problem is bigger than George Floyd. There are many George Floyd's out there. 

While Trump and the Republicans were instrumental in paying off all the big corporations, don't forget about all the Democrats that signed off on the stimulus too. 

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

1 hour ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

That's not what burned down buildings though and had pallets of bricks delivered just hours before peaceful protests were planned. 

So much of the destruction and provoking violence is done by suburban people who want to promote anarchy in this country. 

The destruction of public and private property is not a reflection of racial injustice in this country. It's a strain left by opportunists trying to advance their radical agenda. 

Excellent point, but I think he may have been referring to the idea of police brutality against minorities (correct me if Im wrong)

 

That being said, all the white people breaking windows coming in from out of town seems fishy. I wouldnt be surprised if those alt right agitators were paid by some right wing dark money group so Trump can

1) demonize the protestors to his base 2) project that he is a strong leader (dont think anyone is buying that)

3) use the military to smack around minorities

 

getting to use the phrase “when the looting starts the shooting starts” probably gave him the stiffest triple A battery those stained tighty-whities have ever seen!

[YOURTURN | 1,257]

36 minutes ago, Californication said:

@Fenrirzero, 

The problem is bigger than George Floyd. There are many George Floyd's out there. 

While Trump and the Republicans were instrumental in paying off all the big corporations, don't forget about all the Democrats that signed off on the stimulus too. 

I am not going to disagree with you on the last part because the Democrats were also signed off on things that helped ruin our economy during George W. Bush's time as President. Obama was one of the Senators responsible for not keeping that budget in check. And when he became President he wanted to correct his share of his mistakes. Which would have been great for Republicans if they chose to maintain Reagan's legacy in some form. Because he stated that those who put party lines before the American people should be the last to have a role in our nation's political system. A policy the Democrats are trying to uphold despite having no say on who gets a check, etc.

As for the Republicans, the irony here is that those calling them such tend to be more Liberal than Conservative. Their shift from being Reagan Republicans to Trump Republicans is the very definition of being Liberal. And as I said before, his agenda is more anti-Obama than anything else. The only reason he targets the Democrats as a whole is because they dismissed the birther movement (which he was a part of) in favor of making history. And it was easy for him to do this because not only is he a public image, those who have influence got them to combat said former Constitutional Law Professor-turned-Senator-turned-President. Something that puts logic in a tricky position when you want to help the nation maintain its economy.

However... With George Floyd, I did point out the Officer-in-question's body language. If you add the report that both he and Floyd used to work at the same night club in the past this is not another police-related incident. Past incidents where death was the result often have the P.O. showing some type of effort that can be aggression or maintaining control. He literally stayed calm and cool to the point that one of his hands appears to be in a pocket. You might have seen officers be like that, but I never had. Hence why I also said, in a separate response, that he is lucky they did not notice this while deciding which degree of murder to persecute him with.

Thus my first response has me believe this is not your usual P.O. incident. And the second part has me stating that Trump is doing what he chooses to do for a reason. The follow-up is that agree or disagree, both the Democrats and Independents are forced in a tricky scenario: Look the other way and hope for the best, or contest and become campaign fodder.

[YOURTURN | 1,257]

16 hours ago, Crazy Climber said:

Here is some pics I took of Minneapolis this weekend. I wonder if my package at the post office is okay...tracking says it's still there...

These pics include - Wagreens, post office USPS, Arbys, Dollar Family Dollar,  Popeyes chicken, Uncle edgars/Hugos science fiction book store (I really liked that place), candy store, target, various apartments. This is just a SMALL fraction of what was hit. I think I'm most sad about the science fiction book store,has been there for like 50 years and was one of a kind for sure,I even feel bad for the crabby old owner that didn't like anyone. He didn't deserve to have his store burned down...

I found this in a more recent New York Times article:

Quote

In Chicago, the Justice Department arrested a man it accused of traveling across state lines to start riots, loot and attack law enforcement officers. The man, Matthew Lee Rupert, 28, was arrested after he visited Minneapolis and, according to the complaint, posted a video of himself on social media in which he could be seen setting fire to a store, looting another store and distributing explosives to others and encouraging them to attack police officers.

If he is involved in any of this, I can only hope that you and others will feel some satisfaction when the Judge states the punishment for said guilty verdict.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,019]

8 hours ago, MrWunderful said:

That being said, all the white people breaking windows coming in from out of town seems fishy. I wouldnt be surprised if those alt right agitators were paid by some right wing dark money group so Trump can

1) demonize the protestors to his base 2) project that he is a strong leader (dont think anyone is buying that)

3) use the military to smack around minorities

Interestingly enough, what they found in 2016 that it was actually other countries organizing it and having radical groups,.both left and right, carry our the actions. There was a great piece in rolling stone about it like a year ago. I was amazed that it got basically 0 coverage considering foreign meddling is such a big issue. 

It could also be alt left. Antifa wants riots to promote radical political change. The points you listed help them as well bc it pushes people who are left even further left. I forget where I read it but instances like this tend to only solidify preexisting views or push people in the way they were leaning. 

Also it can help the left bc the black vote didn't show up last time for Hilary, even after the riots in 2016. (I know it sounds horrible but it is an outcome).

[Crazy Climber | 150]

16 hours ago, avatar! said:

Thank you for sharing the pics. I hope you stay safe. I fully support the protests against police brutality. However, once you become brutal yourself and riot, are you not the same monster?

But then, I've heard from people who evoke "The Boston Tea Party" and the founding of America... so are riots legit? Do they work? Well, perhaps it depends on whom you ask and what specifically you're asking. 

https://time.com/3951282/riot-violence-use-american-history/

 

Thanks! I expand on this a little more below...

13 hours ago, B.A. said:

This one really sucks. Not enough cool unique places like this around anymore.

Dude...for real...it was a time capsule...

6 hours ago, FenrirZero said:

I found this in a more recent New York Times article:

If he is involved in any of this, I can only hope that you and others will feel some satisfaction when the Judge states the punishment for said guilty verdict.

So yeah, George Floyd was killed about a mile from my house. I've popped in a few of the protests (more as an observer since this is pretty much happening in my backyard) and there is a lot of different dynamics going on.

*Lots of peaceful protesters got "not so peaceful" at night...

*Definitely some "pro looters" were here. Anything that sells Booze, prescription pills or tobacco was cleaned out in a 10 mile radius (well outside the flight path of the protests) If they were local or out of state is hard to determine but nothing political about them, they had a job to do and they did it well...opportunists as they say...

*Many "questionable" buildings were also burned down. I won't get into my crazy conspiracies but living here for most of my life a few of these seem to coincidental to be part of the riots. (properties the city wants to develop(?), insurance scams(?), etc..) This is definitely not the case for ALL of them though but a few are VERY sketchy...especially when nicer newer buildings right next to them were untouched (not even any graffiti which is EVERYWHERE)

*yes, many out of state plates. Several with bumper stickers (Black lives matter,equal rights, etc..) that would "suggest"  they are here specifically for the protests "F*Ck 12" is spray painted everywhere, nobody from around here says that so at least a lot of skateboard suburb kids lol

*Overall, as far as I could tell, it was a little bit of everything coming together in a perfect storm. No one group did it. To suggest this was all ANTIFA or "white supremacist trump supporters" is a bit ridiculous and just drama for the news/etc All I can say is I do think if our Mayor Jacob Frey hadn't ordered the police force to stand down (the night most of the damage happened) and refused help from the National Guard for several days we probably wouldn't have rubble piles all over the city

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

How do you guys feel about the terms

”MAGAts”

or 

“Trumpanzees”

 

Poor taste? Hilarious? Stooping to the hider-in-chiefs level, or leveling the playing field?

[Hammerfestus | 3,892]

3 hours ago, MrWunderful said:

How do you guys feel about the terms

”MAGAts”

or 

“Trumpanzees”

 

Poor taste? Hilarious? Stooping to the hider-in-chiefs level, or leveling the playing field?

Overused.  Be more creative.  About as interesting as Libtards or Obummer on the other side.  

[spacepup | 2,412]

@MrWunderful If you want an honest opinion, I don't think there's any point nor is there anything all that constructive about using any names (particularly those with negative connotations) to describe the groups of people you are referring to.  

I think it's better to just focus on spreading awareness, facts, having discussions, encouraging people to get out and vote, etc.  I don't think stooping to any sort of level changes anything, and only frustrates or antagonizes others.  

This is really part of a broader thought process --- there is all this resentment and nitpicking and fighting and tit-for-tat out there, that does absolutely nothing to change anyone's mind or accomplish much other than making oneself feel better in the moment.  Pissing someone else off or calling them out on something, feels good in the moment, but what does it really accomplish?  We all get there sometimes and vent in that way, but I don't know....I'm just really tired of the negativity.  I see a lot of people doing a lot of yelling and talking, but no one's listening.  So what's the point?  I'd love to see open conversations, and not screaming matches.

I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic in this way and people are gonna be how they're gonna be, but I'm really trying hard to channel the anger or frustration I have about...lots of things...into something less contentious when I can.  Who knows what the right approach is, or what's more effective.  I'm not perfect at it either - just trying my best.