Eri

Interestingly enough, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey in 2023 in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. The data used in this analysis was part of a larger Pew Research Center project examining religion, spirituality and nonreligion in East Asia. And many people across the region believe that women and men make equally good political leaders. Men tend to perceive male leadership as somewhat more favorable, though the difference isn't significant. The current and historic lack of female leadership in East Asia is shrinking, which I think contributes to the increasing activism for gender equality and representation in politics and government over there.

Well if Tucker Carlson, Alex Jones or Fox News tells me so, then it MUST be true right? Lol But on a serious note, no they don't care about specifics. If people were as interested in the specifics as us, Trump would've lost. Not that it will matter now, while Project 2025 becomes our new "Constitution" 😓 Yes, I see this a lot (in Independents especially) from the 18-34 yo adults who are paying attention to politics - they can disparage Republicans and Democrats all day long because they're waiting for the two party system to break. I know one person who judges a president primarily by their foreign policy and if it's no good, then they're not a 'good' president. When I asked if there was a president with whom there was a foreign policy they did agree with, and they said "FDR, I guess? Clinton was the least bad but he still had a lot of issues." (for perspective, they "held their nose and voted for Harris anyway" but they didn't agree with Biden's stance on the conflict). I understand where they are coming from, it just..grates me. I don’t think the political situation will be fixed until the left/democrats truly align themselves as a voting bloc, as a coalition, and out the Republicans in force in order to majorly reform our electoral system. In a different political climate where a two party system is not mandatory, the Democrats would have split into two or three parties by now. But that climate doesn’t exist, especially when splitting the party guarantees Republican supremacy for the rest of the next half century. Bingo. Florida has already begun banning black history education in schools, some even changing the narrative on how slavery benefited black people. It's terrible. I also remember an article back in 2021 about Holocaust deniers and it was startling to me! One in 10 young Americans believes that the Holocaust never happened, while 23% think it’s a myth or that the number of those killed has been exaggerated. In a 50-state survey of Americans aged between 18 and 39, 12% said they had never heard, or thought they had never heard, the word “Holocaust” before. And almost half, 49%, couldn’t name a single one of the 40,000 concentration camps and ghettos in Europe during the Holocaust. 11% said they thought Jews, not the Nazis, were responsible for the Holocaust. That number goes up to 19% in New York state! This tells me that the conspiracy theories and other distorted content circulating on social media had already begun to influence narratives, even prior to Trump's first presidency. The conservatives have definitely used it to their advantage and have been rolling with it since then (an uninformed populace is easier to control after all). Unfortunately this trend is growing worldwide- among young people, women are growing more progressive while men are growing more conservative After seeing how many Gen Z males gravitated to Trump, they have become the "Andrew Tate/Joe Rogan" generation to me. Podcast bros, toxic masculinity rhetoric, machismo bro culture, among other things and I'm supposed to feel sorry for them because they're "lonely?" You don't get to shoot yourself in the foot and then demand I help you bandage the injury. Patch yourself up! When young white men are so fragile, even the mention of sexism or privilege makes them shut down? I don't understand what you expect anyone to do beyond self censor. But of course, let's listen to the genuine frustrations of a class of people who don't listen to the frustrations of others 😒

I've seen this too. Any interviews I've heard from MAGAs, "Not Trump," "Pro-life" and (scarily even) "Pro choice" conservatives from swing states (and anywhere really) over the last year has all been "Trump's just talking out his butt and just saying what he needs to in order get votes." "Of COURSE, he's not going to deport all those immigrants..just the murderers, rapists and gang leaders." "Nah, he's not REALLY going to invoke a national abortion ban." "Tariffs? Well...that's all speculation at this point" Their mindset being that they can "read between the lines" of what Trump is saying vs what is actually happening....or they blindly think Congress will keep him in check despite all the rhetoric. Even people whose businesses will hurt by these tariffs will still give him the benefit of the doubt because of some other issue (abortion, immigration, crime, etc). It doesn't seem to register to him that if a presidential candidate has to fearmonger like this in order to get votes, that is a problem in and of itself but whatever I guess 🙃 .....and despite ALL that they'll still vote for a higher minimum wage, paid sick leave, abortion protections or any progressive policy in their state. I just don't buy that not all of them are aware of the consequences - they simply do not care about the potential suffering to others.

Those type of folks are sad and lonely people because they've alienated their families so instead they "speak" to random people, it's all they have. The best explanation I've come across is that individuals who are susceptible to this kind of thinking may be seeking to fulfill an underlying psychological need, such as a sense of community, alleviating loneliness, or finding a sense of purpose. I recall a friend of mine was telling me how her brother's car broke down and the mechanic that helped them started rambling about Trump. This man didn't know them from Adam nor their political affiliation but felt compelled to rant anyway. He also mentioned how his daughter wouldn't talk to him anymore but he was going on and on about Trump. Gee, I wonder why? 🫠 Exactly - the prison pipeline is quite an enterprise and it wouldn't surprise me if private prisons stand to make a lot more money from all these deportations. It's all a business to them. I recall a fascinating radio segment I was listening to a few months back that was explaining how sheriff's offices are given outsized jurisdiction to become de facto "border agents" to question and detain any immigrants they deem "suspicious" until ICE could collect them. Basically, they are paid per diem to house undocumented immigrants in their jails, and in turn this makes them money for their county (jails cost a lot to upkeep after all). Their powers go unchecked and fly under the radar mostly too. I suspect now that Trump is back in office, he will rely more heavily on local law enforcement agencies for this plan because enforcing a police state is the only way to pull this off - more money pouring into immigration enforcement translates into big bucks for these sheriff's departments, particularly for rural counties. The book is called "The Highest Law In The Land: How The Unchecked Power Of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy" by Jessica Pishko if anyone is interested. You know how much anti-LGBTQ legislation was passed before 2021? Zero. Because this was a non-issue, before instigators like DeSantis and Abbott spent their time formulating a culture war bogeyman to distract people from the real issues.

I feel that. In 25 years no one will remember the timing of when Biden dropped out. The media railed him about his age, him being past his prime and being unable to keep a sentence together, but Trump (another old white guy) gets a pass? Has anyone looked at ANY interviews he has had over the last 2 yrs? Of course not. No one cares about the specifics. If they did, then Trump would've lost. Subbing in so late would've given Harris all the glory, but losing gives her all the blame and it's terribly unfortunate. Now the media wants to sell all these stories of how terrible Trump is for ratings, when they played a role in getting him elected. I will not give them the satisfaction 😒

Indeed - because they're meeting people where they are, and we see how effective it is in swaying votes and perspectives. Peoples' entire perception of the world are being dictated by algorithms, and I truly think it has been a blight on society’s advancement and humanity’s potential. Edit: Oops sorry for the double post - I can't seem to figure out how to merge my posts together.

I think that's just identity politics as was mentioned here in the discussion. People identify as Republicans so they vote for Republicans. I read an article that was pretty good. In absence of civic life (rotary clubs, church clubs, bowling league, etc.) a lot of people don't have a "group" they belong to besides "Republican." So in order to avoid being an outsider, they vote for their local in-group -Republicans. Not all of them support fascists though, which is why we see all the infighting with these Cabinet nominees going on lol I dunno, the argument is fundamentally consequentialist 🤔 If things end up with my friends and community being hate crimed and killed and I had the chance to stop that? I would.

I see what you are saying (truly), though I'd counter and ask how did their unbalanced power start to become the "majority rule?" You could argue this minority populace dismantled the checks and balances (via legislative and judiciary branches) of what a democracy *should* entail to do so in a legal, but very undemocratic fashion. One possible solution to address this is to reintroduce civics courses back into our education system to prevent apathy and replenish civil engagement at the state and local levels so people understand how government works (or doesn't work) for them. Given how there's already talks about dismantling the Department of Education, what then? There are many independent think tanks like the Heritage Foundation with the means and resources to influence and lobby their "rights" for them in ways that you or I ever could. Granted, the government doesn't have to listen to their suggestions but we're seeing checks and balances being eroded before our eyes. I agree that electoral reform does need to change, though look at the growing number of election deniers and conspiracy theorists now entering Congress. And once they dig their heels in, it's difficult to get them out because they prevent us from doing anything legally via voter restriction laws, gerrymandering districts, and other legal but unfair means. The president now has absolute immunity from prosecution when carrying out "official acts." (since when did we need to give presidents authority like a king?) And as you mentioned, people willingly voted for someone whose campaign promises are based on doing very undemocratic things. What else is there to conclude but that people are turning away from democracy in favor of something else (autocracy)?

Absolutely - I don't think even half the stuff people are exposing themselves to these days is actually "news." The problem is a lot of folks (across all age ranges but especially Gen Z) are gravitating to platforms outside the mainstream media that are unregulated and often go unchecked and unchallenged because tech bros won't enact policies to fact check and manage the discord. I've listened to a lot of analysis on how people voted since the election and a great majority of media influencers are men. A lot of folks going to random places online for their "news" - when it could just be a YouTube channel of Tucker Carlson complaining about vaccines or Joe Rogan on a podcast demonizing women or immigrants. Anyone can go on the internet and start sharing information (opinions) that is usually unsubstantiated, not fact checked, etc. and these businesses don't care or have the financial incentives to change that. The restriction to "freedom of speech" argument is their common excuse, but look at how 2016 turned out (Russian bots, outside hackers, and now AI...) so it's definitely a factor. Result: Facebook has become a cesspool for disinformation. Twitter has become a haven for hate speech. 4chan is full of white nationalists, just to name a few - it is getting out of control. I think a lot of people DO want social media to be more regulated but unfortunately, until Congress passes some sort of legislation that will hold these tech executives accountable, it will continue. And since we have such a geriatric Congress who never grew up with the internet, it will take even longer (no offense intended to any older posters on here). Case in point: How many times has Zuckerberg or some CIO from Silicon Valley been invited to the Congress floor to explain how their systems work? lol. The tech industry built the car and hold the keys at the same time - it's a dangerous position to be in when you only have the knowledge of what these tech execs are sharing to make decisions.

Indeed - If an atheist deemed The Bible too offensive, containing "illicit content' or against their beliefs, would Moms for Liberty respect their religious freedoms and agree to ban that as well? It's the tolerance paradox. If a society extends tolerance to those who are intolerant, it risks enabling the eventual dominance of intolerance, thereby undermining the very principle of tolerance.

Hmm, I don't think this is a new phenomenon at all, this has always been the case throughout US history - during the Civil Rights Movement, while folks were fighting for equality, churches were being bombed, white mobs were rioting all over the place because of desegregation, black children needed military escorts just to get the same education as white children. It wasn't "okay" to legislate back then either, but society's morality was that [white] institutional rule be the norm because inclusivity was a concern even during that time and so discrimination continued. Where was the "thick skin" back then? Now these same legislations that offered at least SOME protections are currently being rolled back or are expected to be. It's why some individuals feel more apprehensive than others. (i.e. Some examples include states that want to ban the word "climate change" or "vaccine" in their legislation, the book banning, banning non-white history to be taught in schools, among other things). Yes exactly, and society made that abundantly clear with communities getting death threats, burnt crosses on lawns, intimidation tactics, voter restriction laws - a LOT of violence was happening even 60-70-80 years ago that went unchecked, unchallenged and brushed aside because of the "opinion" to be recognized as a human being in the eyes of the government, the law and society. So this new resurgence of who should be allowed to say what, how, when by whom doesn't surprise me at all - the government wants this bickering to happen (see the Rainbow Coalition of 1969). I can understand why they think that way. In the "good ol days," men dominated the workforce, women remained in the home/kitchen and marginalized groups "knew their place" even during the rough economic periods. The Civil Rights Movement happened to be the turning point in my opinion. You are right, we can't argue with the way the Constitution was written, but keep in mind this was crafted from the perspective of white Anglo-Saxon Protestants holding a dominant role in the governance of the country for the foreseeable future (no women, no Catholics, no minorities, etc.). And in this country's 248 yr history, there has always been "limits." I think we (as a society) should be able to agree by now that democracy can't exist without equality - I'm not here to change your mind on that, just sharing a perspective.

Agreed. I'd go even further to say this isn't a Christian nation - it is a nation where you have the freedom to be Christian. Two very distinct differences.

I know we're being tongue in cheek, but despite that, a lot of folks and Republicans like to argue that "the economy" was better under Trump. However, I would also argue that he inherited a healthier, recovering economy from Obama's presidency at that time before COVID happened. The fact is the US has typically fared better under Democratic economic policies since WWII from a historic standpoint, according to the Joint Economic Committee (if you want the data/numbers): https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2024/10/the-u-s-economy-performs-better-under-democratic-presidents Overall job growth has been greater under Democratic presidents Unemployment is lower under Democratic presidents The economy grows more under Democratic presidents Manufacturing job growth is greater under Democratic presidents Manufacturing investment has surged under the Biden-Harris administration Small business creation has been higher under the Biden-Harris administration Twice as much was added to the national debt under President Trump as under President Biden Just so you know, JD Vance himself and Tom Cotton are Republican Senate Committee members on the JEC. Based on how popular progressive policies passed even in red states (despite them voting for Trump), I can only surmise that people love/benefit from leftist policies and programs, but abhor the idea of identifying or aligning with the left (vibes instead of policy). Maybe it's a classic case of "what do you mean I can't have everything I want?!" Capitalism won and continues its hold on the propaganda game.

I agree with this - the first time Obama won, the Republicans freaked out and they changed tactics by funneling money into local and state races to get Republican candidates in power; that's why you see a majority of state legislatures under Republican control and it's largely been that way ever since for the last 15 yrs. Yes, thank you, I'm going to use Missouri (overwhelmingly conservative) as an example, so any natives please correct me if I'm wrong. They voted for President, for Senate, for most of their House seats, for Governor. They gave Republicans a majority in both chambers of their state legislature...(no surprises there) However you look at their ballot measures for enshrining protections for abortion rights, an increase to to minimum wage and paid sick leave PASSING, even voting against new funding sources for law enforcement lol Even Trump was quoted as saying that a six week abortion ban in Florida was too short. So by extension, you could say that zero weeks in Missouri (with no exceptions for rape or incest) is probably not even something that he would agree with. Across the board, I'm seeing states who have endorsed progressive measures like abortion access and an increased minimum wage in ballot initiatives in their states so the question stands why do they keep electing people who are against the very type of policies they want? A classic case of "what do you mean I can't have everything I want?!" It proves to me that people voted based on 'popularity' rather than on actual policy, they wanted Trump because he's a hateful person but "the economy" is the socially acceptable answer.

Yes exactly. They like Trump because he's a racist and sexist old fart who can say what he likes without consequence, but "the economy" is the socially acceptable (if wrong) answer. They might see him as a "con man with a heart of gold" but a con man is still a con man.