Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Spartan Girl]

14 minutes ago, partofme said:

Maher is just an asshole.  

And Jane Fonda called him out on it

[Dimity]

10 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

And Jane Fonda called him out on it

“That’s what they’re being told … by people like you,” Fonda interjected.

Nailed it.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, kittykat said:

So I watched the Jon Stewart bit about pardoning Hunter and he was...not happy about it.  He called out the Democratic Party for being the party of law and order only to lose that ground because Joe bent the law...this time?

Sorry I'm usually a fan of his Monday bits and it has some good humor but I think he slightly missed the mark.  Why wasn't the 18 minutes on the nomination of Kash Patel, which he led with?  There could have been a whole segment about the ridiculousness of these cabinet nominees but no Jon goes on about the alleged hypocrisy of the Democrats because Biden made a decision of the heart.  No mention of Trump pardoning Roger Stone or Joe Arpaio because Republicans gonna Republican. I know he's always been critical of both parties but I'm so sick of reading and listening to Democrats bash and blame one another. One pardon does not make the Democratic party lose the moral high ground.  In fact go farther, if Joe enters DGAF mode and starts pardoning Oprah style I'd get it.  I just think Jon Stewart had a chance to really call out the horribleness of Trump's transition and once again chose the wrong side to wag his finger at.

I'm not saying don't call out side out but don't bury the lead and normalize what the Trump side is doing.

Why don't you send this to him (and a very similar note to the others who are now reaming Biden for the pardon...and have also harped on the Democrats for every damn little thing for the past I don't know how many years)? 

Another thing...I'm so sick of hearing the phrase from Dems, "We can't do that because we're better that this". Gimme a frickin' break. It's a new, very rough & crude day in America and we're no longer dealing with the Republicans of old. Newt, Rush, Fox, et al, brought in a whole different breed. IMNSHO, we need to bring back Rahm Emanuel to train Dems how to deal with the new GOP.

Edited December 4 by annzeepark914

[kittykat]

1 hour ago, partofme said:

I never watched The Daily Show, but I’ve seen Stewart on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in recent years and he has the most horrible take on everything.  To the point that I wonder how the hell Colbert remains friends with him.  Maher is just an asshole.  

I quit Bill Maher a while ago.  When he started buddying up to Tulsi Gabbard and Ben Shapiro I noped out.

John Oliver I think is the happy medium.  He rightfully criticizes Democrats when need be but never sane washes what the Trump side is doing and literally has to devote at least half of his main stories to whatever atrocities Trump has on his mind next.  Be more like John Jon!

Edited December 4 by kittykat

[FilmTVGeek80]

2 hours ago, kittykat said:

So I watched the Jon Stewart bit about pardoning Hunter and he was...not happy about it.  He called out the Democratic Party for being the party of law and order only to lose that ground because Joe bent the law...this time?

Sorry I'm usually a fan of his Monday bits and it has some good humor but I think he slightly missed the mark.  Why wasn't the 18 minutes on the nomination of Kash Patel, which he led with?  There could have been a whole segment about the ridiculousness of these cabinet nominees but no Jon goes on about the alleged hypocrisy of the Democrats because Biden made a decision of the heart.  No mention of Trump pardoning Roger Stone or Joe Arpaio because Republicans gonna Republican. I know he's always been critical of both parties but I'm so sick of reading and listening to Democrats bash and blame one another. One pardon does not make the Democratic party lose the moral high ground.  In fact go farther, if Joe enters DGAF mode and starts pardoning Oprah style I'd get it.  I just think Jon Stewart had a chance to really call out the horribleness of Trump's transition and once again chose the wrong side to wag his finger at.

I'm not saying don't call out side out but don't bury the lead and normalize what the Trump side is doing.

Why am I not surprised this was his take? Though I’m a little surprised he devoted so much of the show to it. I decided not to watch Jon’s episodes after his first one back. From the beginning he’s basically made Biden seem just as bad as 45. I tried to keep up with the hosts the rest of the week, but it was basically the same thing. I’m fine with criticism of Democrats - there’s real problems and issues - but the show never had a kind word to say about any of the real accomplishments. 

[Dimity]

I like Jimmy Kimmel.  On the GOP reaction to the Biden pardon "absolutely exploding with pretend outrage".

[tearknee]

3 hours ago, PRgal said:

I'm sorry your egg donor was a b-word (I assume that's what you mean by "horribleness..."  I vaguely new a family whose surrogate dumped them after there was no pregnancy and one of our prospective surrogates was MIA for a pre-selection meeting).  

egg donor - she was my mother but was no "mother". That's all. I wasn't born through surrogacy.

[PRgal]

3 minutes ago, tearknee said:

egg donor - she was my mother but was no "mother". That's all. I wasn't born through surrogacy.

Oh, sorry.  I thought you meant you had a child via a donor.  That's what I usually think.

[tearknee]

1 minute ago, PRgal said:

Oh, sorry.  I thought you meant you had a child via a donor.  That's what I usually think.

I just meant i was abused at the hands of her. That's all. I have mentioned how society tends not to want to listen if your mother abuses you (especially if you are a daughter).

[PRgal]

9 minutes ago, tearknee said:

I just meant i was abused at the hands of her. That's all. I have mentioned how society tends not to want to listen if your mother abuses you (especially if you are a daughter).

I'm so sorry.  Moms criticizing their kids, especially daughters is not rare in many immigrant families.  I didn't have that experience with my mom, but my grandmother used to snoop around my closet/bathroom when I was a teenager.  She, not my mom was the one who lectured me on the evils of tampons.  I was too scared to buy tampons when I was a teenager because I knew she'd snoop.  I think she knew my cycle.....

[kittykat]

23 minutes ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

Why am I not surprised this was his take? Though I’m a little surprised he devoted so much of the show to it. I decided not to watch Jon’s episodes after his first one back. From the beginning he’s basically made Biden seem just as bad as 45. I tried to keep up with the hosts the rest of the week, but it was basically the same thing. I’m fine with criticism of Democrats - there’s real problems and issues - but the show never had a kind word to say about any of the real accomplishments. 

His take on Biden his first week back was on his age and mental acuity and it turned out to be an accurate take even though the Internet wanted Stewart's head on a spike after that one.  But I can't defend this week.  Again it's fine to have your opinion on whether Hunter should have been pardoned or not but don't trivialize what the other side is doing.  The segment started with the Kash Patel nom and I thought we were going to get a deep dive into the lunacy of the new cabinet but nope more Democrat blasting.  I'm just disappointed.  I'll still remember his heyday in the 2000s, I enjoyed the Apple show, and I'll watch him next week but I think he's lost a step. 

There are real threats here.  His good friend Bassem Youssef, who hosted an Egyptian Daily Show had to flee his home country to escape persecution and we are all worried that this country is headed in the same direction.  Instead of blasting the party trying to preserve the sanctity of democracy aim your ire at the party who wants to subvert it.

[fastiller]

23 minutes ago, tearknee said:

egg donor - she was my mother but was no "mother". That's all. I wasn't born through surrogacy.

Sometimes 'mother' is only half a word.

[Enigma X]

I am at work and replying on my phone but Jon Stewart can get bent and I have thought that for years. People pretending like there is some sort of rule book that only one side needs to follow is dumb. Also, the whole persecution of Hunter threw whatever imaginary rule book out the window. 

[Anela]

5 hours ago, Dimity said:

I think most posting here agree with you on this.  But you seem to be ignoring the fact that it is Trump who is the one being ridiculous (and cruel and misleading and his usual horror show) here, not those of us responding to his rhetoric.  Will you post that Trump is ridiculous?

Plus the guy he’s put in charge of it all, is promising that it will happen. He’s warning democratic governors to get out of his way, saying he will put them in jail (and anyone who hides an undocumented immigrant). That tool who runs Texas - Abbott - has promised them land to house some of the people they round up.  

they started right out of the gate, with his nomination, and those warnings.  

Edited December 4 by Anela

[bluegirl147]

22 minutes ago, kittykat said:

The segment started with the Kash Patel nom and I thought we were going to get a deep dive into the lunacy of the new cabinet but nope more Democrat blasting.

Patel literally made an enemies list.  I would think this should be what the media is talking about.  

23 minutes ago, kittykat said:

Instead of blasting the party trying to preserve the sanctity of democracy aim your ire at the party who wants to subvert it.

I have been saying this for years.  I used to consider myself more left than I am now.  Hearing so many on the left berating Democrats for not doing something while not berating Republicans for not doing the exact same things pushed me further away from the left.  I get that there is higher expectations for Democrats but they can only work with what they have. Even when they had control of the Senate they had to deal with Manchin and Sinema who mucked a lot of things up.  If we are to survive this Trump term we need to be united against him.  Not squabble over things a lot less important than our very existence.

19 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Peter Navarro in as White House Counsel. So blind loyalty pays off occasionally, I guess. He went to prison for Stinky. The only qualification that matters.

How long before Roger Stone shows up?

[Ohiopirate02]

Does anybody have a link to that enemies list from Patel? I know it's buried in his ebook that I have no plans on purchasing, but I do want to know who is on that list.

[Bastet]

10 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Yes, and they're bringing the crime with them

Immigrants are not more likely to commit crime than those born in the U.S.  In fact, studies consistently indicate they are less likely (here's the most extensive one I am aware of).

[tearknee]

30 minutes ago, fastiller said:

Sometimes 'mother' is only half a word.

Not many people today would know names such as Kimberly Trenor.

Certainly, relative to murderous sperm donors like Jozsef Barsi.

[bluegirl147]

7 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Does anybody have a link to that enemies list from Patel? I know it's buried in his ebook that I have no plans on purchasing, but I do want to know who is on that list.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/12/here-are-the-republicans-kash-patel-wants-to-target/

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, kittykat said:

The segment started with the Kash Patel nom and I thought we were going to get a deep dive into the lunacy of the new cabinet but nope more Democrat blasting.

When the Titanic hits the iceberg you don't stop to re-arrange the deck chairs, you load the lifeboats.  This is what is killing me about what is going on here.  No one should care about what Biden or Harris are doing, has done, will do tomorrow - they should be caring a lot about what Trump and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari are telling us all that they will be doing.

Edited December 4 by Dimity

[27bored]

Here's my two cents on the Hunter Biden pardon:

Not to get meta, but I said in this very thread a few weeks ago right after the election that one piece of advice I have for Democrats is to "develop a respect for whataboutism". I said because while nobody likes an immoral person, everybody hates a hypocrite. 

Democrats keep thinking because they have large swaths of the media in their back pocket that they can argue and explain away everything and the truth of the matter is, they can't. Because fewer and fewer people are actually buying it.

There's a reason for the age-old phrases "when you seek revenge, you better dig two graves" and "when you point your finger at someone, you have three more pointing back at you". They both kind of apply here.

Few people actually care about Hunter Biden lying on a gun permit or even the tax charges he had. Nobody's staying awake at night staring at the wall because Hunter Biden isn't in prison. The issue is, Biden said he wouldn't pardon him -- and in hindsight he was plainly lying when he said he wouldn't -- and then he did.

"Well, he changed his mind when..." Bullshit. You don't get to spend Trump's first term putting his entire administration under investigation, cheering on state DAs to find some crime any crime to charge him with in hopes of ruining his reelection bid, cheer when he's convicted, call him a convicted felon throughout the entire campaign, then when he wins a sweeping victory pretend like the true victim of a politicized justice system is Hunter Biden. 

You don't get to "change your mind" when the first thing Jill Biden said after Joe's abysmal debate performance to their crowd was "President Biden spoke from his heart while all Trump did was LIE! [cheered in unison with the crowd]" 

I'm not even moved by the notion that this is somehow commendable because it's his son. Like, I get it and it makes sense if we're going to look at Joe as a fundamentally honorable man and not, well, an occasionally dishonest politician. Perhaps Jimmy Carter or even Bernie Sanders could be trusted to do "the right thing" despite the personal hit to his brand. I...can't say the same about The Big Guy. I mean, Joe Biden.

Joe was willing to let Hunter go through the criminal process and risk being convicted because at the end of the day he knew he had the power to pardon him. Back when he expected to run for re-election, and maybe even when he thought Kamala could win, he was willing to hold out in order to avoid giving Trump/Republicans ammo against him. Once the election was lost, he had no reason to keep up the charade. 

This whole idea that Joe's love for his son overtook his intrinsic belief and respect in our institutions is bullshit. I don't think Joe had any intention on actually letting Hunter spend time in prison for his crimes. 

But let's keep it real: if they had Jared, Eric, or Don Jr dead-to-rights on the same crimes and Trump pardoned them,nobody on the other side would be copping pleas for him because he's a Dad who loves his sons. It would be yet another example of his villainy, his lack of respect for rule of law, and his enduring threat to democracy. 

But again: gun form, tax charges, whatevs. That's what community service, probation, and fines are for. 

The real problem I have, and I say this as a Democrat, is Joe's not only crippled his party for the foreseeable future, but he's laid bare one of the enduring reasons for Trump's continued political relevance despite his profligacy and his character. 

The reason so many erstwhile Democrats and current Trump supporters support him despite the two impeachments, Jan. 6, the felony counts, the pending indictments, the mean tweets -- is their belief that deep down, Democrats are no better than him. When the rubber meets the road, Democrats are not going to Do What's Right, they're going to do What They Have To Do. Next year I'm going to join in with MAGA hats in telling the media to fuck off the first time they start this "Trump lied! He's lying! Whatever shall we do with all these lies?!" nonsense. Because at this point I really don't want to hear it.

I'm still center-left in my political philosophy, but I'm with Ana Kasparian in that I'm kinda done with Democrats as a party. I'm not interested in the political consultant talking points and political food fights. 

Edited December 4 by 27bored

[anony.miss]

On 12/3/2024 at 1:58 AM, Soapy Goddess said:

Mass deportation of 11+ million people is ridiculous and never gonna happen.

It already has happened, in previous admins:

"Over the course of eight years, the George W. Bush administration oversaw 8.3 million returns and 2 million removals."

https://www.vox.com/2014/4/11/5602272/removals-returns-and-deportations-a-very-short-history-of-immigration

("Return" means caught/stopped at the border with a voluntary departure, and only applies to Mexicans and Canadians. "Removal" means ICE.)

Obama created the Dreamer Act, but he also deported five million people - at one point he was (unfairly) being called the Deporter In Chief -  so it's not the number alone causing peopel to side eye Trump, it's the motives behind it.

No previous president (in our era) has promised to declare a national emergency and use the military to round up people en masse (and in the process, decimate whole industries dependent on undocumented workers). No previous president has promised to deport American citizens whose parents are undocumented immigrants. No previous president has promised to end birthright citizenship via an executive order on Day One, or remove citizenship from people who have already become naturalized. His policy is to "whiten up" the country, not just remove people who did not arrive "legally".  Which is why ICE isn't going to round up and detain the 50 K undocumented Irish immigrants living in America (fair skinned, freckle-faced little girls thrown into cages? Not going to happen). 

Edited December 4 by anony.miss

[Dimity]

17 minutes ago, 27bored said:

The reason so many erstwhile Democrats and current Trump supporters support him despite the two impeachments, Jan. 6, the felony counts, the pending indictments, the mean tweets -- is their belief that deep down, Democrats are no better than him.

I'm not buying that.  There's a difference.  A big difference.  We're not talking Republican vs Democrats here - we're talking voting for Donald Freaking Trump.  Putin's lackey.  And the man who will happily burn the country down around him if it lines his own pocket.  Anyone who thinks the Democrats are no better than Trump is in for a very rude awakening.

Edited December 4 by Dimity

[tearknee]

Looking elsewhere online and seeing the deriding of many in the non-intellectual elite as "Karens" when they can also vote and there are no votes to throw away? (2016, 2024 votes...)

(Given what i have been through over my life, from my "mother" to guys i degraded myself for just to have someone pretend to give a shi-care about me...)

(taking joy in such asinine incompetence keeps me going :'()

 

[bluegirl147]

20 minutes ago, 27bored said:

The reason so many erstwhile Democrats and current Trump supporters support him despite the two impeachments, Jan. 6, the felony counts, the pending indictments, the mean tweets -- is their belief that deep down, Democrats are no better than him.

I'm sorry but I simply do not agree with this.  If people think that then they have not been paying attention.  As I have said before Democrats are not perfect. But  they don't refuse to concede when they lose. They don't appoint people who are grossly unqualified.  They don't take away people's rights.  

The Democrats I know who aren't happy with the Democratic party it's because they aren't doing enough to help people.  They want paid family leave. They want abortion rights codified. They want single payer health insurance.  They want a $15 minimum wage. None of those things will ever be done by the Republican party.

9 minutes ago, Dimity said:

We're not talking Republican vs Democrats here - we're talking voting for Donald Freaking Trump.  Putin's lackey.  And the man who will happily burn the country down around him if it lines his own pocket.

As I keep saying the difference between the parties isn't just about policy anymore.  Trump is a threat.  He aspires to be a dictator.  There is a real chance our country could become an oligarchy.  But sure let's fault Joe Biden for pardoning his son. 

[Dimity]

2 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

But sure let's fault Joe Biden for pardoning his son. 

In a few short months those who don't support Trump but have decided this is the Biggest Bad Thing Ever are going to look back longingly on this being the Biggest Bad Thing Ever.  Because it is so, so not even remotely close to what is coming.  Storm in a teacup vs Full Blown Tsunami.

[Anela]

45 minutes ago, 27bored said:

Here's my two cents on the Hunter Biden pardon:

Not to get meta, but I said in this very thread a few weeks ago right after the election that one piece of advice I have for Democrats is to "develop a respect for whataboutism". I said because while nobody likes an immoral person, everybody hates a hypocrite. 

Democrats keep thinking because they have large swaths of the media in their back pocket that they can argue and explain away everything and the truth of the matter is, they can't. Because fewer and fewer people are actually buying it.

There's a reason for the age-old phrases "when you seek revenge, you better dig two graves" and "when you point your finger at someone, you have three more pointing back at you". They both kind of apply here.

Few people actually care about Hunter Biden lying on a gun permit or even the tax charges he had. Nobody's staying awake at night staring at the wall because Hunter Biden isn't in prison. The issue is, Biden said he wouldn't pardon him -- and in hindsight he was plainly lying when he said he wouldn't -- and then he did.

"Well, he changed his mind when..." Bullshit. You don't get to spend Trump's first term putting his entire administration under investigation, cheering on state DAs to find some crime any crime to charge him with in hopes of ruining his reelection bid, cheer when he's convicted, call him a convicted felon throughout the entire campaign, then when he wins a sweeping victory pretend like the true victim of a politicized justice system is Hunter Biden. 

You don't get to "change your mind" when the first thing Jill Biden said after Joe's abysmal debate performance to their crowd was "President Biden spoke from his heart while all Trump did was LIE! [cheered in unison with the crowd]" 

I'm not even moved by the notion that this is somehow commendable because it's his son. Like, I get it and it makes sense if we're going to look at Joe as a fundamentally honorable man and not, well, an occasionally dishonest politician. Perhaps Jimmy Carter or even Bernie Sanders could be trusted to do "the right thing" despite the personal hit to his brand. I...can't say the same about The Big Guy. I mean, Joe Biden.

Joe was willing to let Hunter go through the criminal process and risk being convicted because at the end of the day he knew he had the power to pardon him. Back when he expected to run for re-election, and maybe even when he thought Kamala could win, he was willing to hold out in order to avoid giving Trump/Republicans ammo against him. Once the election was lost, he had no reason to keep up the charade. 

This whole idea that Joe's love for his son overtook his intrinsic belief and respect in our institutions is bullshit. I don't think Joe had any intention on actually letting Hunter spend time in prison for his crimes. 

But let's keep it real: if they had Jared, Eric, or Don Jr dead-to-rights on the same crimes and Trump pardoned them,nobody on the other side would be copping pleas for him because he's a Dad who loves his sons. It would be yet another example of his villainy, his lack of respect for rule of law, and his enduring threat to democracy. 

But again: gun form, tax charges, whatevs. That's what community service, probation, and fines are for. 

The real problem I have, and I say this as a Democrat, is Joe's not only crippled his party for the foreseeable future, but he's laid bare one of the enduring reasons for Trump's continued political relevance despite his profligacy and his character. 

The reason so many erstwhile Democrats and current Trump supporters support him despite the two impeachments, Jan. 6, the felony counts, the pending indictments, the mean tweets -- is their belief that deep down, Democrats are no better than him. When the rubber meets the road, Democrats are not going to Do What's Right, they're going to do What They Have To Do. Next year I'm going to join in with MAGA hats in telling the media to fuck off the first time they start this "Trump lied! He's lying! Whatever shall we do with all these lies?!" nonsense. Because at this point I really don't want to hear it.

I'm still center-left in my political philosophy, but I'm with Ana Kasparian in that I'm kinda done with Democrats as a party. I'm not interested in the political consultant talking points and political food fights. 

I don't personally know any Democrat who thinks he was wrong to pardon Hunter. I'm fine with it, and so are my friends. 

If you want to talk hypocrisy: the GOP weaponized Hunter Biden against his father - his only living son - and formed conspiracy theories around him, because they had nothing else that they could use to attack him. They then charged him with something they claim no American citizen should be charged with, because they don't want any rules around gun ownership. 

[Lantern7]

I've been going through some personal stuff for the past week, so the big picture stuff hasn't been as looming as usual. I got most of it cleared up, so I can cringe along with you guys.

I'm not really changing my opinion about Jon Stewart one way or the other. I guess he's not hitting me anywhere sensitive.

My main complaint is that the bad guys are winning, and there doesn't seem to be any way to hold that back. The pardon of Hunter Biden isn't that damning of his father. I'm hoping he does everything short of changing all the locks in the White House before he leaves.

[FilmTVGeek80]

1 hour ago, 27bored said:

Not to get meta, but I said in this very thread a few weeks ago right after the election that one piece of advice I have for Democrats is to "develop a respect for whataboutism". I said because while nobody likes an immoral person, everybody hates a hypocrite. 

Democrats keep thinking because they have large swaths of the media in their back pocket that they can argue and explain away everything and the truth of the matter is, they can't. Because fewer and fewer people are actually buying it.

This is such BS. If EVERYBODY hated hypocrites no Republican would ever get re-elected. Cruz still gets re-elected despite leaving his constituents behind during a disastrous time while lying about it - all the while he still fixes his lips to blast others for wasteful spending or not caring about their constituents. 45 is one of the biggest hypocrites who ever lived. He’ll blast Hunter’s pardon after pardoning Jared Kushner’s father and all the other losers he pardoned. This jag-off complains about all immigrants being animals after marrying two immigrants. This hypocrite complains about other people daring to question the Supreme Court after doing the same thing and worse. I could go on.

And, LOL, the Dems think the media is in their back pocket? The same media who accused Biden of having Parkinson’s on flimsy evidence? The same media turning this Hunter pardon into the worst sin imaginable?

1 hour ago, 27bored said:

Few people actually care about Hunter Biden lying on a gun permit or even the tax charges he had. Nobody's staying awake at night staring at the wall because Hunter Biden isn't in prison. The issue is, Biden said he wouldn't pardon him -- and in hindsight he was plainly lying when he said he wouldn't -- and then he did.

"Well, he changed his mind when..." Bullshit. You don't get to spend Trump's first term putting his entire administration under investigation, cheering on state DAs to find some crime any crime to charge him with in hopes of ruining his reelection bid, cheer when he's convicted, call him a convicted felon throughout the entire campaign, then when he wins a sweeping victory pretend like the true victim of a politicized justice system is Hunter Biden. 

He was not plainly lying. You have no evidence of that. Did you even read his statement announcing the pardon? Everything he said was the truth. That you want to spin it because you don’t like him doesn’t mean he was lying.

And are you seriously claiming they were trying to make up charges to ruin 45’s re-election bid? First of all, many of the investigations happened before he even announced he was going to run again. Was Georgia supposed to ignore his clear election interference because the criminal decided to announce his run mega early just so he can make the same BS claim you just did? The guy is a criminal. He shouldn’t - but unfortunately will - get a pass on that because he’s running for re-election to stay out of jail. BTW, he did not win a sweeping victory.
 

Hunter Biden was targeted because of who his father is - and they didn’t even try to hide it.

1 hour ago, 27bored said:

You don't get to "change your mind" when the first thing Jill Biden said after Joe's abysmal debate performance to their crowd was "President Biden spoke from his heart while all Trump did was LIE! [cheered in unison with the crowd]" 

I'm not even moved by the notion that this is somehow commendable because it's his son. Like, I get it and it makes sense if we're going to look at Joe as a fundamentally honorable man and not, well, an occasionally dishonest politician. Perhaps Jimmy Carter or even Bernie Sanders could be trusted to do "the right thing" despite the personal hit to his brand. I...can't say the same about The Big Guy. I mean, Joe Biden.

Joe was willing to let Hunter go through the criminal process and risk being convicted because at the end of the day he knew he had the power to pardon him. Back when he expected to run for re-election, and maybe even when he thought Kamala could win, he was willing to hold out in order to avoid giving Trump/Republicans ammo against him. Once the election was lost, he had no reason to keep up the charade. 

This whole idea that Joe's love for his son overtook his intrinsic belief and respect in our institutions is bullshit. I don't think Joe had any intention on actually letting Hunter spend time in prison for his crimes. 

Why are you bringing up what Jill Biden said after the debate? She was right and it doesn’t prove your assumption that Biden was lying.

LOL bringing up the Big Guy thing. Is that supposed to be some mark against him? All politicians - and humans - occasionally lie. That doesn’t mean they’re not honorable, good people. I can say that Joe Biden is. I can’t say the same about the convicted felon.

Joe was willing to let him go through the process because he trusted the legal system to treat him fairly. But, that’s not what happened. Anyone else facing similar charges wouldn’t have been facing prison time, especially after working out a plea deal. Instead the Republicans put pressure to get the deal rescinded. Maybe if the guy coming in to the White House wasn’t a sociopath who has made it clear his number one mission is a revenge tour against anyone he feels has wronged him, Biden’s reaction would be different. Maybe if that sociopath didn’t just nominate a man to head the FBI with a literal revenge list that includes the Biden’s. But that’s not the reality we sadly find ourselves in. So, yes, he CHANGED HIS MIND. Like any good and loving parent would do.

1 hour ago, 27bored said:

But let's keep it real: if they had Jared, Eric, or Don Jr dead-to-rights on the same crimes and Trump pardoned them,nobody on the other side would be copping pleas for him because he's a Dad who loves his sons. It would be yet another example of his villainy, his lack of respect for rule of law, and his enduring threat to democracy. 

But again: gun form, tax charges, whatevs. That's what community service, probation, and fines are for. 

The real problem I have, and I say this as a Democrat, is Joe's not only crippled his party for the foreseeable future, but he's laid bare one of the enduring reasons for Trump's continued political relevance despite his profligacy and his character. 

The reason so many erstwhile Democrats and current Trump supporters support him despite the two impeachments, Jan. 6, the felony counts, the pending indictments, the mean tweets -- is their belief that deep down, Democrats are no better than him. When the rubber meets the road, Democrats are not going to Do What's Right, they're going to do What They Have To Do. Next year I'm going to join in with MAGA hats in telling the media to fuck off the first time they start this "Trump lied! He's lying! Whatever shall we do with all these lies?!" nonsense. Because at this point I really don't want to hear it.

Yes, let’s keep it real. The reason 45 would get flack for doing the same thing is mainly because it would just be part of his larger lifelong pattern of making sure he - and his - never suffer the consequences for their actions. He’s not judged and hated because of one action but on his history of being a criminal sociopath. 
 

LOL at trying to pin any issues the Democratic Party is having on this decision. The reason many stand by 45 is they don’t care about his lies and sociopathy. They’re only interested in the things that they - falsely - think he can do for them. But, sure go ahead and tell the media to fuck off when they point out 45´s lies. As if it will be the first time. In fact, if they go after him with the same fervor they go after President Biden, it will be a pleasant sight to see. Because look around - there are plenty in the media clutching their pearls about Hunter’s pardon. You can’t really accuse them of hypocrisy since they’re going after him the way you would like.
 

Spare me this idea that the Dems don’t do what is right. They bend over backwards - to many people’s detriments - to do what is right. When Dems were upset that 45 won in 2016, they held peaceful marches. They didn’t storm the Capitol and smear shit over the walls. When Al Franken was pictured and accused of sexual misconduct, they forced him out. They didn’t run him for President. When Bob Menendez was accused of crimes they didn’t whine he was being politically persecuted because, unlike Hunter Biden, he wasn’t. They forced him to resign. Not all Dems are good and there are liars and criminals in their ranks. Dems have a lot of problems and issues. But to pretend like both sides are even close to the same is a sick joke. 

[anony.miss]

 

27 minutes ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

 

And, LOL, the Dems think the media is in their back pocket? The same media who accused Biden of having Parkinson’s on flimsy evidence?

...the same media too scared to endorse Harris because they feared retribution from Trump? The same media that printed a billion stories about Biden's mental state while sanewashing Trump's crazed, incoherent rants about sharks and his bestie, Hannibal Lector? The same media that pretended Harris hadn't offered dozens of policies - including home ownership,  small business loans, and  in-home elder care -  even as Trump admitted he had only "concepts of a plan"?

Wow!  Just imagine what the media would have done if they weren't in the bag for the Democrats! I'm clutching my pearls at the very thought of it!

[Ceindreadh]

 

3 hours ago, 27bored said:

 

the difference between Biden pardoning Hunter and Trump hypothetically pardoning Don Jnr/Eric, is that to the best of my knowledge there are no Democrats with a revenge list  out to get the trump kids.  

We do know that trump wants to take revenge on anybody who has slighted him and that Hunter Biden is an easy target.

Of course Biden wasn't going to issue a pardon when he had every reason to believe that the next president would abide by the rule of law and not be a petty little vengeful wannabe dicator.  But changing ones mind when the circumstances change, that doesn't mean he was lying all along.  

[bluegirl147]

I wonder how many of these people whining about Hunter Biden's pardon would have been OK with him being sentenced to 10 yrs or so.  And how many of those same people wouldn't bat an eye when Trump pardons the January 6th insurrectionists?

And hypocrisy?  Most Republicans should have an H after their name.  Mitch McConnell refusing to let Obama nominate someone to fill a vacancy on the SCOTUS in his second term because it was an election year and then four years later reverses himself and let's Trump fill a vacancy in an election year.  They have been playing dirty for decades.  

Edited December 4 by bluegirl147

[CheshireCat]

On 12/2/2024 at 9:20 PM, peacheslatour said:

Or his weather machine.

 

In a strange move, a Florida Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill that seeks to ban the government from “controlling” the weather and sunlight. Yes, this is real.

The bill, introduced last week by State Senator Ileana Garcia, specifically targets “weather modification activities,” which it defines as any attempt to alter the weather or sunlight through the release of chemicals, compounds, or other substances into the atmosphere. According to the proposed legislation, such actions would be illegal within the state of Florida.

The bill states that it would be a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, for anyone who tries to influence temperature, weather patterns, or the intensity of sunlight in any way, Newsweek reports. The bill also calls on Florida’s governor to consider steps to manage the “harmful consequences” of emergencies, although it’s unclear how banning weather control would help in such situations.

From the Daily Boulder December, 2 2024.

State Senator Ileana Garcia has an interesting way of saying climate change is real, we need environmental protection and let's take climate action... 

 

17 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Yes, and they're bringing the crime with them...

Genuine question: How many undocumented immigrants do you know? (edited)

 

17 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

said the mother of the woman who had her head bashed in by an illegal immigrant with ZERO remorse.

Genuine again: Do you think the person who committed the crime would have acted differently (meaning, either not committed the crime or shown remorse) had they been a legal immigrant or a native-born citizen? (If so, what makes you believe that?)

Would you feel differently about the crime itself (for example, would you consider it less (or more) horrific or less (or more) condemnable or less (or more) impactful) if the person who committed the crime had been a legal immigrant or native-born citizen?

How many undocumented immigrants do you know

With that said, I’m truly sorry this happened to you as a mother, your daughter and your family. It’s not something anyone should have to experience. 

Edited December 5 by CheshireCat

[Annber03]

10 hours ago, partofme said:

I am so sick of thinking about this awful man 24/7.  I was so hopeful before the election that it was almost over and he would go away, but no we can’t have nice things. 

SERIOUSLY. My one big hope above all else was that Trump would lose in a landslide this time and he would FINALLY, once and for all, go. the goddamn fuck. away. I am just so tired of him, and I don't understand how there are those who aren't. Setting aside all the actual horrific shit he's said and done, he's just exhausting. 

But yeah, I too am now having to get back into that "Oh, god, what now?" mindset with the news, and I was really enjoying NOT having to deal with that every day. Can't we please just go back to the days when the president showed up and just did their job and I didn't have to tense up every time a news bulletin popped up about them? 

10 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

They will blame Democrats.  I know some people on the left will.  They will say Dems did nothing to protect those programs. I swear anytime Republicans want to pass things they only need a simple majority but when Democrats want to do something it requires a supermajority.

Regarding the comments about Bernie in this thread, this is the part that frustrated me the most with the Bernie bros. They seem to act like we just needed to get the most progressive, leftist person to become president and boom, all our problems were somehow magically going to be solved.

But even if Bernie had gotten the nomination and had to become presdient, he still would've had to deal with an obstructive GOP who would actively try and block everything he attempted to push. He still would've had to deal with Democrats who might be more centrist, or who might personally support his policies, but are trying to hang on to their seat because they're in a district that could easily swing back to the Republicans. 

And so on. A super progressive president would still have an uphill battle to get much of their agenda passed, if not more so, in some cases. 

Echoing those who do not give two shits about the whole Hunter Biden thing, too. Call me when he's actually part of his dad's administration and actively involved in the same kind of shady/lllegal crap that Trump's sons were involved in when they were part of his administration and then maybe we can talk about "outrage" and "fairness" and "norms" and so on. Key word being "maybe". 

Untill then, everyone clutching their pearls can sit down and put a sock in it. 

[Eri]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

They seem to act like we just needed to get the most progressive, leftist person to become president and boom, all our problems were somehow magically going to be solved.

But even if Bernie had gotten the nomination and had to become presdient, he still would've had to deal with an obstructive GOP who would actively try and block everything he attempted to push. He still would've had to deal with Democrats who might be more centrist, or who might personally support his policies, but are trying to hang on to their seat because they're in a district that could easily swing back to the Republicans.

Americans who want progress need to understand, you get there by reducing conservative control in government. Not by folding your hands and saying "both candidates suck." (and even if they do, voting is still a right to exercise before it's gone completely) -sigh- I give up.

Edited December 5 by Eri

[kittykat]

I feel like a choice amount of people who stayed home or are fervent both siders are hoping for a total governmental and economic collapse or are straight up rooting for a civil war to happen without thinking of the physical and emotional consequences and damage of what those would bring.  They're in "burn it down" mode.

[Annber03]

2 minutes ago, kittykat said:

I feel like a choice amount of people who stayed home or are fervent both siders are hoping for a total governmental and economic collapse or are straight up rooting for a civil war to happen without thinking of the physical and emotional consequences and damage of what those would bring.  They're in "burn it down" mode.

I think too many people have seen too many action movies and somehow fancy themselves being the badass heroes who will rebuild the civilization after all the destruction and mayhem or something. Similar to all the gun nuts who fancy themselves Mr. Tough Guy who can take on anyone. 

If that's the case, most, if not all, of them will be in for an incredibly rude awakening. 

[Lantern7]

It's just sad.

We saw the horrors brought forth between 2017-2021. The peak was the plague that broke out which Dear Leader did not think was a big deal. Anyone with an IQ over 70 that wouldn't immediately benefit from his presence endorsed his  opponent. Taylor Swift endorsed the opponent. JD Vance ridiculed "cat ladies," creating a new bloc that would vote Kamala. The Far Right unveiled Project 2025. It wasn't leaked. This wasn't because journalists had worked for months uncovering the truth. Nobody died bringing that news forward. It just . . . appeared. And it was a nightmare from cover to cover. One of the masterminds behind it basically said, "Give us what we want, and maybe we won't hurt you." Dear Leader showed constant signs of dementia, peaking with his dancing listlessly for 45 minutes after someone collapsed at his rally. Election Day was supposed to be the day when America would plunge the final stake into Dracula's heart.

And the majority of voting Americans said, "Yeah, we're good with him."

It just boggles my mind. Even if something were to happen to him between now and January 20, we're still in for stifling regression, and the Democrats seem okay with letting it happen.

ETA: You think that if the pandemic hadn't happened, Trump would have gotten re-elected in 2020?

Edited December 5 by Lantern7

[Spartan Girl]

6 hours ago, kittykat said:

I feel like a choice amount of people who stayed home or are fervent both siders are hoping for a total governmental and economic collapse or are straight up rooting for a civil war to happen without thinking of the physical and emotional consequences and damage of what those would bring.  They're in "burn it down" mode.

And those are the people I blame most for all of this. Worst part is that nothing will convince them it’s their fault: “They didn’t earn my vote, we’re all screwed anyway!” They might as well be the knitters at the guillotine.

[tearknee]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

...they might as well be the knitters at the guillotine.

 

[bluegirl147]

19 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

I’m fine with criticism of Democrats - there’s real problems and issues - but the show never had a kind word to say about any of the real accomplishments. 

Not just that show.  So many in the media were quick to point out anything Democrats did wrong but downplayed or outright ignored the things they did right. Meanwhile Trump got glowing reviews for going to a McDonalds and saying he would pay for everyone's meals.

10 hours ago, Annber03 said:

A super progressive president would still have an uphill battle to get much of their agenda passed, if not more so, in some cases. 

As frustrating as it is getting any progressive policies passed is hard even with a moderate President in office.

9 hours ago, Eri said:

Americans who want progress need to understand, you get there by reducing conservative control in government. Not by folding your hands and saying "both candidates suck." (and even if they do, voting is still a right to exercise before it's gone completely) -sigh- I give up.

This.  When I hear someone say both parties are bad (what they usually  mean is the Dems aren't doing what I want them to do) so I'm not voting then I think OK then you must be OK with whatever the Reps are going to do because they win when people don't vote.

7 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

ETA: You think that if the pandemic hadn't happened, Trump would have gotten re-elected in 2020

I think there was a better than 50/50 chance he would have been reelected.

3 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Worst part is that nothing will convince them it’s their fault: “They didn’t earn my vote, we’re all screwed anyway!”

I  have a former friend who never voted because she said what did it matter. She lives in California so for Presidents no her vote doesn't really matter but for local and statewide yes her vote would matter.  I also hate when I hear someone say oh I don't pay attention to politics.  And that is how so many people don't know the ACA is in danger of being repealed. That is how so many people were blindsided by Roe being repealed. And these same people are going to be pissed if they wake up one day and find out there is no Social Security waiting for them when they retire.  Politics affects everything.

Edited December 5 by bluegirl147

[Dimity]

29 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

And these same people are going to be pissed if they wake up one day and find out there is no Social Security waiting for them when they retire.  Politics affects everything.

One of the reasons the Cons lost here back in 2015 was because they were going to raise the age people could start collecting their govt pension.  Right now it's 65 and they were going to push it up to 67.  This was not the winning strategy they seemed to think it was.  In the intervening years, of course, people have conveniently forgotten this so likely the Cons will be forming the next govt.  It will be interesting to see if they try to go back to this cunning plan of theirs or if they've realised it's not the brilliant move they think it is.

[Spartan Girl]

26 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

I  have a former friend who never voted because she said what did it matter

I wondered if I was too harsh in finally breaking ties with a former childhood friend because of their refusal to vote in this election. Then I found a video of a woman whose mother refused to vote, despite her too, and she summed up my feelings perfectly about feeling angry that she didn’t care enough to vote for her own daughter’s sake. For a long time, I wondered if this friend even still cared about me. Now I finally have my answer.

So if my anger towards these useless performative jerks seems a bit personal, it’s because it is. They have time to rant about people on the internet and boycott places, but they won’t vote. They harp about complicity regarding what happens in other countries, and yet they can’t admit to their own complicity in letting Trump win I just can’t either them anymore.

[fastiller]

7 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

You think that if the pandemic hadn't happened, Trump would have gotten re-elected in 2020?

=&=

44 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

I think there was a better than 50/50 chance he would have been reelected.

IDK whether he would've been reelected in '20 had the pandemic not happened.  I do however believe that had he handled the pandemic the way that any other POTUS/Administration would have done (IE: clear headed decision making based upon what the actual experts were saying (as was laid out in the playbook left behind by Obama and tossed out by Trump)) that he would've been reelected.  Possibly in a true landslide.

[27bored]

On 12/4/2024 at 4:12 PM, bluegirl147 said:

I'm sorry but I simply do not agree with this.  If people think that then they have not been paying attention.  As I have said before Democrats are not perfect. But  they don't refuse to concede when they lose. They don't appoint people who are grossly unqualified.  They don't take away people's rights.  

See this is what I'm talking about. There's more than one way to skin a cat. There's more than one way to do the things you stated without looking directly responsible, and when you have most of the media and academia and Hollywood in your back pocket, it's easy to look above board. But my point with that statement was that, Democrats can talk a good game but when they have to, they have no problem being cravenly opportunistic. It's not really an indictment unless you're under the impression that Dems Good/Republicans Bad at all times. Democrats like power, they'll do whatever they can to hold on to it, they'll tell smiling lies, and they'll step on whomever they have to to get and keep power. 

22 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

He was not plainly lying. You have no evidence of that. Did you even read his statement announcing the pardon? Everything he said was the truth. That you want to spin it because you don’t like him doesn’t mean he was lying.

And are you seriously claiming they were trying to make up charges to ruin 45’s re-election bid? First of all, many of the investigations happened before he even announced he was going to run again. Was Georgia supposed to ignore his clear election interference because the criminal decided to announce his run mega early just so he can make the same BS claim you just did? The guy is a criminal. He shouldn’t - but unfortunately will - get a pass on that because he’s running for re-election to stay out of jail. BTW, he did not win a sweeping victory.
 

Hunter Biden was targeted because of who his father is - and they didn’t even try to hide it.

I have "no evidence" he was lying?? He, and his surrogates, said repeatedly that he would not pardon Hunter, but then he did. Whether some people just believe he changed his mind is their own business; I think he was clearly lying when he denied he would. We don't have to play Lie Detector because at the end of the day, he said wasn't going to do something but then wound up doing it. To many people, Democrat and Republican alike, that calls into question Biden's integrity. From a political standpoint, it makes it hard for the same Democrats who believed Joe to then run the same morality play against Trump and Republicans. The next time Trump has says something untrue, are Democrats going to let it slide as a Senior Moment, a change of heart, or make some other excuse, or are they just going to shriek that he's a liar over and over again?

22 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

Why are you bringing up what Jill Biden said after the debate? She was right and it doesn’t prove your assumption that Biden was lying.

LOL bringing up the Big Guy thing. Is that supposed to be some mark against him? All politicians - and humans - occasionally lie. That doesn’t mean they’re not honorable, good people. I can say that Joe Biden is. I can’t say the same about the convicted felon.

Joe was willing to let him go through the process because he trusted the legal system to treat him fairly. But, that’s not what happened. Anyone else facing similar charges wouldn’t have been facing prison time, especially after working out a plea deal. Instead the Republicans put pressure to get the deal rescinded. Maybe if the guy coming in to the White House wasn’t a sociopath who has made it clear his number one mission is a revenge tour against anyone he feels has wronged him, Biden’s reaction would be different. Maybe if that sociopath didn’t just nominate a man to head the FBI with a literal revenge list that includes the Biden’s. But that’s not the reality we sadly find ourselves in. So, yes, he CHANGED HIS MIND. Like any good and loving parent would do.

Again: that's the spin the Democrats are running with, but it's simply not true. The judge who presided over Hunter's case even spoke out against Joe rewriting history. 

Like I said, I don't believe Joe ever had any intention on Hunter going to prison and he's always had the power to pardon him irrespective of his claims not to have any intention of doing so. But what actually happened was Republicans were looking into Hunter's foreign dealings and possibly kicking back money to Joe that he obtained from foreign countries. The DOJ was under pressure to investigate him, so they figured they would charge him with something relatively minor...just to quell interest and shut people up. They planned on giving him a sweetheart plea deal for the gun form and tried to tack the very serious and legitimately criminal tax charges he was facing on the plea. The judge called out the DOJ on it and would not sign the plea deal as the tax charges were not even before him. That's why he even went to trial in the first place...because the DOJ tried playing fast-and-loose and got their hand slapped. 

At the end of the day, Hunter did lie on the gun form about using drugs, and he averred that he had withheld over a million dollars in taxes to fund his lifestyle. This wasn't some made-up right-wing rumor; he literally admitted to doing it. So this idea that Hunter is being treated like the redheaded stepchild by the law is and always has been bullshit. 

23 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

LOL at trying to pin any issues the Democratic Party is having on this decision. The reason many stand by 45 is they don’t care about his lies and sociopathy. They’re only interested in the things that they - falsely - think he can do for them. But, sure go ahead and tell the media to fuck off when they point out 45´s lies. As if it will be the first time. In fact, if they go after him with the same fervor they go after President Biden, it will be a pleasant sight to see. Because look around - there are plenty in the media clutching their pearls about Hunter’s pardon. You can’t really accuse them of hypocrisy since they’re going after him the way you would like.
 

Spare me this idea that the Dems don’t do what is right. They bend over backwards - to many people’s detriments - to do what is right. When Dems were upset that 45 won in 2016, they held peaceful marches. They didn’t storm the Capitol and smear shit over the walls. When Al Franken was pictured and accused of sexual misconduct, they forced him out. They didn’t run him for President. When Bob Menendez was accused of crimes they didn’t whine he was being politically persecuted because, unlike Hunter Biden, he wasn’t. They forced him to resign. Not all Dems are good and there are liars and criminals in their ranks. Dems have a lot of problems and issues. But to pretend like both sides are even close to the same is a sick joke. 

Uh huh.

It's like I keep saying: Democrats can't saying Democrats are better than Republicans even when they do the same thing Republicans do. No, that just makes them the other side of the same coin. All I'm saying is stop moral preening about people being above the law or someone being a threat to democracy. It's easy to say that when your ass, or the ass of someone you like, isn't in the hot seat.

Hillary, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, and Donald Trump all were found to have had classified documents in their private possession. The only person facing any kind of charges over it is Trump.

"Well that's because they cooperated!" Aside from the fact that that's not true for Hillary, nor is that a legitimate legal defense for actually mishandling classified information, no, it's because Trump is the only person seen as a political threat. When it comes to the law, what somebody else did is irrelevant. I mean, this is stuff you learn in elementary school. You can't excuse away breaking the rules because somebody else did it. So when those charges fail to move anybody who likes Trump, nobody should be surprised or upset or outraged. Because again, if it was your guy, they would do the same exact thing. 

 

[Annber03]

9 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

Politics affects everything.

And this is the frustrating thing about people who complain and are like, "Why do you have to bring politics into everything?" Becuase it literally IS part of everything, in ways both big and small. One way or another, politics will affect your life (general "you"). Ignoring it or shutting it off won't change that or magically make discussions of politics go away.

9 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

So if my anger towards these useless performative jerks seems a bit personal, it’s because it is. They have time to rant about people on the internet and boycott places, but they won’t vote. They harp about complicity regarding what happens in other countries, and yet they can’t admit to their own complicity in letting Trump win I just can’t either them anymore.

Yep. If someone has the time to get online and bitch and moan and complain about this or that politician or policy or new law or whatever, they have the time to do their part and vote. And if they don't vote, then their gripes and frustrations over whatever's going on politically ring very hollow and it's going to be harder to listen to them or take them seriously.

It's also frustrating because for women and minorities who don't vote, it feels like a slap in the face to all those who fought to ensure they got the right to vote and make their voices heard in the first place. And white men who refuse to vote infuriate me because they've always had that right, they've never had to fight to get it or keep it, and here they are taking it for granted and acting like they're just so "above" all this political debate and they're just so "enlightened" with their "both sides are bad" takes. Shut up. 

Edited December 5 by Annber03

[Dimity]

14 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

And white men who refuse to vote infuriate me because they've always had that right, they've never had to fight to get it or keep it, and here they are taking it for granted and acting like they're just so "above" all this political debate and they're just so "enlightened" with their "both sides are bad" takes. Shut up. 

It always makes me think of how when a black person is accused of a crime, no matter how minor, they search his background and say "when he was 8 he stole a comic book so that just shows you..." On the other hand when a white college boy is accused of rape it's all "this young lad mustn't have his life ruined for one lapse of judgment".    One rule for thee, another for me - that should be what they put on Trump's tombstone one day.

[bluegirl147]

Joe Biden pardoning Hunter is not going to have lasting repercussions. But everything Trump does runs the risk of literally changing our way of life.

I get it. Some people see both parties as the same. That they are both corrupt. And yes there are corrupt politicians in both parties.  But in my lifetime there has only been one party that has reflected my values and until they stop doing that I will keep voting for them. 

[peacheslatour]

11 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Joe Biden pardoning Hunter is not going to have lasting repercussions. But everything Trump does runs the risk of literally changing our way of life.

I get it. Some people see both parties as the same. That they are both corrupt. And yes there are corrupt politicians in both parties.  But in my lifetime there has only been one party that has reflected my values and until they stop doing that I will keep voting for them. 

This is what comes of living under a Republican Regime. From  the Texas Tribune, dated December 3,2024.

Almost half of all Texas counties offer no maternity care services, and more than a quarter of rural mothers live more than 30 minutes away from the nearest provider. Living in a “maternity care desert” contributes to delayed prenatal care, increased pregnancy complications and worse delivery outcomes. Women living in rural areas are more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, and infant mortality is also higher.

But despite these sobering statistics, more rural hospitals are closing their labor and delivery units, leaving patients to travel long distances or deliver in under-equipped emergency rooms. Most of those that do still deliver babies lose money in the process, due to low Medicaid payments and too few deliveries to break even on round-the-clock staffing.

“We’re reaching a tipping point where people are frequently more than an hour from routine prenatal care, and more than an hour from a delivering hospital when their water breaks,” said John Henderson, president of the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. “There’s no way we’re going to get the kind of quality or outcomes we want as a state when that’s the reality.”

[Anela]

2 hours ago, 27bored said:

See this is what I'm talking about. There's more than one way to skin a cat. There's more than one way to do the things you stated without looking directly responsible, and when you have most of the media and academia and Hollywood in your back pocket, it's easy to look above board. But my point with that statement was that, Democrats can talk a good game but when they have to, they have no problem being cravenly opportunistic. It's not really an indictment unless you're under the impression that Dems Good/Republicans Bad at all times. Democrats like power, they'll do whatever they can to hold on to it, they'll tell smiling lies, and they'll step on whomever they have to to get and keep power. 

I have "no evidence" he was lying?? He, and his surrogates, said repeatedly that he would not pardon Hunter, but then he did. Whether some people just believe he changed his mind is their own business; I think he was clearly lying when he denied he would. We don't have to play Lie Detector because at the end of the day, he said wasn't going to do something but then wound up doing it. To many people, Democrat and Republican alike, that calls into question Biden's integrity. From a political standpoint, it makes it hard for the same Democrats who believed Joe to then run the same morality play against Trump and Republicans. The next time Trump has says something untrue, are Democrats going to let it slide as a Senior Moment, a change of heart, or make some other excuse, or are they just going to shriek that he's a liar over and over again?

Again: that's the spin the Democrats are running with, but it's simply not true. The judge who presided over Hunter's case even spoke out against Joe rewriting history. 

Like I said, I don't believe Joe ever had any intention on Hunter going to prison and he's always had the power to pardon him irrespective of his claims not to have any intention of doing so. But what actually happened was Republicans were looking into Hunter's foreign dealings and possibly kicking back money to Joe that he obtained from foreign countries. The DOJ was under pressure to investigate him, so they figured they would charge him with something relatively minor...just to quell interest and shut people up. They planned on giving him a sweetheart plea deal for the gun form and tried to tack the very serious and legitimately criminal tax charges he was facing on the plea. The judge called out the DOJ on it and would not sign the plea deal as the tax charges were not even before him. That's why he even went to trial in the first place...because the DOJ tried playing fast-and-loose and got their hand slapped. 

At the end of the day, Hunter did lie on the gun form about using drugs, and he averred that he had withheld over a million dollars in taxes to fund his lifestyle. This wasn't some made-up right-wing rumor; he literally admitted to doing it. So this idea that Hunter is being treated like the redheaded stepchild by the law is and always has been bullshit. 

Uh huh.

It's like I keep saying: Democrats can't saying Democrats are better than Republicans even when they do the same thing Republicans do. No, that just makes them the other side of the same coin. All I'm saying is stop moral preening about people being above the law or someone being a threat to democracy. It's easy to say that when your ass, or the ass of someone you like, isn't in the hot seat.

Hillary, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, and Donald Trump all were found to have had classified documents in their private possession. The only person facing any kind of charges over it is Trump.

"Well that's because they cooperated!" Aside from the fact that that's not true for Hillary, nor is that a legitimate legal defense for actually mishandling classified information, no, it's because Trump is the only person seen as a political threat. When it comes to the law, what somebody else did is irrelevant. I mean, this is stuff you learn in elementary school. You can't excuse away breaking the rules because somebody else did it. So when those charges fail to move anybody who likes Trump, nobody should be surprised or upset or outraged. Because again, if it was your guy, they would do the same exact thing. 

 

So, nothing about the hypocrisy of the GOP charging him for something they would be fighting against, for everyone else? They’re just expected to be assholes, so it’s a given, and nothing to fret over?