Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Anela]

Woman voted for trump, lost her benefits the other day - including section 8, and childcare for her children - is now posting this: 

*edited.

It turns out that she was reported by someone, so that's why her accounts were frozen. 

Okay, I'm going to edit out her link, because I'm looking at more of her videos, and I'm wondering if it's a troll account, just trying to get views.

Last week, I saw a video from a gay woman who voted for trump, who claimed she regretted it, but in another video, she was trying to get to so many followers, so that she could start making money through tiktok. 

Edited Thursday at 10:50 PM by Anela

[kittykat]

Damn the leopards can report people now!

As to everyone asking where the Democrats are, I'm pretty sure they're not sitting around doing nothing they're just not tweeting every second they get a thought or the resemblance of a thought.  If you're not seeing any coverage of them putting together a plan of action then that's some shady shit from the media trying to trick us into believing they're not doing anything driving us further into apathy.

How they will channel this I don't know.  As far as their platforms and how they're going to win back voters, they need to swing left.  Not too far left but embrace a more progressive stance.  If they decide to go even more center and cast off all the people who actually voted for them then that would a monumentally terrible idea.

What I'm getting tired of on my side (not you guys I'm referring to other feeds I follow) is the infighting.  We need to mobilize and form a united front and deal with the differences later.  But nooooo it's: the Democrats didn't condemn Gaza enough, they were too woke, they weren't woke enough, Bernie got screwed and I still haven't forgiven them,  and about ten other examples and all I just want to yell STOP!

Why are we in the mess we're in now?  Because Trump won the electoral vote and a small margin of the popular vote.  People who voted for Trump, they did this.  People who voted third party, they did this.  People who stayed home and didn't vote, they did this. Democrats and their voters, did not do this.  We warned, screamed, pleaded and tried to make people see that the price of eggs wasn't worth disenfranchising the rights of over half the population. They didn't care.  They can scream "it's the economy, stupid" all they want at me and I'll shout back, "it's human rights, stupid!"

Obviously I condemn everything happening in Gaza but I take umbrage at those who sacrificed my right to make my own decisions because their "principles" barred them from voting. And they'll turn around and say that the Democrats didn't earn their vote.  Sometimes a vote isn't for something great it's against something worse. And when people voted in Trump or stuck their heads in the sand and stayed home they pushed the door wide open for Fascism and even gifted them a fruit basket.

That's my advice to Democrats and their voters and anyone on the fence plus those on the fringe who are about to get royally fucked by incoming policy: mobilize!

[peacheslatour]

[kittykat]

And the crowd still goes wild.

[bluegirl147]

34 minutes ago, kittykat said:

Damn the leopards can report people now!

As to everyone asking where the Democrats are, I'm pretty sure they're not sitting around doing nothing they're just not tweeting every second they get a thought or the resemblance of a thought.  If you're not seeing any coverage of them putting together a plan of action then that's some shady shit from the media trying to trick us into believing they're not doing anything driving us further into apathy.

How they will channel this I don't know.  As far as their platforms and how they're going to win back voters, they need to swing left.  Not too far left but embrace a more progressive stance.  If they decide to go even more center and cast off all the people who actually voted for them then that would a monumentally terrible idea.

What I'm getting tired of on my side (not you guys I'm referring to other feeds I follow) is the infighting.  We need to mobilize and form a united front and deal with the differences later.  But nooooo it's: the Democrats didn't condemn Gaza enough, they were too woke, they weren't woke enough, Bernie got screwed and I still haven't forgiven them,  and about ten other examples and all I just want to yell STOP!

Why are we in the mess we're in now?  Because Trump won the electoral vote and a small margin of the popular vote.  People who voted for Trump, they did this.  People who voted third party, they did this.  People who stayed home and didn't vote, they did this. Democrats and their voters, did not do this.  We warned, screamed, pleaded and tried to make people see that the price of eggs wasn't worth disenfranchising the rights of over half the population. They didn't care.  They can scream "it's the economy, stupid" all they want at me and I'll shout back, "it's human rights, stupid!"

Obviously I condemn everything happening in Gaza but I take umbrage at those who sacrificed my right to make my own decisions because their "principles" barred them from voting. And they'll turn around and say that the Democrats didn't earn their vote.  Sometimes a vote isn't for something great it's against something worse. And when people voted in Trump or stuck their heads in the sand and stayed home they pushed the door wide open for Fascism and even gifted them a fruit basket.

That's my advice to Democrats and their voters and anyone on the fence plus those on the fringe who are about to get royally fucked by incoming policy: mobilize!

Totally agree.  Democrats are always held to a higher standard.  It's been less than two weeks.  I heard someone on the left snidely say all they do is issue condemnations. And if they didn't they would be criticized for that.

 

[SoMuchTV]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Heck yeah! We want to make sure people are being hired because they’re the best for the job, and not based on someone’s preconceived notions. If only there were some way to keep an eye on whether that’s happening. Like, maybe, look at the distribution of various demographic groups in the population as a whole, and see how that compares to people being hired. Maybe even have some group that would look into that kind of thing. 

Oh wait 

[Bastet]

11 hours ago, laurakaye said:

How jarring it is to see Sean Duffy from The Real World speaking about this horrible tragedy in his new position as secretary of transportation.  I sure hope he's ready and qualified......

Based on his prior experience: No.  Based on his handling of today's press conference: Hell, no.

He put out a memo about the DOT's new principles and standards that includes "give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average".  (He and his wife - Rachel, from the San Francisco season of The Real World - shat nine kids into this overburdened world.)

[Dimity]

4 minutes ago, Bastet said:

He put out a memo about the DOT's new principles and standards that includes "give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average". 

Well thank goodness they're backing away from DEI in favour of the Counting On principle.

[Salacious Kitty]

What happens when former reality stars and drunks have the keys to the kingdom. 

[peacheslatour]

22 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

What happens when former reality stars and drunks have the keys to the kingdom. 

This.

 

[Dimity]

4 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

This is trumps excuse for not reviewing all Jan 6th cases and just pardoining all of them. :  it's 1500 people it would be too hard. 

At a bare minimum someone on his staff could easily have determined which of the Insurrectionists received lengthy sentences for extreme violence.  Like, you know, physically attacking Capital police officers.  His message in not doing this was loud and clear.

[Ohiopirate02]

17 minutes ago, Dimity said:

At a bare minimum someone on his staff could easily have determined which of the Insurrectionists received lengthy sentences for extreme violence.  Like, you know, physically attacking Capital police officers.  His message in not doing this was loud and clear.

He actually did do that. People like that militia leader with the eyepatch only got their sentences commuted and not a full pardon. They are still convicted felons and must abide the rules when it comes to gun ownership. One of the 1500 already got arrested on a weapons charge. Another one got shot by a cop during a traffic stop. 

[Dimity]

Just now, Ohiopirate02 said:

People like that militia leader with the eyepatch only got their sentences commuted and not a full pardon. T

I didn't know that and this makes it even more infuriating.

[Soapy Goddess]

10 hours ago, Anela said:

You only heard about the bird flu, last week? I’ve been hearing about it for months.  

Where did I say that? Just because I don't engage in a timely manner doesn't mean that I don't know what's going on in the world. Egg prices won't be coming down any time soon, regardless of who's in charge. Supposedly, it's going to take a minimum of 4 more months to cycle through the bird flu.

10 hours ago, kittykat said:

We warned, screamed, pleaded and tried to make people see that the price of eggs wasn't worth disenfranchising the rights of over half the population. They didn't care.  They can scream "it's the economy, stupid" all they want at me and I'll shout back, "it's human rights, stupid!"

So you'd rather the left continue to spend 50 million $ to send condoms to Gaza?

[Kemper]

13 hours ago, Dimity said:

What is it with Republicans and air traffic controllers?  Remember when good old Ronnie Reagan fired over 10,000 of them for the crime of going on strike? 

I want to either weep or throw something every time I hear the words "Reagan" National. 

[Turquoise]

3 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

So you'd rather the left continue to spend 50 million $ to send condoms to Gaza?

Except this has already been widely debunked. Maybe someday people will learn when Trump or his press secretary open their mouth, it's probably not true.

https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/no-evidence-us-spent-50-million-condoms-gaza-2025-01-30/

https://apnews.com/article/gaza-condoms-fact-check-trump-50-million-26884cac6c7097d7316ca50ca4145a82

https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/01/29/evidence-us-govt-50m-condoms-gaza/
 

Edited Friday at 12:57 PM by Turquoise

[Dimity]

Basically if he's talking he's lying.

[bluegirl147]

1 hour ago, Turquoise said:

Except this has already been widely debunked. Maybe someday people will learn when Trump or his press secretary open their mouth, it's probably not true.

https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/no-evidence-us-spent-50-million-condoms-gaza-2025-01-30/

https://apnews.com/article/gaza-condoms-fact-check-trump-50-million-26884cac6c7097d7316ca50ca4145a82

https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/01/29/evidence-us-govt-50m-condoms-gaza/
 

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-spent-millions-std-prevention-gaza-it-was-province-mozambique

Gaza in Mozambique.  So did they know they were lying or are they just that inept?

10 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

He actually did do that. People like that militia leader with the eyepatch only got their sentences commuted and not a full pardon. They are still convicted felons and must abide the rules when it comes to gun ownership. One of the 1500 already got arrested on a weapons charge. Another one got shot by a cop during a traffic stop. 

Another pardoned insurrectionist has a warrant out for him for soliciting a minor back in 2016.    

A lot of these people already had criminal records.

https://whyy.org/articles/donald-trump-jan-6-rape-assault-pardons-rioters/

[Browncoat]

And the bird flu only going to get worse, since the US is no longer working with the WHO, and the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report is not being published.  For that matter, get ready for a whole host of other diseases that had been under control (thank you, vaccinations!) to get worse.  I heard on the radio this morning that a child at a local school has contracted whooping cough.  A very easily preventable disease.

From NPR:

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/01/29/nx-s1-5276340/trump-centers-for-disease-control-cdc-world-health-organization

"For example, he says, WHO is convening an international meeting of experts who will discuss bird flu, among other things. Bird flu has been circulating widely in livestock and wildlife in the U.S. Without CDC representatives at the meeting, he says, CDC will be unable to examine the shared data from other countries where bird flu has been identified and understand how the virus is evolving and spreading across species. Gostin says this new clampdown on communications could hinder the country's ability to prevent humans from being infected as well as to develop medications and vaccines to combat bird flu."

[Dimity]

[laurakaye]

12 hours ago, Bastet said:

Based on his prior experience: No.  Based on his handling of today's press conference: Hell, no.

He put out a memo about the DOT's new principles and standards that includes "give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average".  (He and his wife - Rachel, from the San Francisco season of The Real World - shat nine kids into this overburdened world.)

I can't tell if I am angry that this shocks me, or I'm angry because I allowed it to shock me when I should be completely numb by now.

So you now have to be a married white man with a hundred kids to be qualified for a job?  Okay, Real World Boston.  

[PRgal]

There's an article in the Toronto Star today about what the Ontario Conservatives "really" stand for.  It seems like the link works for people who aren't signed in/have a subscription, but it might only be a limited of time.  So at least HERE, we're not as crazy...yet...and it seems that the Ontario Conservatives are more diverse, culturally speaking:

In both 2018 and 2022, the PCs won not only in the predominantly white rural districts of southern Ontario, but in the multiracial suburbs of Toronto, including Scarborough and Mississauga, exurban and industrial towns. Ford’s strongest support came from those who identified as East Asian, South Asian and Eastern European, especially those with strong religious and socially traditional views.

I'm not surprised at that (though I think this surprises A LOT of so-called "educated" White liberals).  And the voters are likely people who were not raised in this country opposed to Canadian born people/those who came as children and went through the school system here.  

[Dimity]

8 minutes ago, PRgal said:

I'm not surprised at that (though I think this surprises A LOT of so-called "educated" White liberals). 

So-called?  I'm not sure what this means.

[Ohiopirate02]

What really bugs me about the Republicans' efforts to raise the birthrate of white Americans is how they are going about it. People are not having kids because it costs too much to have them. If you want the "right" people to have more children, then you need to make it cheaper and easier to do so. Lower the medical costs associated with giving birth, expand paid parental leave, make childcare more affordable, increase tax credits for having a second or third kid, lower the costs of education, keep abortion legal, etc. But they will never do this because the "wrong" people will also benefit.

[Dimity]

[bluegirl147]

58 minutes ago, Dimity said:

The Washington Post will never do a story connecting those two things.

38 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

What really bugs me about the Republicans' efforts to raise the birthrate of white Americans is how they are going about it. People are not having kids because it costs too much to have them. If you want the "right" people to have more children, then you need to make it cheaper and easier to do so. Lower the medical costs associated with giving birth, expand paid parental leave, make childcare more affordable, increase tax credits for having a second or third kid, lower the costs of education, keep abortion legal, etc. But they will never do this because the "wrong" people will also benefit.

Also having children is delayed because women want to focus on their career firsts.  And then when they do want a family they need fertility treatments which are not cheap.  Didn't Trump say free IVF for everyone who wants it?

If it wasn't so scary and legit handmaid ish I would laugh at the right's attempts to hold off this country becoming minority majority. Wanting to deport millions of brown people.  Banning abortions.  Making it harder for women get an education to enable her to get a well paying job.

You know one big reason women aren't getting married and having kids?  They can't find men they want to spend their life with.  The pickings were slim when I was younger and looks to be even worse now.

[Ohiopirate02]

6 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

You know one big reason women aren't getting married and having kids?  They can't find men they want to spend their life with.  The pickings were slim when I was younger and looks to be even worse now.

That is why I am single and childfree.

[Absolom]

On 1/29/2025 at 3:09 PM, peacheslatour said:

I don't care about sports, like at all.

I don't either.  I just know that it's the best time all year to go shop at Costco.  For that reason alone, long live the Super Bowl.  Plus it gets me away from the noisy neighbor game parties that are so annoying. 

[Notabug]

55 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

 They can't find men they want to spend their life with.  The pickings were slim when I was younger and looks to be even worse now.

Another big reason; women now have the opportunity to make their own way in the world.  Virtually no one, not even conservative women, doesn't spend at least a portion of her life out in the work world supporting herself.  Women see opportunities beyond marriage and family and no longer prioritize getting married in order to achieve financial stability.   Many simply don't want to 'settle' and marry a guy to pay the bills and hope for the best. Sisters are doing it for themselves.

I am also never married, don't feel it is a big void in my life, either.  I've got plenty going on with or without a husband.

Edited Friday at 05:20 PM by Notabug

[peacheslatour]

27 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Another big reason; women now have the opportunity to make their own way in the world.  Virtually no one, not even conservative women, doesn't spend at least a portion of her life out in the work world supporting herself.  Women see opportunities beyond marriage and family and no longer prioritize getting married in order to achieve financial stability.   Many simply don't want to 'settle' and marry a guy to pay the bills and hope for the best. Sisters are doing it for themselves.

I am also never married, don't feel it is a big void in my life, either.  I've got plenty going on with or without a husband.

I think that's great and you make a good point. In the past women had very few choices about their own lives. You could be a school teacher, a nurse or a "stewardess" which is what my paternal grandparents wanted me to be, they thought it sounded so glamorous! My dad, who traveled frequently for business  told me it was basically being a sky waitress" and drudgery. My parents wanted me to get a degree in business. What a difference from even a decade or two before where marriage and children were your only ways to have a roof over your head. I don't blame young women one bit for concentrating on getting an education and setting themselves up in a career before even thinking about marriage. Can you imagine a woman these days worrying about facing their husbands wrath because they spent too much on a new hat?

[bluegirl147]

5 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

 I don't blame young women one bit for concentrating on getting an education and setting themselves up in a career before even thinking about marriage. Can you imagine a woman these days worrying about facing their husbands wrath because they spent too much on a new hat?

Or being traded in for a younger model.  My son and daughter in law have friends that have no kids and the wives/'gfs don't work.  All I can do is shake my head and think I hope you have a plan b ladies.

[tearknee]

22 hours ago, PRgal said:

Actually, certain types of White males can be criticized like no other.  Remember what they said about Gus Walz?  Poor kid!  Though I think he'll be getting promposals from random girls all over the US this year...he seems like a sweet kid.  

Yes. Joey Deacon was white. Didn't help him after Blue Peter :'(

[Anela]

2 hours ago, PRgal said:

There's an article in the Toronto Star today about what the Ontario Conservatives "really" stand for.  It seems like the link works for people who aren't signed in/have a subscription, but it might only be a limited of time.  So at least HERE, we're not as crazy...yet...and it seems that the Ontario Conservatives are more diverse, culturally speaking:

In both 2018 and 2022, the PCs won not only in the predominantly white rural districts of southern Ontario, but in the multiracial suburbs of Toronto, including Scarborough and Mississauga, exurban and industrial towns. Ford’s strongest support came from those who identified as East Asian, South Asian and Eastern European, especially those with strong religious and socially traditional views.

I'm not surprised at that (though I think this surprises A LOT of so-called "educated" White liberals).  And the voters are likely people who were not raised in this country opposed to Canadian born people/those who came as children and went through the school system here.  

Conservatives aren’t just white here.  We have gay republicans too. 

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

That is why I am single and childfree.

Same.  

Edited Friday at 06:19 PM by Anela

[bluegirl147]

11 minutes ago, Anela said:

Conservatives aren’t just white here.  We have gays republicans too. 

 

And I will never understand that.   How can they want to belong to a party who actively wants and does discriminate against them.  Who thinks they are "others".  

[tearknee]

2 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

And I will never understand that.   How can they want to belong to a party who actively wants and does discriminate against them.  Who thinks they are "others".  

emotional reasons. As i keep writing. Think like an average ordinary person. Don't think like someone who likes to sit at home and read.

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

And I will never understand that.   How can they want to belong to a party who actively wants and does discriminate against them.  Who thinks they are "others".  

[Anela]

5 minutes ago, tearknee said:

emotional reasons. As i keep writing. Think like an average ordinary person. Don't think like someone who likes to sit at home and read.

But average ordinary people read. Libraries have been one of my favourite places to be, for my entire life.  I currently can barely read at home, I can’t settle, so I’m reading whenever I’m a passenger in the van. 

[Anela]

[Notabug]

33 minutes ago, Anela said:

Conservatives aren’t just white here.  We have gay republicans too. 

Same.  

I think it shows how complex people are.  Gay people not a monolith anymore than straight people or white people.  Gay is just one part of who they are and, as we all know, nobody agrees 100% with every plank in their party's platform.  It does seem a bit out there that someone might support a political party that wants to deny them basic civil rights; but I know more than a couple gay Republicans who feel the Republican party represents their interests better than the Dems. They seem to think that the Republicans won't be able to reverse the gains they've made; but, after Roe v. Wade, I think they're dreaming.  Still, they're smart, well-informed people and they believe what they believe.

[tearknee]

16 minutes ago, Anela said:

But average ordinary people read. Libraries have been one of my favourite places to be, for my entire life.  I currently can barely read at home, I can’t settle, so I’m reading whenever I’m a passenger in the van. 

don't be discourteous with me. You know what i meant. 

[ProudMary]

Well, here we go:

President Will Impose 25% Tariffs on Mexico and Canada Tomorrow

https://www.newsweek.com/trump-tariffs-live-president-will-impose-25-tariffs-mexico-canada-tomorrow-2024196

Edited: Also, a 10% tariff on China.

Edited Friday at 06:55 PM by ProudMary
See above.

[peacheslatour]

6 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I think it shows how complex people are.  Gay people not a monolith anymore than straight people or white people.  Gay is just one part of who they are and, as we all know, nobody agrees 100% with every plank in their party's platform.  It does seem a bit out there that someone might support a political party that wants to deny them basic civil rights; but I know more than a couple gay Republicans who feel the Republican party represents their interests better than the Dems. They seem to think that the Republicans won't be able to reverse the gains they've made; but, after Roe v. Wade, I think they're dreaming.  Still, they're smart, well-informed people and they believe what they believe.

Right. Have they ever heard of Roe v Wade? That was settled law too.

[Anela]

8 minutes ago, tearknee said:

don't be discourteous with me. You know what i meant. 

I'm not being discourteous. 

9 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I think it shows how complex people are.  Gay people not a monolith anymore than straight people or white people.  Gay is just one part of who they are and, as we all know, nobody agrees 100% with every plank in their party's platform.  It does seem a bit out there that someone might support a political party that wants to deny them basic civil rights; but I know more than a couple gay Republicans who feel the Republican party represents their interests better than the Dems. They seem to think that the Republicans won't be able to reverse the gains they've made; but, after Roe v. Wade, I think they're dreaming.  Still, they're smart, well-informed people and they believe what they believe.

I know. I was just responding to PRGal. I didn't say anything bad about them. I just said that they exist. 

Edited Friday at 06:56 PM by Anela

[Dimity]

9 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Well, here we go:

President Will Impose 25% Tariffs on Mexico and Canada Tomorrow

https://www.newsweek.com/trump-tariffs-live-president-will-impose-25-tariffs-mexico-canada-tomorrow-2024196

Edited: Also, a 10% tariff on China.

The average American may or may not feel the impact of these tariffs on Mexico and Canada (I think they will but perhaps not) but they certainly will on a tariff on goods from China.  At least half the stuff you order from places like Temu and Amazon are from China.  Wonder how Bezos is feeling, will he absorb this or pass it on to the consumer.

[fastiller]

3 minutes ago, Dimity said:

 Wonder how Bezos is feeling, will he absorb this or pass it on to the consumer.

Do we really need to ask this?

[tearknee]

7 minutes ago, Anela said:

I'm not being discourteous. 

I know. I was just responding to PRGal. I didn't say anything bad about them. I just said that they exist. 

About me reminding people to think like a normal person might when looking at how the public or members of the marginalized 'vote against their interests' instead of someone that sits at home reading one of the Classics. This tends to be a systematic problem with web-based forums (and newsgroups before them). Not your fault, though.

[Anela]

17 minutes ago, tearknee said:

About me reminding people to think like a normal person might when looking at how the public or members of the marginalized 'vote against their interests' instead of someone that sits at home reading one of the Classics. This tends to be a systematic problem with web-based forums (and newsgroups before them). Not your fault, though.

I think you're in a different country. Here, we get to read, "Would you want to have a beer with them?" as though that's something that all regular Americans do. A lot of Americans don't like beer. And I'm sure that Kamala would be more entertaining than trump, if we had dinner, or just went for a walk. 

[peacheslatour]

20 minutes ago, Dimity said:

The average American may or may not feel the impact of these tariffs on Mexico and Canada (I think they will but perhaps not) but they certainly will on a tariff on goods from China.  At least half the stuff you order from places like Temu and Amazon are from China.  Wonder how Bezos is feeling, will he absorb this or pass it on to the consumer.

[tearknee]

2 minutes ago, Anela said:

I think you're in a different country. Here, we get to read, "Would you want to have a beer with them?" as though that's something that all regular Americans do. A lot of Americans don't like beer. And I'm sure that Kamala would be more entertaining than trump, if we had dinner, or just went for a walk. 

American-born. Expat. Running from pain. It's still chasing me

[Dimity]

5 minutes ago, Anela said:

I think you're in a different country. Here, we get to read, "Would you want to have a beer with them?" as though that's something that all regular Americans do. A lot of Americans don't like beer. And I'm sure that Kamala would be more entertaining than trump, if we had dinner, or just went for a walk. 

I remember that "go out for a beer" thing being a big deal back when Bush Jr was president.  The weird thing about Trump is that his base seem to see him as just one of the guys, well one of the really rich guys,  but he's never made any secret of his disdain for anyone who isn't rich and working on getting richer.

Edited Friday at 07:30 PM by Dimity