Chit-Chat: The Feels

[bluegirl147]

19 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

To be fair to RFK - layoffs of probationary staff occurred throughout the federal government today.  It's been real fun.  Imagine getting to tell new enthusiastic people that they've lost their jobs just because the President wants to push people around.  It's not based on the quality of their work or anything else - it's just because they are easy targets.

That is Trump always punching down.  He never goes after people who can fight back.  It's why he is so deferential to people like Putin. He might act like a tough guy but in reality he is what he bragged about grabbing.

[Lantern7]

I don’t believe Donald Trump has won a fair fight in his entire life. Anytime he would lose, two or three flunkeys would jump in to help, and he’d kick his opponent while they was down, beating his chest with one hand and his meat with the other.

Seriously, I don’t think mass desertions are out of the question. Nothing hurts morale quite like having your boss thinking you’re a sucker for enlisting. Also, the guy under him is a womanizing drunkard disowned by his mother. That can’t be encouraging.

Edited Saturday at 01:18 AM by Lantern7

[suomi]

A federal judge has ordered Donald Trump’s administration to temporarily lift a funding freeze that has shut down US humanitarian aid and development work around the world, and he has set a five-day deadline for the administration to prove it is complying.

Contractors, farmers and suppliers in the US and around the world say the Trump administration’s funding freeze has stiffed them on hundreds of millions of dollars in pay for work already done, has forced them to lay off staff and is rapidly putting many near the point of financial collapse.

Farmers and other suppliers and contractors describe fortunes in undelivered food aid rotting in ports and other undelivered aid at risk of theft.

The judge ordered the administration to notify every organization with an existing foreign-aid contract with the federal government of his temporary stay. He set a Tuesday deadline for the administration to show it had done so and was otherwise complying with the order.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/14/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-funding

[peacheslatour]

45 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

Trump has mocked and derided the military for years, so him gutting the VA is no surprise -  still, what a sick betrayal of all the men and women in uniform  who were injured while serving their country. 

 

The internet does not possess an emoji strong enough for the rage and despair I feel right now.

[DrSpaceman73]

So it's really no secret after the vance speech amd then getting the head of afd Germany. 

It's a trimp /musk-afd/putin alliance and they care nothing about the rest of Europe. 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/14/world/vances-speech-upsets-european-leaders-intl-latam/index.html

 

4 hours ago, Trini said:

???

I don't understand what this administration thinks it's going to accomplish by antagonizing our actual allies.  So then everyone hates us and won't do business with us; then what??

They are no longer our allies. 

Our allies are putin and right wing Germany.  

Very clear what is happening. 

[graybrown bird]

1 hour ago, meep.meep said:

To be fair to RFK - layoffs of probationary staff occurred throughout the federal government today.  It's been real fun.  Imagine getting to tell new enthusiastic people that they've lost their jobs just because the President wants to push people around.  It's not based on the quality of their work or anything else - it's just because they are easy targets.

This is outrageous!

[DrSpaceman73]

Oh yeah....Elon and trump doing a great job

 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/14/climate/nuclear-nnsa-firings-trump/index.html

Firing people overseeing our nuclear stockpile. 

[Bliss]

I was buying some greeting cards today, and thought I'd get some for my USA friends...

Should I get a sympathy card?

How about a "get well" card?

Then, I found a "WTF?" card! Perfect.

 

 

[Dimity]

So my youngest grandchild cried herself to sleep tonight because she has been hearing stories about how the US is going to invade us.  She thinks we're going to have a war "like on TV".  Trump, in the words of my grandson, "you suck".

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

So my youngest grandchild cried herself to sleep tonight because she has been hearing stories about how the US is going to invade us.  She thinks we're going to have a war "like on TV".  Trump, in the words of my grandson, "you suck".

What has she seen on TV? That's horrifying.

[tearknee]

I think Trump watched a bit too much TV himself in the 1980s

 

[Lantern7]

I just wish there was a way for sane Americans to get the word out to the rest of the world. "We know, we let a fringe minority gain power and it hasn't gone the least bit well. Just ignore those people and we'll try to clear them out as soon as possible."

I know, things aren't that simple, and I fear bad things would need to happen to get back to the status quo. I just don't want everyone thinking all Americans are empty-headed a-holes.

[Soapy Goddess]

17 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Are you serious with this, 'cause LOL, no. 

No, I wasn't...but apparently one can't joke here 🙄

[Soapy Goddess]

7 hours ago, anony.miss said:

Welcome to Trump's America, where children are needlessly sick, thanks to fools like RFK Jr spreading insane medical conspiracy theories.

How can you blame the unvaccinated all on Trump? These theories have been spread for many years. Remember Jenny McCarthy (now Walberg) fighting against vaccines because she believed they made her son autistic? Why wasn't she held accountable and/or responsible for "sick children" around the world? 

3 hours ago, Dimity said:

So my youngest grandchild cried herself to sleep tonight because she has been hearing stories about how the US is going to invade us.  She thinks we're going to have a war "like on TV".  Trump, in the words of my grandson, "you suck".

Serious question - why is your grandchild being exposed to politics at such a young age? Whatever happened to age of innocence? 

[anony.miss]

1 hour ago, Soapy Goddess said:

How can you blame the unvaccinated all on Trump?These theories have been spread for many years.

Trump has been pushing anti-vax crap for eighteen years, starting in 2007:

"...The Donald is no stranger to strong opinions, whether he’s trading barbed comments on network television with Rosie O’Donnell or dispatching the latest contestant on The Apprentice. In an interview with Palm Beach Politics, Donald Trump offered a controversial opinion on a new topic: autism. The New York-Palm Beach real estate mogul is no doctor, but he said he thinks the rising prevalence of autism is related to vaccinations given to children at a young age....“My theory, and I study it because I have young children, my theory is the shots."

https://archive.ph/SRJx4

He also pushed debunked junk science all over social media - as here, in a 2012 tweet:

Trump also defended the same crap in the 2015 republican debate.  He briefly validated the covid vaccine, but has done a U turn back into crazy town by putting a conspiracy theorist with a brain worm and a taste for diseased road kill in charge of the nation's health. So yes, he is 100 percent responsible for using his position to force dangerous, anti-vax junk science on the American public, and for putting RFK Jr in a position to incite more public health crises.

Edited Saturday at 09:03 AM by anony.miss

[Yeah No]

2 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

Trump also defended the same crap in the 2015 debate.  He briefly validated the covid vaccine, but has done a U turn back into crazy town by putting a conspiracy theorist with a brain worm and a taste for diseased road kill in charge of the nation's health. So yes, he is 100 percent responsible for using his position to force dangerous, anti-vax junk science on the American public, and for putting RFK Jr in a position to incite more public health crises.

Yeah, and putting an anti-vaxxer in charge of the Dept. of Health and Human Services can cause far more harm to the public than Jenny McCarthy spewing about it online. She doesn't have control over public policy on vaccines.

[Annber03]

Also, people have called Jenny McCarthy out on her anti-vax views. Numerous times. She has not been immune from criticism regarding her stance on that issue. 

At the end of the day, though, she does not hold a political office and thus cannot actively dictate policy the way government officials do. So yes, Trump and RFK, Jr. are going to be held to a much higher standard of scrutiny for their views than a celebrity will be, no matter how shitty and ignorant said celebrity's views might be. 

[Lantern7]

I think that if YKW took COVID seriously, he would’ve been re-elected. Instead, he touted junk and he more or less got rid of a lot of his voters.

Going to bed. Maybe the world won’t suck as hard when I wake up . . . but I doubt it.

[anony.miss]

45 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Also, people have called Jenny McCarthy out on her anti-vax views.

It's true, many have called her out - but not Trump!  He even gave money to McCarthy's anti-vax charity in 2010:

"...His monetary support for the conspiracy theory came in the form of a $10,000 check to an anti-vaccine charity run by former Playboy model and television host Jenny McCarthy. Trump’s monetary and moral support for McCarthy’s discredited ideas have real, harmful effects—they contribute to the mainstreaming of a conspiracy theory at a time when parents are increasingly deciding to opt out of vaccines despite medical advice."

https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-charity-gave-to-jenny-mccarthys-anti-vaxx-crusade/

He really does have a negative talent for promoting the most ignorant, venal, and unqualified people.  He's captain on the ship of fools.

Edited Saturday at 09:45 AM by anony.miss

[anony.miss]

55 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Maybe the world won’t suck as hard when I wake up . . . but I doubt it.

The story of Danielle Sassoon gave me hope:

"...Three weeks into Donald Trump’s second term in office, Danielle Sassoon, a thirty-eight-year-old lawyer whom Trump had named acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has provided the first dramatic check against the Trump Administration’s rampage through the federal government. On Wednesday, she refused her bosses’ orders to drop the criminal-corruption case against New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams. She offered her resignation, and put her career on the line, rather than do the dirty work Washington directed her to do."

https://archive.ph/b7R3z#selection-591.0-603.123

In case anyone wants to write her off as a lib with an axe to grind, Sassoon clerked for Scalia and is a member of the Federalist Society:

"Sassoon wrote that she felt she owed it to the Constitution to speak up, citing Scalia, one of her conservative mentors. “I have always considered it my obligation to pursue justice impartially,” she wrote. She just couldn’t stomach it."

Democrats, wake the fuck up -  this is how you fight Trump & Company. And Republicans - this is what country over party looks like.

Edited Saturday at 10:24 AM by anony.miss

[tres bien]

Yes Trump nominated an unfit nominee for HHS (among other in qualified nominees) but the fact that Bobby Jr is now in charge of running an agency that he knows nothing about and doesn’t have the experience and skills to run anything of that size and scope lays at the feet of the senate republicans.

All of them knew he should not be put in that position but only Mitch McConnell voted against him. Of course his vote didn’t matter but at least it was a statement. Senator Cassidy is a physician and didn’t have the balls to do the right thing. Seems like that should have something to say about what kind of a doctor he really is. 
And there’s Lisa Murkowski. Who seemingly voted for him because the senate will hold him accountable and bring him in for questioning when they find  dubious things he’s doing. Seriously?

Maybe the democrats shouldn’t have dismissed Bobby Jr when he reached out to them before he hopped on the MAGA train. Yeah foresight is 20/20 but the democrats had a lot of chances to snatch this away from Trump with only a 1.5% (about 220,000 voters) and maybe this could have made a difference 

As far as Murkowski. Yesterday she was on the floor of the senate decrying the removal of the name Denali back to McKinley. STFU. What made you think he wasn’t going to do stupid things like that. 
What next? New Mexico?

[PRgal]

Happy Flag Day to my fellow Canadians!  Today marks the 60th anniversary of the first time our maple leaf flag was flown. Here’s a Heritage Minute of the story 

 

[tres bien]

5 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

They dismissed him because he’s a fucking antivaxxer lunatic. I’m not blaming them for not wanting anything to do with him.

ITA although appeasing him  in any way would have been unacceptable to me I still think they could have struck a deal with him. Trump only wanted him because he wanted a Kennedy and to stick it to the democrats 

[DrSpaceman73]

6 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

How can you blame the unvaccinated all on Trump? These theories have been spread for many years. Remember Jenny McCarthy (now Walberg) fighting against vaccines because she believed they made her son autistic? Why wasn't she held accountable and/or responsible for "sick children" around the world? 

Serious question - why is your grandchild being exposed to politics at such a young age? Whatever happened to age of innocence? 

Because that was years ago, these are kids and the recent influence of no vaccines is maga. 

 

And this just isn't about politics anymore. This is affecting everyday life for everyone. You can't just 'avoid' trumps influence

Edited Saturday at 01:50 PM by DrSpaceman73

[Dimity]

5 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

How can you blame the unvaccinated all on Trump? These theories have been spread for many years. Remember Jenny McCarthy (now Walberg) fighting against vaccines because she believed they made her son autistic? Why wasn't she held accountable and/or responsible for "sick children" around the world? 

Serious question - why is your grandchild being exposed to politics at such a young age? Whatever happened to age of innocence? 

It truly is never going to be about the malignancy that is Trump for you is it?  Children hear about his threats and sabre rattling and it's not the threats and sabre rattling that are the problem it's that children heard about it?  You are acknowledging that Trump is doing and saying things children should be shielded from,  but casting around to assign blame anywhere but at Trump.

Edited Saturday at 01:44 PM by Dimity

[Dimity]

3 hours ago, PRgal said:

Happy Flag Day to my fellow Canadians!  Today marks the 60th anniversary of the first time our maple leaf flag was flown. Here’s a Heritage Minute of the story 

 

I'd forgotten about this, thank you for sharing, I'm passing it along to friends and family.  One positive about Trump and his nonsense is that it's enabled us Canadians to reclaim our flag - after the Convoy  rampaged through Ottawa a few years showing the flag wasn't seen so much as patriotic as idiotic thanks to them waving those flags from their trucks alongside their fascist messaging.

[Anela]

9 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

What has she seen on TV? That's horrifying.

Someone might have seen it on tiktok, and kids pick things up. I've seen videos from Canadians on tiktok, talking about how Canada is preparing to go to war, just in case the former host of the apprentice, decides to invade.

I know a woman in her thirties, Canadian, who said she was terrified that he was going to invade, and wanted to know if she needed to have things ready to go right now (including things for her pets, to take them in a rush). 

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I just wish there was a way for sane Americans to get the word out to the rest of the world. "We know, we let a fringe minority gain power and it hasn't gone the least bit well. Just ignore those people and we'll try to clear them out as soon as possible."

I know, things aren't that simple, and I fear bad things would need to happen to get back to the status quo. I just don't want everyone thinking all Americans are empty-headed a-holes.

Same. I have a few friends who have said, "If I didn't have American friends who are against all of this, and having to deal directly, with everything he's doing, I might hate America, and blame all of them."

[bluegirl147]

18 minutes ago, Anela said:

Someone might have seen it on tiktok, and kids pick things up. I've seen videos from Canadians on tiktok, talking about how Canada is preparing to go to war, just in case the former host of the apprentice, decides to invade.

I know a woman in her thirties, Canadian, who said she was terrified that he was going to invade, and wanted to know if she needed to have things ready to go right now (including things for her pets, to take them in a rush). 

Same. I have a few friends who have said, "If I didn't have American friends who are against all of this, and having to deal directly, with everything he's doing, I might hate America, and blame all of them."

You know without social media the rest of world could very well believe most Americans support Trump and his fascist authoritarinan tendencies. Our media isn't going to do an accurate job of reporting the resistance lest they lose their press credentials.

I saw my therapist yesterday and she thinks if Trump and Musk continue to menace the rest of the world China is going to call in the trillions of dollars we owe them and when we can't pay it they will effectively take over the US.  At this point I don't know if that is good or bad. That is how destructive and dangerous Trump and his unmerry band of misfits are.

Edited Saturday at 02:58 PM by bluegirl147

[Blergh]

Let me say that I was sorry to see Norah O'Donnell retire as the CBS Evening News anchor.

However, I can't help but think she realized that had she not done so when she did, she'd have wound up having either deliver watered down news or blatant propaganda.

[Yeah No]

54 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

You know without social media the rest of world could very well believe most Americans support Trump and his fascist authoritarinan tendencies. Our media isn't going to do an accurate job of reporting the resistance lest they lose their press credentials.

So true. We have to keep reminding ourselves that Trump only won the popular vote by 2,284,371 votes, which is less than Hillary's popular vote win in 2016, (which was around 2.9 million). And who knows how many now regret their votes? We aren't getting an accurate reading on how people feel now. I don't even know if that's possible.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, PRgal said:

Happy Flag Day to my fellow Canadians!  Today marks the 60th anniversary of the first time our maple leaf flag was flown. Here’s a Heritage Minute of the story 

 

Thanks, I didn't realize I was old enough to have been to Canada before the maple leaf flag. I was very young (7) when it started to be used, though. This is the kind of thing that blows my mind now and makes me feel quite old, like recently realizing that I was born when the U.S. only had 48 states. OK, it had 50 a year later but still...

[Lugal]

I know this is an outlier, but I never saw Trump as deferential to Putin.  During his first term he sent tanks to Estonia, trained Latvian and Polish fighters to resist a "Russian Invasion," sent 1000 troops to Poland, as well as selling Patriot missiles to Poland. He also ended the Open Skies Treaty and the INF Treaty at the same time called for more "low yield" nuclear weapons as a deterrent against Russia.  Not to mention he sent weapons to Ukraine to begin with, even when Obama considered that too incendiary. And since returning he threatened Putin with sanctions to end the Ukraine war.

If anything, I just see Trump swapping out Biden's Russia Hawks for his own China Hawks and Iran Hawks.

3 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

I saw my therapist yesterday and she thinks if Trump and Musk continue to menace the rest of the world China is going to call in the trillions of dollars we owe them and when we can't pay it they will effectively take over the US.  At this point I don't know if that is good or bad. That is how destructive and dangerous Trump and his unmerry band of misfits are.

That won't happen, since we don't owe China anything.  Our debt is denominated in dollars.  But it probably will accelerate de-dollarization.

[PRgal]

4 hours ago, Dimity said:

I'd forgotten about this, thank you for sharing, I'm passing it along to friends and family.  One positive about Trump and his nonsense is that it's enabled us Canadians to reclaim our flag - after the Convoy  rampaged through Ottawa a few years showing the flag wasn't seen so much as patriotic as idiotic thanks to them waving those flags from their trucks alongside their fascist messaging.

The last time we were this outwardly patriotic (since we’re usually more low key) was during the 1995 Oui/Non referendum!  We didn’t even see this during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_Quebec_referendum

[JustHereForFood]

21 minutes ago, Lugal said:

If anything, I just see Trump swapping out Biden's Russia Hawks for his own China Hawks and Iran Hawks.

 

People warning the person in power about foreign governments that 1000% mean your country harm are not hawks. Governments that imprison and torture their own citizens without blinking an eye are not your friends.

 

[Dimity]

16 minutes ago, PRgal said:

The last time we were this outwardly patriotic (since we’re usually more low key) was during the 1995 Oui/Non referendum!  We didn’t even see this during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_Quebec_referendum

That's one reason it was so easy for the "Freedom" Convoy to hijack our flag for their grandstanding.   As a rule Canadians, I  think, don't tend to be rah rah wave the flags type.  But Trump has poked the bear here and we're pissed.

I keep thinking about my grandfather going off to war in 1939 - he was involved, among other things, with the liberation of the Netherlands.  No way in hell are we going to let the sacrifices of previous generations become meaningless because Trump wants to rule the fricking world.  Not on our watch.

Edited Saturday at 07:21 PM by Dimity

[PRgal]

7 minutes ago, Dimity said:

That's one reason it was so easy for the "Freedom" Convoy to hijack our flag for their grandstanding.   As a rule Canadians, I don't think, tend to be rah rah wave the flags type.  But Trump has poked the bear here and we're pissed.

I keep thinking about my grandfather going off to war in 1939 - he was involved, among other things, with the liberation of the Netherlands.  No way in hell are we going to let the sacrifices of previous generations become meaningless because Trump wants to rule the fricking world.  Not on our watch.

MAGA and people like those you mention above make me embarrassed to admit that I'm more on the conservative side.  Not right wing conservative, but a "let's take progressiveness slowly" conservative (see David Roberts' post that went live today.  I relate to it quite a bit). There's A LOT that I'm uncomfortable talking about in many public situations, including here at times, fearing shame and embarrassment, you know what I mean?   

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, PRgal said:

MAGA and people like those you mention above make me embarrassed to admit that I'm more on the conservative side.  Not right wing conservative, but a "let's take progressiveness slowly" conservative (see David Roberts' post that went live today.  I relate to it quite a bit). There's A LOT that I'm uncomfortable talking about in many public situations, including here at times, fearing shame and embarrassment, you know what I mean?   

No, I not sure I understand what you mean. How about an example and I promise not to judge. ❤️

[Lugal]

21 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

People warning the person in power about foreign governments that 1000% mean your country harm are not hawks.

True, but when they pursue aggressive policies that can lead to nuclear war they are dangerous.

17 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Governments that imprison and torture their own citizens without blinking an eye are not your friends.

No, they're not.

[bluegirl147]

30 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

As per Investopedia-

As of January 2023, the United States owed China about $859.4 billion. China and Japan have been the largest foreign holders of US debt over the past 20 years. 

Explanation

Investors include foreign governments, pension funds, mutual funds, and individuals. 

The US has the largest external debt in the world. 

In February 2022, the US federal government debt surpassed $30 trillion for the first time. 

The US government borrows money by selling securities, like bills, notes, and bonds, through the Treasury. 

These securities are attractive to investors because they are backed by the US government. 

 

 

Thank you.  Us having so much external debt is not good no matter who holds the IOU.

20 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

People warning the person in power about foreign governments that 1000% mean your country harm are not hawks. Governments that imprison and torture their own citizens without blinking an eye are not your friends.

 

Whereas former presidents were rightly leery of Russia our current president wants to emulate Russia. The dictator the oligarchs imprisoning rivals and dissadents that is where Trump and Musk are headed.

 

[Dimity]

@PRgal Just generalizing but if your conservative opinions are about how you yourself choose to conduct your life that's one thing, if your conservative opinions are how you want others to conduct their lives then that's a little problematic.  Abortion, I think is a good example here.  It's a choice I don't think (barring health issues) that I would have made for myself but it's a choice that is absolutely none of my business with regard to anyone else.

Edited Saturday at 07:32 PM by Dimity

[JustHereForFood]

Trump spoke with Putler, said the call was the greatest one ever, blah, blah, he is on a path to make a peace deal, greatest of peace deals ever (translation: make Ukraine surrender) and we will all be grateful to him for solving yet another crisis, just like he will solve the war in Middle East (I hope everyone who could vote and refused to because of that war just that loves his plan, they might as well since they contributed to it), never mind that he's planning to keep Ukraine and Europe out of the talks. The next thing the russian terrorists do is crash a drone to the sarcophagus at Chornobyl that prevents the radiation from leaking out. That is their way to show their "peaceful intentions".

[PRgal]

2 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

No, I not sure I understand what you mean. How about an example and I promise not to judge. ❤️

I feel like at times, people here criticize those who "have" (and I'm no means even close to billionaire status) and in general, have made extreme generalizations about so-called "trust fund kids."  I am also still trying to grapple with the idea that non-binary exists and the whole "they" pronoun situation and am uncomfortable when people even bother asking me.  I don't want people to ask me.  I mean, I'm the type who expects children to call me Ms. or Mrs. so-and-so, not my first name (and DEFINITELY NOT Auntie if I barely know the parent.  Auntie for ANY adult is common in Hong Kong culture and many CBCs (Canadian born Chinese) are still doing this because that's what THEY were asked to do back in the day.  Unless I know the adult well, I am NOT Auntie (it's an old post and I may very well recycle it on my Substack)).  I am STILL considering a boys-only school for my son in the future.  I went to a single-sex school as well as both my parents and two of my grandparents (one on each side).  It's just how our family runs and it feels really weird that it's not something that would necessarily continue.  

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, PRgal said:

I feel like at times, people here criticize those who "have" (and I'm no means even close to billionaire status) and in general, have made extreme generalizations about so-called "trust fund kids."  I am also still trying to grapple with the idea that non-binary exists and the whole "they" pronoun situation and am uncomfortable when people even bother asking me.  I don't want people to ask me.  I mean, I'm the type who expects children to call me Ms. or Mrs. so-and-so, not my first name (and DEFINITELY NOT Auntie if I barely know the parent.  Auntie for ANY adult is common in Hong Kong culture and many CBCs (Canadian born Chinese) are still doing this because that's what THEY were asked to do back in the day.  Unless I know the adult well, I am NOT Auntie (it's an old post and I may very well recycle it on my Substack)).  I am STILL considering a boys-only school for my son in the future.  I went to a single-sex school as well as both my parents and two of my grandparents (one on each side).  It's just how our family runs and it feels really weird that it's not something that would necessarily continue.  

You sound like most of us. Frankly, people who are liberal are also doing the best they can navigating a changing world. We just don't have the knee jerk reaction of "outlaw all the things I don't understand" that conservatives seem to.

[PRgal]

One person I'm okay with calling me "Auntie" is my son's genetic sibling.  Our clinic connected us with her mom right before the holidays.  We still haven't met or FaceTimed yet, but we are hoping to do that soon.  

[Dimity]

My husband's Scottish relatives have been talking about Vance and his speech there - full of threats and misinformation naturally - and all I could think about was whether he was in full eye liner mode while he was ranting.  BTW, no one can beat the Scots for insults.  Their posts have been fun to read 😄.

[JustHereForFood]

36 minutes ago, PRgal said:

MAGA and people like those you mention above make me embarrassed to admit that I'm more on the conservative side.  Not right wing conservative, but a "let's take progressiveness slowly" conservative (see David Roberts' post that went live today.  I relate to it quite a bit). There's A LOT that I'm uncomfortable talking about in many public situations, including here at times, fearing shame and embarrassment, you know what I mean?   

I'm a liberal (but in Anglo-American internet spaces I try to make sure everyone knows I'm definitely not a leftist), but I will take a decent conservative person who doesn't tell other people what to do with their lives and who believes in values like democracy, freedom and civility over a progressive person who says things like borders, armies or police should not exist and is more concerned about policing other people's vocabulary on the internet than voting for decent politicians that only promise 75% of what they need instead of 100%. Yes, I know I speak about extremes here, but I think one of the reasons we (and I mean most of the world) are where we are right now is the intense polarization that has been happening over the last decade and people pushing things to the absolutes instead of being willing to meet in the middle.

[bluegirl147]

16 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

I'm a liberal (but in Anglo-American internet spaces I try to make sure everyone knows I'm definitely not a leftist), but I will take a decent conservative person who doesn't tell other people what to do with their lives and who believes in values like democracy, freedom and civility over a progressive person who says things like borders, armies or police should not exist and is more concerned about policing other people's vocabulary on the internet than voting for decent politicians that only promise 75% of what they need instead of 100%. Yes, I know I speak about extremes here, but I think one of the reasons we (and I mean most of the world) are where we are right now is the intense polarization that has been happening over the last decade and people pushing things to the absolutes instead of being willing to meet in the middle.

I'm right there with you.  Up until about 15 or 20 yrs ago I would have said I'm pretty far left but then the left started moving more left.  One of my oldest friends has moved so far left that she has now rounded the bend and is a Trump supporter.   She thinks Dr Fauci should be tried for treason and cheered RFKs confirmation.   We are no longer friends. I used to cut her some slack because she grew up with a father who had communist beliefs and a mother who had grown up in Nazi Germany but this hard right she took is just too much.

I still call myself a bleeding heart liberal because at my core I want all of us to live healthy happy lives.  I want those in need to receive the assistance they need. I want people to be treated equally no matter their color gender sexual identity or religion.  I want guns to be better regulated.  I want financial markets to be better regulated. I want employees to be at the very least paid a livable wage.  I want all of us to have affordable health care. And most of all I want the grown ups to be in charge again.

Edited Saturday at 08:21 PM by bluegirl147

[Anela]

I'm a leftist, who hasn't moved so far as to choose trump over Kamala or Hillary. They didn't move further left, they dumped the left completely. I'm a progressive. 

Edited Saturday at 08:40 PM by Anela

[tessaray]

35 minutes ago, PRgal said:

feel like at times, people here criticize those who "have" (and I'm no means even close to billionaire status) and in general, have made extreme generalizations about so-called "trust fund kids."  I am also still trying to grapple with the idea that non-binary exists and the whole "they" pronoun situation and am uncomfortable when people even bother asking me.  I don't want people to ask me.  I mean, I'm the type who expects children to call me Ms. or Mrs. so-and-so

I'm sorry if some of the generalizations here made you uncomfortable.  

No doubt there are many decent "trust fund kids" out there. There used to be a lot of old-fashioned liberals who had trust fund backgrounds and were known for giving back to their communities.  But there is a special kind of cruelty attached to a type of rich person who isn't satisfied with just having, they also want to make sure that poorer people have nothing but crumbs. Crumbs that they then want to charge full-price for. 

Cultural change can be hard. For me, it helps to focus on respect for other's private choices and respect of baseline civil rights. 

[bluegirl147]

10 minutes ago, tessaray said:

 

Cultural change can be hard. For me, it helps to focus on respect for other's private choices and respect of baseline civil rights. 

Problem is the right doesn't have respect for anyone who makes different choices than them. 

I love hearing stories like this. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sheryl-crow-sells-tesla-donates-proceeds-to-npr_n_67b0f234e4b0c06e58fc7f0b