Chit-Chat: The Feels

[tres bien]

Navajo Code Talkers disappear from military websites after Trump’s DEI order

If you don’t know about them and their role in WWII Google. I don’t have the energy to post in dept info

This nonstop attack on the very thread of who we are is sickening 

[Anela]

Here you go. https://americanindian.si.edu/static/why-we-serve/topics/code-talkers/

[peacheslatour]

Look at this face. Look at his eyes. This is the face of America now. Just vast empty, petty hatred. 

[annzeepark914]

He looks like a crocodile. What a lowlife (who should be in prison right now). I blame McConnell and Biden for what we're enduring now.

[Bastet]

  On 3/17/2025 at 3:09 PM, bluegirl147 said:

The electoral college is a relic of a bygone era. If not for that Al Gore would have won in 2000. 

Expand  

Well, that and the Supreme Court.

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:24 PM, partofme said:

I’m sick and tired of Democrats running middle of the road candidates though, they need to run someone who’s actually a progressive, progressive policies are popular with the public. 

Expand  

I've loved this from the moment it first aired, and when I re-watched it last week, I disturbed my cat by sitting up and cheering.  From Bruno, Democratic campaign strategist, on The West Wing:

  Quote

I'm tired of getting [moderate Democratic candidates] elected.  We all need some therapy.  Because somebody came along and said "liberal" means soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on Communism, soft on defense, and we're gonna tax you back to the Stone Age because people shouldn't have to go to work if they don't want to.  And instead of saying "Well, excuse me, you right-wing, reactionary, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-eductaion, anti-choice, pro-gun, 'Leave it to Beaver' trip back to the fifties," we cowered in the corner and said, "Please, don't hurt me."  No more.  I really don't care who's right, who's wrong.  We're both right.  We're both wrong.  Let's have two parties, huh?

Expand  

And that was back before the GOP was this extreme.  Now it's even more important to have an actual opposition party.

In that same episode, Bruno advocated for using the same loopholes re. "soft money" in campaign finance laws everyone else was using, rather than taking the high road and leading by example, arguing that's the way you lose an election and the stakes are too high:

  Quote

I think we should run in the same election as everybody else.

Expand  

Back in 2001, there was such merit to Sam's advocacy of using what the standard should be, not what the standard actually is.  Now we live in a political world where there can be no reasonable argument against Bruno's position -- we have to play the cards we're dealt, not fold and hope some day the game magically goes back to what it used to be.

[Milk-Eyed Mender]

I was thinking he looked reptilian there, but, dammit, reptiles serve a purpose. Anyway, thanks for sharing the rare picture where his slimy pie hole is blessedly closed, for once.

Edited March 17 by Milk-Eyed Mender
Wording

[Dimity]

[Annber03]

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:05 PM, Dimity said:

Anyone who chose to sit this election out is as guilty of what is happening now as anyone who voted for Trump.  It's just that simple.  You know you have a two party system and unless you were living in a cave the last almost 10 years you had to know what Trump was like and acting like voting Dem was in any way shape or form remotely as "bad" as voting for him is just not on.  If people are having buyers remorse now that's on them and no one else.

Expand  

This. 

Alongside all the other reasons why sitting home was a bad choice this go-round, given how there are politicians out there actively trying to make it that much harder for certain groups of people (read: women and minorities) to vote, maybe, I dunno, don't give them further ammunition to push such policies? 'Cause they'll see that and think, "Well, they clearly don't care enough to vote, so they won't mind if they have to jump through more hoops to do it/lose the right altogether, right?" 

And then the day may well come when people want to vote and won't be able to, and they'll be shocked while the rest of us are sitting here going, "We fucking warned you." 

I do not care how insignificant one feels their vote may be. It's an important aspect of living in our society. Get the hell out there and vote when elections roll around. If you want shit to get done, you have to get off your butt and make your voice heard. 

And if people feel that the candidate that represents their party isn't doing enough for their side, but they also can't bear to vote for the opposing party's candidate? Then vote for the one representing your party, to help ensure they get in office, and should they win, once they are there, keep pushing them to do what you want them to do. I think way too many people seem to think that their effort stops at voting and then it's all up to the candidate to wave some kind of magic wand or something and fix everything right away or whatever. No, it doesn't work like that. The one thing I'll say about Republican/MAGA voters is that they are a determined lot. Didn't matter if Trump was their first choice or not ,they had specific policies they wanted enacted and they got off their butts and went out and voted to help ensure their politicians won. 

And gosh, look at that, they're getting everything they wanted. Meanwhile, we on the left are sitting home and pouting about whether or not our candidates are ideal enough and perfect enough for us, and to show for it, we've got...um...

...uh...

...no, wait, I'm sure something will come to me eventually. 

At some point, the left really needs to learn to mobilize, and I'm not just talking about the politicians. I'm talking about the voters, too. We need to work with the system and the people we've got instead of the idealized version we want, and we need to keep pushing as hard as the right does. 

And we need to fucking vote. En masse. 

  On 3/17/2025 at 6:08 PM, Dimity said:

Along with all else, of course, he has to be insulting by calling the former president "sleepy Joe Biden".

 

Expand  

God, this. 

Loving all the dragging of Musk and his Tesla company, too. The more his business takes a hit the better. 

[Spartan Girl]

  On 3/17/2025 at 9:57 PM, annzeepark914 said:

He looks like a crocodile. What a lowlife (who should be in prison right now). I blame McConnell and Biden for what we're enduring now.

Expand  

McConnell, yes. Biden, no. He doesn’t owe anybody anything anymore. He, the Obamas, Kamala, Walz, and tons of others tried to warn people, but they put their fingers in their ears and went “Lalala both sides the same.” At what point are we going to stop blaming “the messaging” when too many idiots just decided they didn’t care?
 

So if Biden and the Obamas decided they need a break from speaking out after all their efforts were thrown back in their faces, then I certainly won’t blame them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Walz speaking out, but I’m old enough to remember how the cycle goes. Sooner or later, people will start questioning his fitness and age…

Edited March 19 by Spartan Girl

[bluegirl147]

For far too many years voters have been voting against their own self interests. People who receive SNAP and Medicaid vote for politicians who consistently try to take those things away from them.   People who identify LGBTQ vote for those who want to push them back into the closet.  Women vote for those who want to take away their reproductive rights.  And most of all people not in the top 1% vote for those who always want tax cuts for the top 1%.  Republicans could teach a master class in how to exploit voters seemingly overwhelming desire to vote for people who want to hurt them.

 

Edited March 17 by bluegirl147

[kittykat]

  On 3/17/2025 at 10:02 PM, Bastet said:

I've loved this from the moment it first aired, and when I re-watched it last week, I disturbed my cat by sitting up and cheering.  From Bruno, Democratic campaign strategist, on The West Wing:

Expand  

I always think of this exchange from The American President, the movie that walked so the West Wing could fly.

Lewis: They don't have a choice. Bob Rumsom is the only one doing the talking. People want leadership, Mr. President and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert towards a mirage and when they discover there's no water they'll drink the sand.

President Shepard: Lewis, we've had presidents who were beloved, who couldn't find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight.  People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference.

[Affogato]

  On 3/18/2025 at 12:18 AM, kittykat said:

  People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference.

Expand  

I’d forgotten that line and that movie. What a thought for our current times.

For so many people January 6 was exciting. They were part of a group, they had a cause.

They didn’t know the difference. 

  On 3/17/2025 at 10:00 PM, fairffaxx said:

That's what happens to narcissists.  Too much selfish, self-absorbed, self veneration with no empathy for others makes one ugly as sin.  

Expand  

To me it is his voice. It is always dripping with unctuous and effeminate contempt. 

[suomi]

Hitler tells truths, again. 

 

[Lantern7]

  On 3/17/2025 at 10:25 PM, Dimity said:

Expand  

Police Chief: “Look, harassment isn’t good. It’s a crime. We gotta bring these people in. I know that Teslas are owned by utter assholes, but you have to draw a- . . . wait, it’s gold? Not the default grey? He had his Tesla painted gold?!? Well, fuck him. Post his name and address on our website. The sooner he becomes another state’s problem, the better off we’ll all be. Gold. Fucking why?!?”

Edited March 18 by Lantern7

[anony.miss]

  On 3/17/2025 at 10:00 PM, fairffaxx said:

 makes one ugly as sin.  

Expand  

I agree, Trump is ugly to the core (and not for nothing, a bad dresser).  Back in the day,  he knew how to land a look - here he is pulling off that fashion classic, "Roman Guard with a smoky eye"  ; )

(I can only imagine what the Russians have on Trump in private, if he was willing to wear this costume in public.)

Photo at:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/01/wheres-my-roy-cohn-digs-into-one-of-the-20th-centurys-most-evil-men

Edited March 18 by anony.miss

[LexieLily]

Trump cancelled the security detail for Hunter and Ashley Biden. And in that same tweet where he said that he oh so helpfully detailed plainly where Hunter is currently in the world. 

Shall we even bother saying how this is illegal and unprecedented? 

[Lantern7]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:53 AM, LexieLily said:

Trump cancelled the security detail for Hunter and Ashley Biden. And in that same tweet where he said that he oh so helpfully detailed plainly where Hunter is currently in the world. 

Shall we even bother saying how this is illegal and unprecedented? 

Expand  

The worst part? Biden let the Trumplings keep their security detail, even those the three eldest (and, at minimum, Jared) could benefit from a lack of that. Well, we’d benefit from that. “Trump Boys Get Pockets Run & Clocks Cleaned” is the sort of headline that would get your day off to a good start.

[Anela]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:53 AM, LexieLily said:

Trump cancelled the security detail for Hunter and Ashley Biden. And in that same tweet where he said that he oh so helpfully detailed plainly where Hunter is currently in the world. 

Shall we even bother saying how this is illegal and unprecedented? 

Expand  

Yeah, this is what I was expecting, after he made the post about pardons being void. It isn't true, but even if he doesn't personally do something, he stoked the conspiracy theory that Biden wasn't really President, and then removes the security for Biden's kids. The obsession with Hunter is sick, and my first thought was that an obsessed supporter might harm him (or worse) and then be pardoned by Trump. 

[CheshireCat]

  On 3/12/2025 at 2:58 PM, Dimity said:

I like her but frankly even talking about a woman running next time is a non-starter.  It absolutely shouldn't be.  But here we are.

Expand  

I agree. "Fortunately", we'll have primaries, so, I doubt that a woman will emerge as the front runner. But, hopefully, there'll be plenty of women candidates again, at least. 

It's too bad that Biden was as old as he was when he became president because in an ideal world (well, an ideal current world with our circumstances, not an ideal ideal world), he would have gotten re-elected then resigned after 2 years or so to demonstrate that a woman can actually be president. 

I sometimes wonder if Clinton would have had a better chance in 2008. The media landscape was still different, there weren't any emails yet and Russia wouldn't have interfered. 
At the same time, the opponent would have been different, too. 

 

  On 3/12/2025 at 3:43 PM, fastiller said:

As to the second part: I've heard some people say our first woman POTUS will have to be a very conservative Republican.  It'll be the only way the GOP will accept a woman in that position.  IDK how true it is.  IDK whether the GOP would ever nominate a woman.

Expand  

On the one hand, it's crossed my mind, too, because the media keeps telling me that Republicans are more likely to go vote. So, if Republicans are less likely to stay home then it makes sense. On the other hand, I wonder if they'd also turn out for a female candidate. 

 

  On 3/13/2025 at 8:49 PM, fairffaxx said:

Politico says that Rahm Emanuel may run.

Expand  

On another forum I'm on, they have an emoji that's running away screaming. I'd kind of like it now... 

 

  On 3/13/2025 at 11:03 PM, tres bien said:

Musk cannot be president he’s not US born

Expand  

If Trump manages to eliminate birthright citizenship (I have no idea how likely it is, but, apparently, he keeps trying) then I'm not sure what would stop him from changing that as well. Although, if he manages to eliminate birthright citizenship, I think he'll likely eliminate term limits before he eliminates that only US born citizens can become president. 

 

  On 3/13/2025 at 11:38 PM, Annber03 said:

It's amazing how this one guy has so much power over people. 

Expand  

This is what's been puzzling me, too. Yes, Republican emails were hacked, too, back in 2016 and, although, they claimed they were only old emails, old emails can contain "kompromat" as well. 

But I don't think that there'd be something about everyone in those emails. So, I thought that it was power, that Republicans are so desperate to be in power and have power, that they were willing to go along with it all. During Trump's first term, it made sense. Now that Trump's slowly stripping Congress of power by disregarding Congress' authority when he wants to, it doesn't make sense anymore, though. 

So, why are they going along with it? Have they not realized that Trump's rendering them powerless? Or is it something else? I can't make sense of it. 

 

  On 3/14/2025 at 7:09 PM, tessaray said:

I'm not a Schumer fan but honestly, I kinda felt sorry for him last night. He looked defeated. He had some good points about the various moves Trump/Musk could make with the government shut down. The one that resonated with me was the courts being shut down.

Expand  

I didn't know that until I read your posts. It's a pretty compelling argument and it makes it look like Democrats couldn't win no matter what. 
Do I think that justifies the vote? I don't know. The vote was still very, very bad. Then again, were there any good choices? 

 

  On 3/14/2025 at 8:43 PM, ProudMary said:

I think it's incorrect to say that she flamed out in the 2020 primaries. She was gaining nicely until Jim Clyburn basically decided that to hand South Carolina's delegates to Joe Biden. 

Expand  

I liked Harris initially but felt she had difficulties defining herself as a candidate. This time around, though, I felt I was seeing a completely different person. 

 

  On 3/14/2025 at 10:15 PM, ProudMary said:

The only Senator on that list that surprises me is Brian Schatz who's often up for a battle.

Expand  

His vote surprised me as well. 

 

  On 3/14/2025 at 11:24 PM, tres bien said:

My senators voted no. Thank you and Governor Walz is doing town halls in Trump country. Started out in Des Moines Iowa today for his 13 city townhalls

Expand  

Two thoughts: I absolutely loved Walz as a choice for VP and I'm mourning the what could have been of him as VP as much as I'm mourning the what could have been of Harris as POTUS. I also understand why he said what he said because blaming voters won't yield any results. 
Still, it upset me that he said the other day that it's on them (he and Harris) that voters thought Harris and Trump were one and the same. 

Yes, the media could have done a better job and I think that much of what's happening in politics can actually be traced back to how the media's shifted to access journalism and is prioritizing ratings and being first over actual reporting. But the information was obviously out there, otherwise, no one would have had access to it, and voters have responsibilities, too. So, I don't agree with Walz absolving voters of any responsibility. 

The second thought is that I saw a number of pundits and journalists criticize (although, the way some put it, it was borderline shaming) Harris for reaching out to GOP voters instead of the base after the election loss. Now that Walz and Sanders are doing it, the same people (literally) are applauding the efforts. Huh? Which one is it? A great strategy or the mistake that cost Democrats the election?

 

  On 3/17/2025 at 12:42 PM, Affogato said:

It is optimistic to think we will have an election. 

Expand  

I think elections have to happen (I think someone told me that on a different forum back in 2018 when I voiced my disagreement with Pelosi's "we need to defeat him at the ballot box" attitude), however, Russia has elections, too and we all know what they're worth. 

 

  On 3/17/2025 at 6:57 PM, mostlylurking said:

I had this very same argument with my husband.  He told me people who didn’t vote would be a vote for Trump.  Excuse me but it’s not the public’s fault that we only have two choices,

Expand  

My first thought when reading this was: isn't it? 

Yes, the electoral college is the root of all evil and there have been calls by Congress to get rid of it. But how much did the public support it? How much has the public pushed for establishing a strong, third or even fourth party? How much support is the public giving to that? 

I felt like back in 2016, Sanders was in the perfect position to split from Democrats and create a third party that would have been competitive. But it would have needed to happen right after the election so that he would have had enough time build a party that would have been competitive in 2020 and it would have needed to happen in agreement with the Republicans that they do the same.
So, yeah... It was unlikely to happen. 

But my point is that I think the push for a viable third party needs to come from the public because it makes elections so much harder for politicians and I think they're all the same in that regard. The easier it is to get into office, the better. 

 

  On 3/16/2025 at 9:47 PM, ProudMary said:

Edited to add: Kicking myself for forgetting to name Cory Booker as a great candidate for Minority Leader. 

Expand  

I wanted to get excited about him during the 2020 primaries but couldn't. There's just something about him that can't hold my interest. 

 

  On 3/16/2025 at 10:27 PM, peacheslatour said:

I almost brought up Katie Porter but after she pulled a Trump "the election was rigged" crap after her loss against Schiff, it seems like the Democratic party turned on her.

Expand  

I didn't like that in a political environment where every House seat matters and after barely winning her district the previous election, she decided to run for Senate. 
I guess, in some aspects, all politicians are the same, no matter what they say. 

[tearknee]

"So, I don't agree with Walz absolving voters of any responsibility." 

That was tried with "If you don't know, find out!" here in my adopted country.

That backfired badly for leftists and progressives

https://lens.monash.edu/@politics-society/2023/10/24/1386245/voice-referendum-if-you-dont-know-vote-no-an-old-slogan-for-modern-politics

[CheshireCat]

  On 3/16/2025 at 9:51 PM, lookeyloo said:

So he violated the court order to turn the planes around.  What next.  Bondi isn't sending the marshals to arrest him.

Expand  

I meant to include this in my previous post but it got lost. 

Anyway, this - if he decides to violate the Constitution and then defies the court order, what then? - is the question that I've been asking since I realized that Republicans weren't going to help stop Trump should he violate the Constitution and defy the courts during his first term and the people I was talking to kept reassuring me that the US had strong institutions and a Constitution that has endured and whatnot. 

I think it was bound to happen and I find it frustrating that Democrats don't seem to be prepared for this. They had four years to work with experts on authoritarianism and it doesn't look like a single one of them did. Instead, they seem completely unprepared for a president who defies the courts.

I'm under the impression that as much as they warned of it, they needed to see it before they believed it. 

A friend said that they wake up every morning, wondering what Trump did again. I don't. I wake up every morning wondering what is done about what he has done again and who will rise up to the moment and become the leader that I think that we all need. (Or leaders, because I think we need a number of them, in a variety of places, like in Congress, in journalism, to lead movements/protests etc). 

[Yeah No]

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:42 PM, bluegirl147 said:

And yes unfortunately the next Dem president is going to have to be a moderate white man.  I used to say I hope in my lifetime we  had a female president. Now I'm hoping it's in my granddaughters' lifetime.

Expand  

This is so sad. We came so close but right now I agree with you. I like Mayor Pete but we all know the problem with him. I wonder if he would still have more of a chance than a woman. He's a very level-headed, calming, rational guy and makes great points. He's been called a "moderate progressive" or a "progressive moderate". But he's not the typical white male. It's sad that we have to think like this. Republicans accuse Dems. of playing identity politics but then we're not only forced to play it, but play it by their rules. It sucks.

[Dimity]

I was just reading an article about tuberculosis cases surging worldwide. The cuts to USAID are not helping. But closer to home this inevitably will impact on the US. Thank God RFKjr is in charge. You can all rest easy. Sigh.

 

 

 

[JustHereForFood]

If people were nostalgic for the 1920's, why couldn't we get back the fashion, the music, or the bohemian lifestyle? Instead we are getting the rise of clerofascism, autocrats and antisemitism, and people dying from measles and other diseases that were already kept in check.

[bluegirl147]

  On 3/18/2025 at 1:06 PM, Yeah No said:

Republicans accuse Dems. of playing identity politics but then we're not only forced to play it, but play it by their rules. It sucks.

Expand  

Republicans are all about identity politics. They prefer white straight Christian men.  They want their party to be exclusive.  Democrats want to be inclusive.  The demographics of our electorate are changing and the Democratic party reflects that.  The GOP resents the change and is doing their best to fight against it. 

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

I didn't like that in a political environment where every House seat matters and after barely winning her district the previous election, she decided to run for Senate. 

Expand  

 I think she would have won if she had made it through the primary. And the reason she didn't make it through the primary was because Adam Schiff's campaign paid for ads boosting Steve Garvey, the Republican candidate's profile.  In the California primary the two top vote getters regardless of party go to the general election.  Schiff knew he had a better chance of winning against a Republican than a progressive Democrat.  Shit like that is what Katie Porter wanted to fight against.

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

I felt like back in 2016, Sanders was in the perfect position to split from Democrats and create a third party that would have been competitive. But it would have needed to happen right after the election so that he would have had enough time build a party that would have been competitive in 2020 and it would have needed to happen in agreement with the Republicans that they do the same.

Expand  

I've said before there needs to be four parties. Left, center left, center right, right.  It would make things more competitive.  Not all Dems are the same.  

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

Yes, the media could have done a better job and I think that much of what's happening in politics can actually be traced back to how the media's shifted to access journalism and is prioritizing ratings and being first over actual reporting. But the information was obviously out there, otherwise, no one would have had access to it, and voters have responsibilities, too. So, I don't agree with Walz absolving voters of any responsibility

Expand  

For me a big problem is not all media is the same.  We have online outlets being treated the same as the New York Times.  You can get a press pass simply because you have a podcast.  There was a movie called State of Play starring Russel Crowe Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams about a Congressman involved in some bad things and a reporter for a WaPo like newspaper is investigating.  The newspaper hired a news blogger and I remember thinking this is just the beginning.  And here we are. A couple weeks ago when the Trump administration released the Epstein files (which turned out to be nothing more than already released information) they gave it to influencers. Do we even have investigative journalists anymore? Ones that aren't partisan?

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

It's a pretty compelling argument and it makes it look like Democrats couldn't win no matter what. 
Do I think that justifies the vote? I don't know. The vote was still very, very bad. Then again, were there any good choices? 

Expand  

It was a lose lose situation.  Dems would have been blamed for the shutdown. And with a shutdown Musk would have taken advantage of it fired more people. And Trump would have taken advantage of it and who the fuck knows, he might have called for martial law.

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

So, why are they going along with it? Have they not realized that Trump's rendering them powerless? Or is it something else? I can't make sense of it. 

Expand  

The true believers will continue to do his bidding no matter what. I think some are afraid of the primary threats. And I think some could very well be blackmailed.  We heard what Madison Cawthorn said about some of the activities of some members of Congress. And do we really believe Matt Gaetz was the only one doing things with underage girls? 

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

I sometimes wonder if Clinton would have had a better chance in 2008. The media landscape was still different, there weren't any emails yet and Russia wouldn't have interfered. 
At the same time, the opponent would have been different, too. 

Expand  

I think a Democrat was going to win in 2008 no matter who the candidate was. There was Republican fatigue.  We were tired of the war. The economy was tanking. Some people say if JFK Jr hadn't died in 1999 he would have ran for the Senate seat Hillary won in 2000 and maybe president in 2008.  We will never know.

  On 3/18/2025 at 7:26 AM, Anela said:

The obsession with Hunter is sick, and my first thought was that an obsessed supporter might harm him (or worse) and then be pardoned by Trump. 

Expand  

This sounds all too possible.

  On 3/18/2025 at 12:33 AM, Affogato said:

To me it is his voice. It is always dripping with unctuous and effeminate contempt. 

Expand  

Is it my imagination or his hair getting lighter? It looks almost white now.

[DanaMB]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:53 AM, LexieLily said:

Trump cancelled the security detail for Hunter and Ashley Biden. And in that same tweet where he said that he oh so helpfully detailed plainly where Hunter is currently in the world. 

Shall we even bother saying how this is illegal and unprecedented? 

Expand  

And just plain vile. 

[Dimity]

  On 3/18/2025 at 1:54 PM, DanaMB said:

And just plain vile. 

Expand  

Someday the word Trump will probably start being used as an adjective.  "That was just plain Trump.  What a disgusting thing to do."

[JustHereForFood]

  On 3/18/2025 at 1:54 PM, DanaMB said:

And just plain vile. 

Expand  

It would be vile either way, but considering that Biden lost two children, it's just evil. He's not running for office anymore, that sick psycho (Trump) should just leave him and his family alone.

[Makai]

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:42 PM, bluegirl147 said:

And yes unfortunately the next Dem president is going to have to be a moderate white man.  I used to say I hope in my lifetime we  had a female president. Now I'm hoping it's in my granddaughters' lifetime.

Expand  

When Biden stepped down I thought that was the only chance a woman had at the presidency so I am very surprised that I don’t agree that the next president has to be a white man. I do agree with the underlying premise but I think most of the spec isn’t accounting for just how much Trump is fucking with the status quo. If it is handled correctly, the Democrats have an opportunity to successful reframe most issues as bottom vs top rather than left vs right. 

The highest voter turnout that we have seen recently was after Trump’s first term when everyone was seeing Trump’s bullshit regularly. Trump very successfully framed Biden, and Harris by extension, as an enemy of the average American and now the Democrats have to do the same and turn Trump’s playbook against him. Make the current economy and Trump synonymous in the average American’s mind. Turn Trump’s own slogans against the Republicans. 

Edited March 18 by Makai

[Dimity]

American Pie actor breaks silence after being detained by ICE for 12 days

Mooney had been detained after crossing the San Ysidro border between Mexico and San Diego on March 3. She was carrying an incomplete application for a new Trade NAFTA (TN) work visa after her first was unexpectedly revoked, according to her mother, Alexis Eagles.

Eagles said her daughter was subsequently held for three nights at the border before being transferred to the Otay Mesa Detention Centre in San Diego for three more.

She spoke to ABC’s 10 News San Diego from the facility about the “inhumane” conditions she experienced including sleeping on a mat with no pillow or blanket “with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days.”

[kittykat]

And that's why there is so much vitriol towards the no voters.  A non reaction was still a reaction and heeeerrrrre we are.

[annzeepark914]

Well...the phone call has ended. Both sides have said the call went well. This will be interesting. I wonder if any Americans were allowed to listen to the conversation.

[bluegirl147]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:10 PM, peacheslatour said:

Ready for "whites only" restrooms and water fountains? From NPR-

After a recent change by the Trump administration, the federal government no longer explicitly prohibits contractors from having segregated restaurants, waiting rooms and drinking fountains.

The segregation clause is one of several identified in a public memo issued by the General Services Administration last month, affecting all civil federal agencies. The memo explains that it is making changes prompted by President Trump's executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion, which repealed an executive order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 regarding federal contractors and nondiscrimination. The memo also addresses Trump's executive order on gender identity.

Race

War heroes are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon's DEI purge

While there are still state and federal laws that outlaw segregation and discrimination that companies need to comply with, legal experts say this change to contracts across the federal government is significant.

Expand  

Taking us back to the 50s I see. Does this mean Clarence Thomas won't be allowed to have lunch with his fellow Justices?

[PRgal]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:16 PM, bluegirl147 said:

Taking us back to the 50s I see. Does this mean Clarence Thomas won't be allowed to have lunch with his fellow Justices?

Expand  

Maybe he'll be kicked out of the Supreme Court.  

[ebk57]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:16 PM, bluegirl147 said:

Taking us back to the 50s I see. Does this mean Clarence Thomas won't be allowed to have lunch with his fellow Justices?

Expand  

Or be married to that woman.

[peacheslatour]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:22 PM, ebk57 said:

Or be married to that woman.

Expand  

And what of the ladies? Shouldn't Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Amy Coney Barrett be home, taking care of their men?

[bluegirl147]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:22 PM, ebk57 said:

Or be married to that woman.

Expand  

 I don't doubt he would love to make interracial marriages illegal but he of course would grandfather in any existing interracial marriages.

[mostlylurking]

  On 3/18/2025 at 8:18 AM, CheshireCat said:

  On 3/16/2025 at 9:47 PM, ProudMary said:

Edited to add: Kicking myself for forgetting to name Cory Booker as a great candidate for Minority Leader. 

Expand  

I wanted to get excited about him during the 2020 primaries but couldn't. There's just something about him that can't hold my interest. 

Expand  

I feel the same.  I like him and he’s from my home state.  I actually met him once and he was very down to earth.  But something about him is just very….meh.  But he’s infinitely better than Schumer so there’s that.

[Browncoat]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:19 PM, PRgal said:

Maybe he'll be kicked out of the Supreme Court.  

Expand  

Someone worse would be appointed if that happened.

[mostlylurking]

  On 3/18/2025 at 1:06 PM, Yeah No said:

like Mayor Pete but we all know the problem with him. I wonder if he would still have more of a chance than a woman.

Expand  

Yes, I think he would.  He’s a man.  He might be gay, but he’s still a man.  I still think it will need to be someone more moderate to just give us the White House back and go from there.  We have been set back decades which is devastating but burying our heads in the sand won’t help.

[bluegirl147]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:31 PM, Browncoat said:

Someone worse would be appointed if that happened.

Expand  

Jesus how much worse could someone be?

[Dimity]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:37 PM, bluegirl147 said:

Jesus how much worse could someone be?

Expand  

I wouldn't put it past Der Führer to put one of his family members forward.  I'd like to think this would be a bridge too far for the Senate but, c'mon...

[kittykat]

Aileen Cannon has been the the most common name floated.  On the one hand shes a Trumper.  On the other hand hand it shifts the female/male split on justices to 5/4. DECISIONS DECISIONS!

[mostlylurking]

  On 3/17/2025 at 11:41 PM, bluegirl147 said:

For far too many years voters have been voting against their own self interests. People who receive SNAP and Medicaid vote for politicians who consistently try to take those things away from them.   People who identify LGBTQ vote for those who want to push them back into the closet.  Women vote for those who want to take away their reproductive rights.  And most of all people not in the top 1% vote for those who always want tax cuts for the top 1%.  Republicans could teach a master class in how to exploit voters seemingly overwhelming desire to vote for people who want to hurt them.

 

Expand  

I listened to a podcast where some lady (single,  mid thirties, childless) pretty much did exactly this and admitted it.  She voted Trump because she worked in the auto industry and had just gotten laid off.  She thought Trump would be best for her interests and acknowledged that was selfish.  We are in a me culture and to heck with everyone else.  Sad.

I’ll drop it after this but this was kind of my point when I said I understood why people don’t vote.  People are fucking exhausted and yes some don’t give a shit anymore.  Yelling at them that they are stupid morons probably won’t help.  But I honestly don’t know what will.

Something that won’t ever happen here but probably would help with the political fatigue is to shorten the election cycle.  I forget which country but somewhere in Europe they have limited campaigning for office to three months prior to the election.  So they advertise and campaign and do all the things within that time frame.  Here, it never ends.  It is exhausting and sometimes people lose interest.  Not saying that’s right, but it does happen and I don’t know what to do about it.

[ProudMary]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:10 PM, peacheslatour said:

Ready for "whites only" restrooms and water fountains? From NPR-

Expand  

I'm having a visceral reaction to reading this. I think I'm going to vomit. 

I read this article the other day and had the same feeling. Pete Hegseth is taking steps toward resegregating the military. This isn't the first article I've read that points toward that goal. 

Marines with Skin Condition Affecting Mostly Black Men Could Now Be Booted Under New Policy

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/03/14/marines-can-now-be-kicked-out-skin-condition-affects-mostly-black-men.html

  Quote

A new Marine Corps policy says troops with a genetic skin condition that can cause pain and scarring from shaving and mainly affects Black men can be separated if the health issue persists.

Expand  

[Dimity]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:49 PM, ProudMary said:

Pete Hegseth is taking steps toward resegregating the military.

Expand  

They want them for cannon fodder.  What they don't want is having them in any position where they might give a white man an order.  Women, I can see being relegated to the womanly spheres of office work and kitchen patrol.

Edited March 18 by Dimity

[bluegirl147]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:48 PM, mostlylurking said:

Something that won’t ever happen here but probably would help with the political fatigue is to shorten the election cycle

Expand  

I've always said there should be a national primary day in June let's say and every state votes and then the general election campaign is from then till November. You could still do the conventions in the summer.  I heard somewhere that elected officials from the day they are sworn in start making calls for donations for the next election cycle.

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:54 PM, Dimity said:

They want them for cannon fodder.  What they don't want is having them in any position where they might give a white man an order.  Women, I can being relegated to the womanly spheres of office work and kitchen patrol.

Expand  

Yes if we ever have boots on the ground again in say Gaza or Panama or Greenland they will want people of color to be on the frontlines. 

Honestly I won't be surprised if he issues an executive order reinstating the draft.  But only for men of color.

His second term is all about enriching himself and his billionaire friends and white supremacy.  

Edited March 18 by bluegirl147

[fastiller]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:16 PM, bluegirl147 said:

Taking us back to the 50s I see. 

Expand  

1850s or 1950s?

[partofme]

  On 3/18/2025 at 5:37 PM, mostlylurking said:

Yes, I think he would.  He’s a man.  He might be gay, but he’s still a man.  I still think it will need to be someone more moderate to just give us the White House back and go from there.  We have been set back decades which is devastating but burying our heads in the sand won’t help.

Expand  

Pete was pretty damn moderate/ conservative when he ran for president in 2020, it was the reason I wasn’t a fan.  But maybe he’s gotten more liberal since then?  I thought he did a great job as transportation secretary.  I don’t agree that Democrats need to run a moderate in order to win.  Look at the supposed Bernie to Trump voters and the people who voted for both AOC and Trump, if you believe the media, a lot of people supposedly voted for Trump because they felt the government wasn’t doing enough to help them and they wanted major changes.   This if you believe it sounds like people want a progressive candidate and mistakenly view Trump as one.  ( Though I still think most people voted for Trump because of racism and misogyny).  But progressive ideas when polled separately from the candidates are always popular with the public.  I believe the right white man who is  charismatic and attractive could win as a Democrat with a progressive platform.  

[Makai]

Chief justice pushes back against calls to impeach judges who rule against Trump

  Quote

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose," Roberts said in a statement.

Expand