Chit-Chat: The Feels

[PRgal]

42 minutes ago, Dimity said:

So basically admitting it was never Trudeau that was the problem.  He was hounded by the right wing media and crazed Cons for years.  And if you challenged one of them it was always "oh it's not the Liberals that are the problem it's Trudeau."  Yeah...

My parents managed to have a happy marriage even though she was a Leafs fan and Dad rooted for the Canadiens (non-Canadians trust me, this is a very big deal).  But this is minor compared to being married to someone who supports Trump when you don't.   I cannot even imagine how stressful that must be.

I did not know that Leafs-Habs marriages were...legal.  Elbows up indeed.....(plus a possible Shawinigan Handshake).  #sorrynotsorry

[EtheltoTillie]

Here's a question for the group:  Someone earlier today told me that when Adam Sandler hugged Timothee Chalamet at the Oscars it was a planned salute to the Ukrainian flag.  (Chalamet wearing yellow suit and Sandler wearing blue hoodie.)  She has no evidence, but she's insisting in that annoying way, so I just let it drop.   I find this highly improbable as having been planned.  Chalamet had to have been working on the Givenchy suit for weeks.  It's a nice thought, but again I think highly improbable.  What do you all think? If you Google it, there are a couple of Reddit posts that do not resolve the question.

 

Edited 16 hours ago by EtheltoTillie

[bluegirl147]

32 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Here's a question for the group:  Someone earlier today told me that when Adam Sandler hugged Timothee Chalamet at the Oscars it was a planned salute to the Ukrainian flag.  (Chalamet wearing yellow suit and Sandler wearing blue hoodie.)  She has no evidence, but she's insisting in that annoying way, so I just let it drop.   I find this highly improbable as having been planned.  Chalamet had to have been working on the Givenchy suit for weeks.  It's a nice thought, but again I think highly improbable.  What do you all think? If you Google it, there are a couple of Reddit posts that do not resolve the question.

 

Was this person supportive of it if it were true?  Or mad about it if it were true? 

[annzeepark914]

Well, if Adam hugged Timothee to show their clothes were the same color as the flag of Ukraine...it was lost on me 🤓.

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well, if Adam hugged Timothee to show their clothes were the same color as the flag of Ukraine...it was lost on me 🤓.

Me too. Sandler just looked like an idiot.

[ebk57]

I did read one person saying that about the flag.  The part that went over my head (many things do...) was that the whole Sandler thing in the hoody being thrown out was a reference to Zelenskyy in the Oval Office not wearing a suit.  More people were saying that than the colors thing.

I'll just pretend the whole thing was an intentional dig at Trump.  Too subtle, but still there.  It will make me happy, even if it's a big stretch.

[Makai]

32 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Here's a question for the group:  Someone earlier today told me that when Adam Sandler hugged Timothee Chalamet at the Oscars it was a planned salute to the Ukrainian flag.  (Chalamet wearing yellow suit and Sandler wearing blue hoodie.)  She has no evidence, but she's insisting in that annoying way, so I just let it drop.   I find this highly improbable as having been planned.  Chalamet had to have been working on the Givenchy suit for weeks.  It's a nice thought, but again I think highly improbable.  What do you all think? If you Google it, there are a couple of Reddit posts that do not resolve the question.

 

Planned well in advance so that Chalamet’s suit was picked for the explicit reason? Highly unlikely. 

Planned last minute to go with the “what are you wearing” bit days after the Zelenskyy meeting? Probably. Goes along with Conan’s joke about someone finally standing up to a powerful Russian. 

[kittykat]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Here's a question for the group:  Someone earlier today told me that when Adam Sandler hugged Timothee Chalamet at the Oscars it was a planned salute to the Ukrainian flag.  (Chalamet wearing yellow suit and Sandler wearing blue hoodie.)  She has no evidence, but she's insisting in that annoying way, so I just let it drop.   I find this highly improbable as having been planned.  Chalamet had to have been working on the Givenchy suit for weeks.  It's a nice thought, but again I think highly improbable.  What do you all think? If you Google it, there are a couple of Reddit posts that do not resolve the question.

 

Pretty sure he was dunking on Chalamet.  He was targeted all night.

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

Was this person supportive of it if it were true?  Or mad about it if it were true? 

She was supportive. 

59 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

I did read one person saying that about the flag.  The part that went over my head (many things do...) was that the whole Sandler thing in the hoody being thrown out was a reference to Zelenskyy in the Oval Office not wearing a suit.  More people were saying that than the colors thing.

I'll just pretend the whole thing was an intentional dig at Trump.  Too subtle, but still there.  It will make me happy, even if it's a big stretch.

I had heard this was a continuation of a running gag from the golden globes. 

Edited 15 hours ago by EtheltoTillie

[Makai]

32 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I had heard this was a continuation of a running gag from the golden globes. 

Sandler saying Chalamet was a continuation of a Golden Globes joke. The hoody thing and Conan calling him out for not dressing properly for the setting was a new joke. Sandler wore a suit to the Globes. 

 

[ProudMary]

Here's your new world order. 😢 I'm furious at everyone who voted for him.

This is more than just a NATO summit. Non-NATO European nations, Commonwealth nations, Asian nations are all included. Rightly so. The United States of America has aligned itself with the Axis of Evil. 

More than 30 nations will participate in Paris planning talks on a security force for Ukraine

https://apnews.com/article/france-ukraine-russia-war-military-talks-36677ebd25df12a0941225e4c1d8a3a8

The official said the United States wasn’t invited because European nations want to demonstrate that they can take responsibility for a large part of the post-ceasefire security framework for Ukraine.

Also attending will be the chiefs of staff of Ireland and Cyprus and a representative from Austria — all nations that are not NATO members but are in the European Union.

Australia and New Zealand, which are Commonwealth nations, as well as Japan and South Korea, will listen into the talks remotely, the official said.

Ukraine will be represented by a military official who is also a member of the country’s security and defense council.

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Yes, but who was Major Deegan? 

(another Bronx politician and namesake of the Major Deegan Expressway)

He was also an architect, apparently, says Wikipedia. 

LOL, I get the joke!! I lived very close to the Major Deegan and my father would often ask that question when we drove on it. He even had a running fictitious off-color biography for him that he would keep us in stitches with as we rode. They also theorized that maybe someone owed him a favor and that's how he got a highway named after him. Of course, that road was really Interstate 87, otherwise known as the NYS Thruway. The part in NYC.

If my father had known that he was in the Army Corps of Engineers maybe he would have felt differently about him. And being an architect with McKim, Mead and White would impress my architecture buff husband. But he's still been an unknown to pretty much anyone for as long as I can remember.

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I've not said much here, but my husband boarded the MAGA train in 2015 and hasn't looked back. It's been a rough decade for me. Thank goodness I have my 2 sons and other like-minded people in my life, with whom I can vent, and share my concerns. 

 

4 hours ago, Liddy52 said:

I feel your pain. My husband thinks Trump and Vance are God's anointed and refuses to see Trump for the vile person he is. I do get in a little dig every once in a while but mostly I just have to hope that this normally reasonable man will come to his senses one day. Fortunately I have family members to commiserate with.

I feel both of your pain. I don't know what I would do right now if my husband hadn't seen the light about Trump. You have my sympathies.

My husband doesn't like talking about politics especially these days because it makes him too upset. I get it, so I don't pressure him. But sometimes he does open up about something. Today we were talking about Trump's grievance politics and how it's no answer to anything but just a big axe to keep grinding forever that culminates in nothing but more hatred and racism. It felt good talking to him about that. We really haven't talked much about this subject. It felt cathartic and reassuring for me to know that he gets it. Sometimes I don't know how much he does and then he comes out with something like this.

Most of the time I talk here about politics or to friends as 99% of them feel the way I do. And some call me when they need to rant about it because they know I'll listen and join in with them.

BTW, even on my HS class Facebook page everyone's been getting more vocal lately with the ranting and posts about Trump. It's good to know that so many of the people I went to school with as a kid and teenager see the truth about this. 

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

That just makes me think of Old Man River - 

Tote that barge

Lift that bale

Get a little drunk

And you land in jail..

For some reason all this is making me think of "Sixteen Tons", another song I remember from childhood:

You load 16 tons, what do you get?

Another day older and deeper in debt

St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to the company store

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, tres bien said:

Since January 20th inflation is rising food prices are rising and the stock market is tanking 

Trump acknowledges America will have to go through some tough times 

Hope you all made the right choice 

I've been trying to focus on other things but I'm seriously afraid to look at my retirement accounts. I have not lead an easy life financially and did without to have money for retirement, and now that my retirement is here, it's being threatened from all sides. This and Social Security. I am so livid I can't see straight about this. I don't know what to do. I need some serious financial advice, not the same old BS I get from my "financial guy". I can't keep seeing my balance go down at age 66. I am not a millionaire and after today I'm probably even that much poorer. I should have put my money in a freaking mattress!

Someone has to put a stop to this madness. This guy is FUCK NUTS. Please, let's just stop with the charade already. He's going to ruin this country and all of our lives before he's done. And BS his base all the way. And the SUCKERS will buy it! They'll go down with the ship for his asshole and take all of us with them. Seriously, someone in government has to put a stop to this! Why is no one doing anything???

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Bookworm 1979 said:

Albertans are brainwashed. They'll cheer her on. Not ALL Albertans, mind you, but it feels like the majority love her. Keep in mind, I am in small town Alberta, so I keep telling myself it only feels like the majority because I'm surrounded by by Maple MAGA.

Maple MAGA, I found out recently that that's a thing! My husband and I went on a cruise to the Caribbean at the end of February and we overheard a young Canadian couple from a small town in Alberta talking to an American couple. The American man asked them how they felt about Canada becoming the 51st state and the Canadian husband replied that they were in the minority of Canadians because they actually want to be the 51st state! I would have moved away to avoid listening to them but this was in the dining room when we were eating so I couldn't just get up. But at least my husband and I shared eye rolls as they talked. Thank goodness we didn't hear any other political talk on our cruise. I was happy to get away from it for a while.

[Lantern7]

I wish there was an answer. Like I've been saying, Republicans don't need him anymore. They have all three branches on lock, and they can rig things on their own to prevent the Democrats from taking either House in 2026. Problem is, the cult of personality threatens the party itself. Anyone that grows a conscience (I know, Republicans don't have those, but stick with me) could be met with resistance . . . either at the polls by even more reactionary opponents, or physically. Meanwhile, the Democrats don't have any sort of master plan to take back power. My first idea boils down to "Any Democrat that voted to censure Rep. Green gets a cane tip to the nads."

I don't see any way out of this that doesn't involve extreme measures. Also, I don't have a Plan B in the way of moving to somewhere saner, so I might as well accept that I am screwed.

[tearknee]

4 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Me too. Sandler just looked like an idiot.

yeah, 'looks like'... 

[Soapy Goddess]

17 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

That particular person of color is in his position because he is a Trump supporter who will do whatever Trump tells him to do.

So Trump's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't??  You can't have it both ways. Regardless, it's part of any cabinet position to do as the president expects.

[Soapy Goddess]

15 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It wasn't all that mattered to my husband, otherwise he would have voted for Harris instead of sit out the election. And it's not all that matters to anyone who says it or even cries over it, but it sure seems to matter a lot to Republicans. They seem to be obsessed with it and want to claim it's all about that, or that she is black or whatever else fits their grievance narrative. I don't even think the only reason Harris lost was because she was a woman. I am aware that there were other reasons that people might not have found her a great candidate. But even if she had some shortcomings in the big picture they paled next to those of Donald Trump.

For me even party ideology takes a back seat when choosing between them - he is that bad, bad for the country and the world in general. To me he was clearly the inferior choice next to her. Getting fussy about gender identities and the like was not the most important consideration, but a lot of people couldn't see beyond that. I'm sure a lot of them are seeing it now, though. And many may not ever be ready to admit it. I don't ask my husband about it but if things keep going like this I fully expect him to come to me one day admitting that he regretted not voting for Harris even though we live in a blue state and she would have won anyway. I'm married to him for almost 45 years and can predict him pretty well by now, lol.

That's all well and good. It's just a shame that the Dems refused to give other potential candidates a chance to campaign. I KNOW why they didn't, but that didn't make the situation any better for their party.

If only the Dems led with one or two of the issues that most American's voted for, things would have been very different for our country.

14 hours ago, kittykat said:

Maybe policy was the number one reason. It's hard to reconcile that both times Trump won were against women when he is the way he is and it is very eye opening to all the internalized misogyny that still exists out there.

Exactly right about policy. It's just unfortunate (for the sake of this discussion) that he was against women both times. 

13 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Re: Social Security? I'm getting nervous, thanks to all the stories about doge folks having gained access to sensitive data.

What do you think he's going to do with said information?

[suomi]

This (gift) article about a balloon artist is equally fascinating and disturbing, IMO.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/style/balloon-art-sculpture-dj-morrow.html?unlocked_article_code=1.3E4.66T6.dt0jgbHmmFrb&smid=url-share

[Soapy Goddess]

12 hours ago, Notabug said:

They can pretend to not be hateful because they “accept” that one trans person who is “one of the good ones”. 

Laverne Cox has CJ beat by several hundred miles.

[Dimity]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Maple MAGA, I found out recently that that's a thing! My husband and I went on a cruise to the Caribbean at the end of February and we overheard a young Canadian couple from a small town in Alberta talking to an American couple. The American man asked them how they felt about Canada becoming the 51st state and the Canadian husband replied that they were in the minority of Canadians because they actually want to be the 51st state! I would have moved away to avoid listening to them but this was in the dining room when we were eating so I couldn't just get up. But at least my husband and I shared eye rolls as they talked. Thank goodness we didn't hear any other political talk on our cruise. I was happy to get away from it for a while.

Not surprised they were from Alberta!  Survey came out a few weeks ago and showed most who supported this were from Alberta and Saskatchewan, were young men and voted conservative.  Many were of the crew who opposed any measures for covid and some were with those who descended on our capital to wave their Nazi flags a few years ago. The US is more than welcome to them!

Edited 5 hours ago by Dimity

[fastiller]

17 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Yes, but who was Major Deegan? 

(another Bronx politician and namesake of the Major Deegan Expressway)

He was also an architect, apparently, says Wikipedia. 

 

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

LOL, I get the joke!! I lived very close to the Major Deegan and my father would often ask that question when we drove on it. He even had a running fictitious off-color biography for him that he would keep us in stitches with as we rode. They also theorized that maybe someone owed him a favor and that's how he got a highway named after him. Of course, that road was really Interstate 87, otherwise known as the NYS Thruway. The part in NYC.

If my father had known that he was in the Army Corps of Engineers maybe he would have felt differently about him. And being an architect with McKim, Mead and White would impress my architecture buff husband. But he's still been an unknown to pretty much anyone for as long as I can remember.

 

While we're in the Bronx, who was Hutchinson?  Though @EtheltoTillie & @Yeah No (& other NYers)  probably already know this.  She was probably amongst the first women to have had something substantial like a highway named for her: Anne Hutchinson.

[bluegirl147]

10 hours ago, ProudMary said:

Here's your new world order. 😢 I'm furious at everyone who voted for him.

This is more than just a NATO summit. Non-NATO European nations, Commonwealth nations, Asian nations are all included. Rightly so. The United States of America has aligned itself with the Axis of Evil. 

 

I really hope the rest of the world knows most people in this country are not supporting Trump in his quest to be whatever the fuck he is trying to be.

2 hours ago, Dimity said:

Many were of the crew who opposed any measures for covid and some were with those who descended on our capital to wave their Nazi flags a few years ago. The US is more than welcome to them!

Believe me we don't want them. We have more than enough of our own.

 

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

What do you think he's going to do with said information?

Why does he want it?  He doesn't need access to everyone's data.

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Regardless, it's part of any cabinet position to do as the president expects.

But not do what Trump wants if it goes against the law.  Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr can attest to that.

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Like I've been saying, Republicans don't need him anymore. They have all three branches on lock, and they can rig things on their own to prevent the Democrats from taking either House in 2026. Problem is, the cult of personality threatens the party itself.

They need the MAGA base. That is why the RNC bowed down to him after the 2020 election. He threatened to form his own party and that would have killed the Republican party. I am curious if he lives to see 2028 and willingly leaves does he stay involved in Republican politics acting like a king loser maker? Or does he spend his remaining years counting all the money he conned people out of?

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

The American man asked them how they felt about Canada becoming the 51st state and the Canadian husband replied that they were in the minority of Canadians because they actually want to be the 51st state!

If that were to happen (and we know it won't) I would want to ask them that same question two years after it happened to see if they still thought it was a good idea.

9 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Someone has to put a stop to this madness. This guy is FUCK NUTS. Please, let's just stop with the charade already. He's going to ruin this country and all of our lives before he's done. And BS his base all the way. And the SUCKERS will buy it! They'll go down with the ship for his asshole and take all of us with them. Seriously, someone in government has to put a stop to this! Why is no one doing anything???

Most politicians Rep and Dem think they will OK.  They are part of the elite and are under the impression they will be insulated.  But if Trump continues to piss off the rest of the world someone could hatch a terrorist attack against us.  If the stock market continues to fall even the rich are going to start feeling it.   And Congress is showing us they are fast becoming irrelevant.  With few exceptions most of them are just sitting back hoping not to be in the line of fire.  Cowards.

 

[PRgal]

This sounds familiar to A LOT of us parents, doesn't it?

 

From the Toronto Star: Donald Trump rails against Doug Ford’s electricity retaliation move. ‘We don’t need your energy’

 

[Yeah No]

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

So Trump's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't??  You can't have it both ways. Regardless, it's part of any cabinet position to do as the president expects.

They don't have to accept the position, although I'm sure some of them might feel like they're between a rock and a hard place on that because not accepting it would be political suicide. Judging from Marco Rubio's face, he might be among them. But yeah, speaking of being damned if you do and damned if you don't, this is an example of that.

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

That's all well and good. It's just a shame that the Dems refused to give other potential candidates a chance to campaign. I KNOW why they didn't, but that didn't make the situation any better for their party.

Of course Biden is probably ultimately responsible for that and Dems. were being kind to Biden at first but their delay in pushing him to step down cost the party because they didn't have many options at such a late date. Harris was probably the best choice they had at that point. And I don't think she was a bad choice, but she didn't have time to work up a decent campaign. I also wonder how prepared for it she was. It was thrust on her when she wasn't exactly expecting it. That might have hindered her success too.

2 hours ago, fastiller said:

While we're in the Bronx, who was Hutchinson?  Though @EtheltoTillie & @Yeah No (& other NYers)  probably already know this.  She was probably amongst the first women to have had something substantial like a highway named for her: Anne Hutchinson.

Ah yes, actually Anne Hutchinson was a big deal in my classes. NYC was early in honoring women and minorities in history. My teachers were very progressive that way. But my Dad also contributed as he was at heart a history teacher and I was his favorite pupil, LOL! If he had not grown up poor in the great depression he might have had the opportunity to go to college and become one. And WWII derailed him and started his career in the Army.

[tres bien]

Journalists and political pundits say democrats are at their lowest since the ‘80s 

This week the house is voting on the republican written CR. Few republicans will vote no because they’ve already been threatened to be primaried if they do. There are democrats that are in red districts that may choose to vote for it too to on hang on to their seats

The republicans insist that there aren’t any cuts to Medicaid but that’s probably a lie. So if by the fall of 2026 the cuts that have been made to the federal work force and programs haven’t effected the average person than I guess things will be bad for the democrats 

If the average person feels the pain of the MAGA burn everything down strategy then it’s a different scenario for the democrats 

Everything that Musk has taken his chain saw to is a disaster and in more then one case people he’s fired have had to be called back. There have been instances where republicans have called begging him to reinstate things he slashed (OK and WI). Of course he won’t take calls from democrats at all

It’s funny that Mitch McConnell is now more likely to vote with the democrats. Bet he didn’t have that on his bingo card 

[Eri]

8 minutes ago, tres bien said:

It’s funny that Mitch McConnell is now more likely to vote with the democrats. Bet he didn’t have that on his bingo card 

It's because he's on his way out and doesn't have to care about being in any crosshairs when his term ends later this year. Rest assured though, history will not look favorably upon him. He is one of the main reasons we've reached this dark period in our democracy imo.

Edited 2 hours ago by Eri

[Yeah No]

2 minutes ago, tres bien said:

Everything that Musk has taken his chain saw to is a disaster and in more then one case people he’s fired have had to be called back. There have been instances where republicans have called begging him to reinstate things he slashed (OK and WI). Of course he won’t take calls from democrats at all

It’s funny that Mitch McConnell is now more likely to vote with the democrats. Bet he didn’t have that on his bingo card 

If Trump and now Musk have changed my husband's mind on anything it's that sometimes government is best left up to politicians and not business people without an understanding of how certain things work. This was one of the main reasons my husband at first supported Trump - because he was "fed up" with the "ineffectiveness and waste" of traditional government. Trump's "drain the swamp" mantra resonated with him. But since then as it has become obvious that Trump and now Musk don't know WTF they're doing and are causing real damage, my husband has seen the wisdom in leaving politics to the politicians. Sometimes you can't just go in with a hacksaw and improve things. You have to know how things affect each other and not upset the delicate balance of the "economic ecosystem". Not to know this can cause real damage, like we're seeing now. Sometimes there's a reason things are the way they are. My mother used to tell me that when I asked why things couldn't be different. You can't just go in like a bull in a china shop and expect everything to change because you want it to. Often real change takes time because it's very political and complicated to get it to happen without causing a mess and alienating entire countries. We're learning that lesson in a big way right now.

[Dimity]

8 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

So Trump's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't??  You can't have it both ways. Regardless, it's part of any cabinet position to do as the president expects.

Recent history would disagree.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Dimity

[ProudMary]

12 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Of course Biden is probably ultimately responsible for that and Dems. were being kind to Biden at first but their delay in pushing him to step down cost the party because they didn't have many options at such a late date. Harris was probably the best choice they had at that point.

The sitting VP was the only choice the Democrats had at that point. FEC regulations would have prohibited the existing Biden/Harris war chest funds from being directly transferred to any other candidate.

Kamala Harris was also highly qualified having been a prosecutor, having led the CA Dept. Of Justice as Attorney General for the most populous US state, having been a US Senator serving on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Judiciary Commuttee and several other committees, and finally, as Vice President of the United States.

 

[Yeah No]

Just now, ProudMary said:

The sitting VP was the only choice the Democrats had at that point. FEC regulations would have prohibited the existing Biden/Harris war chest funds from being directly transferred to any other candidate.

Kamala Harris was also highly qualified having been a prosecutor, having led the CA Dept. Of Justice as Attorney General for the most populous US state, having been a US Senator serving on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Judiciary Commuttee and several other committees, and finally, as Vice President of the United States.

I know, it would have been crazy if she had been passed up under the circumstances because she was the most qualified choice. It's just regrettable that she didn't get nominated in the traditional way because it gave Republicans yet another way to claim she was a "DEI hire" and gripe that her choice was "undemocratic" because she didn't have to compete in the primaries to get the nomination. I think that hurt her unfortunately. Not her fault at all but that criticism probably cost her with undecideds. 

[Dimity]

2 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

It's just regrettable that she didn't get nominated in the traditional way because it gave Republicans yet another way to claim she was a "DEI hire" and gripe that her choice was "undemocratic" because she didn't have to compete in the primaries to get the nomination.

We're experiencing the same thing here right now.  Trudeau announced he was resigning, the Liberals had a leadership race to replace him and now that they've chosen someone, predictably, the Cons are out in force claiming he can't be PM because he was never elected.

Sigh.  Most of them must have slept through Civics class in high school.  

But of course this outcry isn't really about whether the choice was undemocratic - it's just them grasping for yet another thing to be outraged over.  It's exhausting.

[tres bien]

53 minutes ago, Eri said:

It's because he's on his way out and doesn't have to care about being in any crosshairs when his term ends later this year. Rest assured though, history will not look favorably upon him. He is one of the main reasons we've reached this dark period in our democracy imo.

Yes of course 

Hopefully he will get his comeuppance 

[Dimity]

I knew Vance wasn't the brightest penny in the drawer but, wow.

JD Vance spars with heckler as he blames immigrants for high housing prices

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

 

I really hope the rest of the world knows most people in this country are not supporting Trump in his quest to be whatever the fuck he is trying to be.

Believe me we don't want them. We have more than enough of our own.

 

Why does he want it?  He doesn't need access to everyone's data.

But not do what Trump wants if it goes against the law.  Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr can attest to that.

They need the MAGA base. That is why the RNC bowed down to him after the 2020 election. He threatened to form his own party and that would have killed the Republican party. I am curious if he lives to see 2028 and willingly leaves does he stay involved in Republican politics acting like a king loser maker? Or does he spend his remaining years counting all the money he conned people out of?

If that were to happen (and we know it won't) I would want to ask them that same question two years after it happened to see if they still thought it was a good idea.

Most politicians Rep and Dem think they will OK.  They are part of the elite and are under the impression they will be insulated.  But if Trump continues to piss off the rest of the world someone could hatch a terrorist attack against us.  If the stock market continues to fall even the rich are going to start feeling it.   And Congress is showing us they are fast becoming irrelevant.  With few exceptions most of them are just sitting back hoping not to be in the line of fire.  Cowards.

 

This thing with the stock market has me so scared. Like most of us, I worked and saved and invested so I could retire and have enough to give to others as well. Now I'm too afraid to even look at my statements and wonder if the MAGAs are not in the same boat. Are they really cheering for the collapse of their own financial stability or do they really hate liberals so much they do't even care if they have nothing to show for their lives except stickin' it?

[Yeah No]

1 minute ago, peacheslatour said:

This thing with the stock market has me so scared. Like most of us, I worked and saved and invested so I could retire and have enough to give to others as well. Now I'm too afraid to even look at my statements and wonder if the MAGAs are not in the same boat. Are they really cheering for the collapse of their own financial stability or do they really hate liberals so much they do't even care if they have nothing to show for their lives except stickin' it?

As you know I feel the exact same way and have not looked at my financial statements either. I just got an email this morning from my financial advisor entitled "What not to Do Right Now". I'm sure this is a canned message sent from everyone at the firm and will tell us not to do anything just yet and stay the course so I'm not opening it because I don't need another reason to raise my blood pressure today.

[Dimity]

God he's such a fool.  Along with the electricity tariff he's back to threatening additional tariffs on steel and aluminum and predictably the stock market is sliding.

Lather, rinse, repeat for the next four years or until the US is in a deep depression and he's dragged the rest of the world down with you.  Trump the 21st century's answer to Herbert Hoover.

[peacheslatour]

8 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

As you know I feel the exact same way and have not looked at my financial statements either. I just got an email this morning from my financial advisor entitled "What not to Do Right Now". I'm sure this is a canned message sent from everyone at the firm and will tell us not to do anything just yet and stay the course so I'm not opening it because I don't need another reason to raise my blood pressure today.

I got the same email. They are all like "don't panic, don't do anything in haste, stay the course, things will work out, blah, blah, blah." I wasn't planning on panicking but shit, it sucks and I feel paralyzed. My husband is still working but he's pushing 70 and I want him to retire!

1 minute ago, Dimity said:

God he's such a fool.  Along with the electricity tariff he's back to threatening additional tariffs on steel and aluminum and predictably the stock market is sliding.

Lather, rinse, repeat for the next four years or until the US is in a deep depression and he's dragged the rest of the world down with you.  Trump the 21st century's answer to Herbert Hoover.

And that's another thing! Anyone whose fortunes are tied to real estate can forget selling any property for development because construction prices are going to go through the roof. I was thinking of adding a second bath to our little house and now that's never going to happen.

[Is Everyone Gone]

The pardon Derek Chauvin hashtag is all over SM now.

[kittykat]

Same here.  We know the best thing is to just wait it out and hope our savings don't go kaput.  We're a little younger so I completely understand why those of you at retirement age are on edge.  It is sound advice since they don't want a run on the financial institutions and people panicking.

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I know, it would have been crazy if she had been passed up under the circumstances because she was the most qualified choice. It's just regrettable that she didn't get nominated in the traditional way because it gave Republicans yet another way to claim she was a "DEI hire" and gripe that her choice was "undemocratic" because she didn't have to compete in the primaries to get the nomination. I think that hurt her unfortunately. Not her fault at all but that criticism probably cost her with undecideds. 

Unfortunately true.  Had the Democrats made the decision to make the switch in late 2023 there may have been a better chance.  A lot of people fumed on the Internet about not having primaries and I get that.  But imagine if Affable White Guy was given the chance to run over the black female Vice President the Internet and the PR firestorm that would have followed would have been a disaster for the Democrats.  And again it shouldn't be like that.  Gender, race or orientation should have no factor in determining a candidates viability but in this America to a large portion of the populace it still does.

[Ohiopirate02]

5 minutes ago, Is Everyone Gone said:

The pardon Derek Chauvin hashtag is all over SM now.

Trump can pardon him for his federal crimes, but Derek will still be in prison for the murder of George Floyd. I can't see Tim Walz stepping in to pardon him for that.

[Dimity]

Could you guys give some insight on how Americans are reacting to the idea of prices rising because of trade war/tariffs?  Here in Canada while no one wants to pay more for things we're super pissed right now and mostly the attitude is 'bring it on'.  If we have to pay more to remain a sovereign country, well that's the way it has to be.

But what is the hook Republicans are using to convince ordinary Americans to pay more for pretty much everything?