Trump

[Andol]

Exit polling shows that an almost overwhelming majority of young, urban voters vote Democrat, even of they aren't Democrats themselves.  I believe that if we didn't have a two-party system and more progressive parties had more of a chance to be voted into office, we would be seeing them voting Green Party to a far more pronounced degree than ever before.  I know I only vote blue because I don't want to risk splitting the progressive vote.

The Republicans know their supporters are getting older, dying off, and the next wave of voters are even more progressive than the ones voting now.  They can feel the reins slipping from their fingers and it is probably pretty damn scary, because they must know that this isn't likely to be a pendulum that swings back in their direction.  Progress moves ever onward, and they're being left in the dust.

I view Trump and the shit he's stirred up as the last desperate thrashings of a drowning party.  Their attempts to grasp for purchase will fail and they'll soon be receeding beneath the blue wave.

Got to admit that the way you put that sounds down right scary and for the simple fact it puts up a situation where in the future only a vote for one party actually matters and the other is a waste because they never get elected. Which opens doors for abuse of power...

[Dhi]

Purely hypothetical future abuse of power by a Democratically controlled government scares you? Where is your head right now, are you paying attention to the world you live in?

[TheVillain]

Got to admit that the way you put that sounds down right scary and for the simple fact it puts up a situation where in the future only a vote for one party actually matters and the other is a waste because they never get elected. Which opens doors for abuse of power...

I mean, I get it - but name one specific thing they'd hypothetically do in the future that the GOP isn't actually doing right now.

[clonkertink]

Got to admit that the way you put that sounds down right scary and for the simple fact it puts up a situation where in the future only a vote for one party actually matters and the other is a waste because they never get elected. Which opens doors for abuse of power...

To be fair, in such a situation I could easily see the Democratic party splitting. At the moment, they're something of a tenuous alliance of centrists and progressives, united against the Republicans. If the Republicans ceased to be a threat in the political arena, though, that alliance could easily fracture with the progressives breaking off to form their own party. Still a two party system, but a system that's shifted substantially to the left.

After all, the Democrats and Republicans were once the Democratic-Republican party, and split after their opposition, the Federalists, collapsed.

[Laughing Hyena]

Honestly, what it means is that Republican voters need to be more careful with whom becomes their next candidate for 2024. We can ill afford another "Trump".

[Bibliophilia]

To be fair, in such a situation I could easily see the Democratic party splitting. At the moment, they're something of a tenuous alliance of centrists and progressives, united against the Republicans. If the Republicans ceased to be a threat in the political arena, though, that alliance could easily fracture with the progressives breaking off to form their own party. Still a two party system, but a system that's shifted substantially to the left.

After all, the Democrats and Republicans were once the Democratic-Republican party, and split after their opposition, the Federalists, collapsed.

This.  What I see happening, in my completely layman's opinion, is that the party splits and the Green Party, or a new one, gains enough voters to challenge the Dems.  Then, you have moderate leftists and more progressive leftists debating, basically, just how liberal things should get.  This is evolution.  Republicans just represent a mindset that isn't sustainable, just like horse-drawn-carriages and typewriters.

[TheVillain]

Honestly, what it means is that Republican voters need to be more careful with whom becomes their next candidate for 2024. We can ill afford another "Trump".

Sadly this seems most likely to happen. There's actually Fascists in the GOP these days, and all this has taught them is that when they pick their Glorious Leader next time they have to pick someone a little smarter and a little less divisive.

[RedPhoenix]

At least one of the white supremacist terrorists who committed insurrection at the capital building today was an elected member of the republican party from west virginia.

https://wvmetronews.com/2021/01/06/w-va-delegate-just-sworn-in-among-the-rioters-storming-u-s-capitol/

But ya know, the idea of healthcare for all, that's terrifying.

[Vekseid]

https://twitter.com/jihanbit/status/1346909463660396550

So apparently the DC Police let them through.

[CandyLips]

Supposedly, the police were also taking selfies with the "protestors" - According to a video my partner saw earlier, but I haven't seen

[clonkertink]

Now, you'd think that "Willingly opening up the security cordon you were supposed to guard" would be a fireable offence. Right now my money is on "Suspended with pay, pending investigation."

[CandyLips]

You know it!

[Chaeronea]

Supposedly, the police were also taking selfies with the "protestors" - According to a video my partner saw earlier, but I haven't seen

Twitter thread starting with video of cops taking selfies with mob members -

https://twitter.com/chadloder/status/1346931337152745474

twitter thread starting with video of Capitol Police backing away from the mob and letting them into the Capitol -

https://twitter.com/chadloder/status/1346931337152745474

[RedPhoenix]

The FBI asked for tips in identifying insurrectionists.

Simultaneously one was being broadcast live from his hotel room at the Willard by Laura Ingraham on Fox News.

It's a mind boggling level of privilege and entitlement to be given a sympathetic ear by the most popular news channel in the country after committing treason and going back to your expensive hotel and using it to whine about how unfair you have it.

[CandyLips]

Twitter thread starting with video of cops taking selfies with mob members -

https://twitter.com/chadloder/status/1346931337152745474

twitter thread starting with video of Capitol Police backing away from the mob and letting them into the Capitol -

https://twitter.com/chadloder/status/1346931337152745474

Both those links go to the same place. I think you forgot to copy the first link.

[clonkertink]

Colbert brought some serious fire tonight. "Charlottesville come home to roost". Damn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpUxQyLCBbk

[Laughing Hyena]

For a small bite sized bit of criticism...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPVDz6EVjVE

[Skynet]

One of the President's lawyers, Rudy Giuliani, called for "trial by combat" to settle the supposed dispute about a nonexistent stolen election at a Save America rally in DC hours before the Capitol building was stormed.

[Deamonbane]

Joseph R Biden Jr. and Kamala D. Harris have officially been confirmed to take up the mantles of President and Vice President of the United States, respectively.

Might be a little childish on my part, but it was more than a little sweet that Pence had to say it himself.

[Haibane]

I mean, I get it - but name one specific thing they'd hypothetically do in the future that the GOP isn't actually doing right now.

Widen LGBT rights; encourage more states to legalise gay partnerships; widen abortion laws; embrace sustainable energy; close down coal mines; deal with racism once and for all; pull down that xenophobic Mexican wall; dismantle the ICE and rebuild it so it functions in accordance with human rights; no more fracking licenses; initiate a new national police training and behavioural assessment programme; psychologically profile police applicants to weed out the gun-totin-Rambo-wannabes; increase taxes on the rich and big corporations; engage more effectively on the international scene; set up a more effective government body intended to combat cyber crime, particularly from foreign powers; set up a workable anti-pandemic response and department; tighten gun controls applicable to assault rifles and machine guns...

Heck, what an awful scary list. America would be a terrible place if the progressives had unfettered power...      /s

[gaggedLouise]

Trump's delusions of being able to stay in power indefinitely just because he wants to, those delusions finally hit the brick wall of reality last night. He has essentially run out of gas when it comes to really stopping Biden from being sworn into office. But his hold over the minds and imagination of the many millions of cult supporters, and over much of the GOP, hasn't ended. It will still be there for years to come.

[Andol]

Widen LGBT rights; encourage more states to legalise gay partnerships; widen abortion laws; embrace sustainable energy; close down coal mines; deal with racism once and for all; pull down that xenophobic Mexican wall; dismantle the ICE and rebuild it so it functions in accordance with human rights; no more fracking licenses; initiate a new national police training and behavioural assessment programme; psychologically profile police applicants to weed out the gun-totin-Rambo-wannabes; increase taxes on the rich and big corporations; engage more effectively on the international scene; set up a more effective government body intended to combat cyber crime, particularly from foreign powers; set up a workable anti-pandemic response and department; tighten gun controls applicable to assault rifles and machine guns...

Heck, what an awful scary list. America would be a terrible place if the progressives had unfettered power...      /s

Wow maybe some of those things you listed are not supported by everyone. The tone here is the is the exact type of scariness I am talking about... one that creates a system where one sides opinion is never heard, or better yet told they are bad just because they think something that isn't agreed with it.

To be fair, in such a situation I could easily see the Democratic party splitting. At the moment, they're something of a tenuous alliance of centrists and progressives, united against the Republicans. If the Republicans ceased to be a threat in the political arena, though, that alliance could easily fracture with the progressives breaking off to form their own party. Still a two party system, but a system that's shifted substantially to the left.

After all, the Democrats and Republicans were once the Democratic-Republican party, and split after their opposition, the Federalists, collapsed.

Thank you putting it in a way that made me feel a lot better after a crazy day yesterday. I could personally see something like this happening and does take away a lot of my worries about the things that I expressed before in my original post.

[TheHangedOne]

Wow maybe some of those things you listed are not supported by everyone. The tone here is the is the exact type of scariness I am talking about... one that creates a system where one sides opinion is never heard, or better yet told they are bad just because they think something that isn't agreed with it.

Color me curious. Which of those things don't you agree with?

[Andol]

Color me curious. Which of those things don't you agree with?

Close down coal mines, increase taxes on the rich and big corporations, tighten gun controls applicable to assault rifles and machine guns... everything else was ok to me personally. If that is your question... 

[Andol]

One of the President's lawyers, Rudy Giuliani, called for "trial by combat" to settle the supposed dispute about a nonexistent stolen election at a Save America rally in DC hours before the Capitol building was stormed.

That is the most laughably stupid idea I have ever heard. The last time anything resembling a legal duel or whatnot was in France in... I want to say 1960 or 1970... and since then that kind of stuff isn't legal anywhere that I know of. I mean if he is going to pull something out his ass he needs to try harder than that.