Do you believe Tara Reade? — frank

Yes.

Yes. — Xtrix

What do you think it says about Biden?

What do you think it says about Biden? — frank

That he's a creepy asshole. What's your point? Because you're missing mine. See above.

If you're implying he's the anti-Christ because of this, I might remind you that Trump has been credibly accused by over a dozen women. So given this awful choice, if he's not tried and convicted, I'll vote for him -- because the alternative is far worse. It's not an endorsement of Biden, the DNC, the Democratic party generally, his personality, his history, his ideology. It's a vote for an administration that will be more open to listening to scientists, will stock scientists in the EPA, will appoint non-reactionary justices to the Supreme Court, etc.

I could definitely live without Biden and in fact think he's a terrible, terrible choice -- once again. It should have been Sanders.

It speaks directly to his leadership style (as off-base as that might sound).

He must be (or think himself), or was at one point, a charismatic and authoritarian leader (his underlings are just that, underlings, who are there to service him, and they should be thankful for it). All that really matters to him is therefore the continuation of his own authority. Needing to perform well as an actual leader (effective high level decision making) is actually secondary because his underlings take care of all of that. He is a people person, through and through.

He likes to get real close to people he's attracted to... Close enough to really smell them...

Close enough to sexually assault them

I can't vote for a rapist. I'll be sitting this one out.

I was just aiming for a pause for a feel-check about what it's going to be like to vote for him. I'm not convinced he did what she currently accuses him of, particularly because her story has changed in sync with his primary victory.

Her story isn't actionable as far as I'm concerned. I still feel like I have to consider it as a possibility, though. If it's true, I think it says something about his generation. I'm not sure what it says about him. That he viewed women as sex objects? Does he still? Don't know.

He must be (or think himself), or was at one point, a charismatic and authoritarian leader (his underlings are just that, underlings, who are there to service him, — VagabondSpectre

I don't think any men have come forward claiming to have been assaulted by him. I think it's more of a sexual thing than an authority issue. I think he was checking to see if she would respond to him. She didn't, so we have a story of the beginning of a rape without the follow-through.

I don't think any men have come forward claiming to have been assaulted by him. I think it's more of a sexual thing than an authority issue. I think he was checking to see if she would respond to him. She didn't, so we have a story of the beginning of a rape without the follow-through. — frank

I haven't actually been paying full attention to the details (scandal exhausts me at this point), but I think the story is that he inserted his finger into her vagina while she was suck between him and a wall. That's full blown "rape". If it was, in Biden's mind, a normal and acceptable sexual advance, then i think that strengthens my point.

Normal human beings do not go around compulsively and casually extracting sexual gratification from others without adequate context and consent. I only know of one stereotype that does this ("the charismatic leader"); perhaps it's because high charisma leaders with authority can consistently get away with it (the lack of repercussions is certainly a factor which allows these manipulative personalities to develop).

I can't vote for a rapist. I'll be sitting this one out. — neonspectraltoast

Thus guaranteeing a rapist remains in office, but with the added benefit of destroying the planet.

Makes sense I guess.

I don't think any men have come forward claiming to have been assaulted by him. — frank

Sexually no, but I don't think Biden is bi-sexual.

Biden does seem to be losing his temper quite often of late though. Challenging his supporters to fist fights and what not...

Raped if we do, raped if we don't... -Murica'.

To be fair, since we are less confident about the veracity of the claims against Biden than the claims against Trump (and since there's only one claim against Biden) we can still take the statistically better option and vote for Biden, the least raping-est candidate left standing!

Gosh, just imagine how glorious it will be:

"Introducing White-house Plus! Now with 50% less rape!"

Well done for having minimal principles and for refusing to be politically blackmailed.

Biden does seem to be losing his temper quite often of late though. Challenging his supporters to fist fights and what not... — VagabondSpectre

Maybe he's losing it.

Biden would rather challenge people to a fist fight, or tell them to go vote for someone else, than lay down an argument for why people should vote for him. Probably because he can barely articulate a full sentence, but also probably because he stands for nothing.

Maybe he's losing it. — frank

And the cracks might be beginning to show what was skillfully hidden all along.

...

Why can't we have even a single nice thing these days?...

My principles? I refuse to be affiliated with a rapist in any way. I'm not going to celebrate a rapist.

It's not a vote for Trump. It's this society that chose. I don't want to be a part of it.

Come what may, I'll deal with it. But it's abstract from whatever rapist you decide represents you.

Rapists don't represent me.

:up:

Why can't we have even a single nice thing these days?... — VagabondSpectre

You can imagine a twisted backroom plan where the Dems and the GOP got together and agreed to both put up rapists for president as a sick demonstration of how they have the American public so cowed and trained that the vast majority of voters literally cannot imagine any alternative to the point where many of them will rabidly attack, mock, and pillory anyone who suggests there is one. High fives all round for the one-vulture two-wings party.

My principles? I refuse to be affiliated with a rapist in any way. I'm not going to celebrate a rapist. — neonspectraltoast

Respect. :clap:

Why can't we have even a single nice thing these days?... — VagabondSpectre

There's a portion of my backyard that was overtaken by English ivy. I stuck a Buddha statue into the middle of it. It's awesome. Plus there was a bunch of brush which I turned into a branch sculpture.

My understanding is that once states come off lockdown, the shit will probably start hitting the fan in June and July, so I'm enjoying the little things.

Give your Buddha's feet a rub on my behalf...

I can at least pretend to have a few zen moments before the second half of this god forsaken year comes to fuck us all...

The little things are all we have left, lol....

Politely telling the Dem vote shamers where to go while explaining to them why they're wrong.

We have a new normal.

the vast majority of voters literally cannot imagine any alternative to the point where many of them will rabidly attack, mock, and pillory anyone who suggests there is one. — Baden

It's an interesting phenomenon not limited to here. I think it has to do with shame - the shame of being put in an impossible situation (Trump or Biden?), and the minimal psychic relief that is offered when one imgines oneself Stoically doing one's duty regardless - as if a sacrifice for a cause. Those who refuse the blackmail of 'choice', make a mockery of this idea of self-sacrifice - they realize that the choice is not an impossible one, but in so doing they deprive the shamed voters of their sacrifical self-image. That shame turns to anger as they lash out because those who refuse the 'choice' don't let them have their minimal justification for voting for a rapist (either way).

I mean, it takes huge psychic mutilation to convince oneself that one should commit oneself to one rapist over another, while still preserving some image of self-integrity; that someone else doesn't see themselves as being bound to make that choice is going to result in some major pathology on the part of the shamed voter. That pathology comes out in a pretty vile anger, and unsuprisingly - at least here - cashed out in sexual insults. Like a sublimation of political impotence projected onto others as sexual impotence. It's very sad, and I feel sorry for them. But this is the kind of thing that the system generates. Wretched people, turned against each other and themselves, for the sake of that system. A basic Marxist point, relevant in this situation.

But this is the kind of thing that the system generates. — StreetlightX

Speaking of what the system generates and how that's currently being accelerated.

"Coronavirus — or more accurately — the lack of response to it will probably finish off what’s left of the American economy. America will end up a country with permanently lower levels of all the following: employment, income, savings, trust, happiness, assets, and so forth. America was already in the process of becoming something very much like a poor country, with the failed politics of one, too — but Coronavirus will accelerate and finalize America’s grim transformation into poverty, paralysis, and collapse."

https://eand.co/the-american-economy-is-imploding-and-america-is-too-e998d3cfb1d9

Well done for having minimal principles and for refusing to be politically blackmailed. — StreetlightX

And voting in a rapist.

But feeling morally superior for sitting and doing nothing. Kudos.

More wonderful Orwellianism where not voting=voting.

Rapists don't represent me. — neonspectraltoast

Yes, one currently does and will continue to. If you're OK with that, best of luck to you.

Yes, not voting or voting third party is indeed a vote for Trump.

Simple arithmetic. Very 1984.

And voting in a rapist. — Xtrix

No, that would be you. You've just said you believe Reade.

Jesus, this is like me telling someone if they don't punch someone in the face just like I'm going to, they're guilty of battery.

Jesus, this is like me telling someone if they don't punch someone in the face just like I'm going to, they're guilty of battery. It's literally that stupid. — Baden

Sometimes the best response is to let the stupid speak for itself and then laugh.

not voting... is indeed a vote. — Xtrix

Lol.

And voting in a rapist.
— Xtrix

No, that would be you. You've just said you believe Reade.

Jesus, this is like me telling someone if they don't punch someone in the face just like I'm going to, they're guilty of battery. It's literally that stupid. — Baden

And not voting is voting in Trump, also a rapist. The difference is one administration can be pressured to not destroy the environment completely, the other cannot. It's really that simple. No one is saying it's a good choice, you just don't want to hear it.