Amazing to watching the GOP manufacture issues by taking non-problems and statistically insignificant events and blowing them up into a “crisis,” and the inevitable see everyone gradually jump on board.

Trans issues, the border, immigrants, Iran, Muslims, critical race theory, ESG, DEI, voter fraud, the national debt (only while Democrat in office), etc. All complete bullshit. They’re masters of proposing solutions in search of problems. I remember how each one of these started, in the infancy of their propagandic journey — it’s been enlightening watching the evolution.

Then it’s fun to watch the lemmings in the press, the Democratic Party, and all the way down to goofy internet posters on Reddit, Twitter, and even here, tacitly accept the framing and react accordingly — all while the planet burns and wealth inequality gets wider.

That’s it, really. It’s strange— because they’ve come to be convinced that these services, which other countries have, is unaffordable, or will raise taxes, or both. Plus stuff about shrinking government and pulling yourself by your bootstraps. All old, tired, evidence-free reasoning.

In the richest country on earth, it’s scandalous that we don’t have the same healthcare as Britain or Canada.

On the other hand, we’ll make it through it. The damage to the environment is the worst part, because we’re out of time already and see the damages all around us, season after season. But the rest — trashing civil service, deportations, just general stupidity — will still happen and probably be worse than last time. The small progress Biden made with FTC, SEC, and NLRB will be reversed— so more monopolies, union destruction, and corruption on Wall Street.

But we’ll survive it, and hopefully come back stronger and better organized.

Sanders is too far left. — T Clark

No he isn’t. Which is the point. His ideas are good and popular— separating him from these proposals and saying he’s somehow too far left is absurd.

But I suppose we can keep pretending that going farther and farther right will eventually pay off.

If only there were a candidate that focused on working class issues, had popular proposals, took no corporate money, and had an energized, diverse coalition. It would be an example Democrats could emulate. Alas, no such candidate exists.

Oh wait…

Gomer Pyle, Secretary of Agriculture

‘Fossil Fuels Are Still Winning’: Global Emissions Head for a Record

In the United States, carbon dioxide emissions are expected to drop modestly this year, by around 0.6 percent. America’s emissions from coal are now at their lowest levels in more than 120 years as utilities continue to retire their older coal-burning power plants.

At the same time, however, U.S. electricity demand has soared to record highs as a result of scorching summer heat waves and a rapid build-out of data centers. That has led to record demand for natural gas, which emits about half as much carbon dioxide as coal when burned for energy.

China, the world’s largest emitter, saw a small increase in emissions this year of around 0.2 percent. That’s a notable shift from the past few decades, when China was building hundreds of coal plants to fuel breakneck growth and carbon dioxide emissions were rising sharply each year. But experts say it is too soon to say whether Chinese emissions might be on the verge of peaking.

In recent years, China has built more solar arrays, wind farms and electric vehicles than any other country. At the same time, China’s rate of economic growth has slowed, with sectors like construction and heavy industry cooling off after decades of rapid expansion.

“If these trends continue and renewable power keeps up the pace, it’s conceivable that emissions will decline or at least stay flat after 2024,” said Jan Ivar Korsbakken, a senior researcher at CICERO who studies Chinese emissions. But he also cautioned that some forecasters had expected China’s emissions to decline this year, and that didn’t happen.

:up:

It’s compelling. But who really knows? I don’t. I feel like Bernie would have done better, but he would have had the entire Democrat establishment after him— twice as much as that short window in early 2020 when he looked like he would win the nomination after Nevada, and there were 3 or 4 op-eds in the NY Times every day just trashing him, with idiots like Bret Stephens losing their shit about him being the nominee and vowing never to vote for him EVER, even voting for Trump if he were nominated.

Given that, who knows if he would have pushed through?

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/946451

Posted in the wrong thread.

calling transgender people liars and delusional, — Christoffer

They’re not liars or delusional. The claim is that what is delusional is the belief that you can change sexes. I’ve seen no convincing evidence to counter that argument— but I’m open to hearing one.

Probably a topic for another thread though.

can’t substantiate your beliefs — NOS4A2

:rofl:

Satire couldn’t be as good.

Let’s pray that the Republicans eliminate the filibuster at long last. They’re in the majority, they should be able to do what they want.

Trump has been pushing it and still continues to, and that’ll be great news if it succeeds. Bad news for the country and the world in the short term, but very good news going forward.

http://youtube.com/post/Ugkx6lUc_MaNQISSDqlFrVSf1TJYCrMQRAzI?si=WfJnZhykg46Zh7vK

He has it basically right.

Frank states it better:

I have been writing about these things for 20 years, and I have begun to doubt that any combination of financial disaster or electoral chastisement will ever turn on the lightbulb for the liberals. I fear that ’90s-style centrism will march on, by a sociological force of its own, until the parties have entirely switched their social positions and the world is given over to Trumpism.

Can anything reverse it? Only a resolute determination by the Democratic Party to rededicate itself to the majoritarian vision of old: a Great Society of broad, inclusive prosperity. This means universal health care and a higher minimum wage. It means robust financial regulation and antitrust enforcement. It means unions and a welfare state and higher taxes on billionaires, even the cool ones. It means, above all, liberalism as a social movement, as a coming-together of ordinary people — not a series of top-down reforms by well-meaning professionals.

That seems a long way away today. But the alternative is — what? To blame the voters? To scold the world for failing to see how noble we are? No. It will take the opposite sentiment — solidarity — to turn the world right-side up again.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/09/opinion/democrats-trump-elites-centrism.html

At this point the hope is that technology advances so quickly and cheaply that there’s little excuse to go backwards. I see it happening with heat pumps and induction stoves. Not to mention electric lawnmowers and leafblowers and whatnot. These things are just cool and better.

Guys like this and his Kraken are encouraging.

1) Harris was a crap candidate.
2) Republicans have a more effective propaganda machine.

That’s all this was.

n? Americans don't care. No Jews, no news. — BitconnectCarlos

Yep, that’s it. Nailed it. Run along now.

Silence — BitconnectCarlos

Nope.

But that aside, if you’re so dense that after 100s of pages on the Israeli thread you still don’t understand why there would be more outrage and protesting about Gaza than Congo or Sudan, I won’t even bother answering in any serious way. Instead, here’s the answer: antisemitism. It’s always been your answer, so I’ll play along.

Yeah because it can’t be that college kids don’t like genocide. The 60s protests were USSR too, etc. typical rationale for delusional apologists of genocide. But yeah, go with that. I go with the China boogyman myself.

Well, I mean if Trump just completely cuts most (if not all) climate regulation and accelerates oil extraction then it is most certain we will not reach 1.5 nor even 2c by 2030, essentially guaranteeing the end of civilization. Granted, this is somewhat medium-ish term, but that's big. — Manuel

Well it will accelerate emissions, yes. It’ll send a poor message to the world, and will generally be taking us backwards in myriad ways when we’re already out of time and not doing enough domestically or globally. That’s gravely stupid. But that’s what an ignorant electorate just thrust into power for 4 years. I fully agree.

But your prediction is bad enough if it comes to fruition. — Manuel

Not much to figure out, it’s right there in what they say and what they’ve already done. So I think my prediction, if you call it that, is fairly certain yeah.

I don’t see anything significantly changing— things will remain the same crappy situation for most people. There’s a lot of hysterics, but the most damaging and the most consistent will be continued tax cuts, deregulation, and climate denial. In other words, right back to a stupider and more vulgar neoliberalism.

Any chance of success went out the window in 2021, when the 3.5 trillion dollar Bernie-backed reconciliation bill was killed by Manchin and Sinema. That would have been very good for the country. Instead we got crumbs and some baby steps in climate policy. Not good enough, not impactful enough.

If you believe these mass protests are purely organic I've got a bridge to sell you. — BitconnectCarlos

Like I said— probably Chinese communists.

:rofl:

Yes yes, they’re all anti-America. Probably a Red China conspiracy. Back to bed now grandpa.

I'm pretty sure campaigning with the Cheneys while snubbing the left on Gaza contributed to that. Perhaps stop trying to court this mythical sane Republican voter next time. — Mr Bee

Exactly. Turns out sending billions to aid a genocide isn’t as popular as zionist imbeciles think it is.

anti-American — BitconnectCarlos

:rofl:

As I’ve said before, the most moronic of analysts will show up claiming that Harris didn’t go far right enough. They’ll act as if moving left is unpopular (it isn’t), and a guaranteed loss (it won’t be). At least David Brooks isn’t such an idiot as to claim that.

Go back to the thread where you cheer a genocide— your delusions are irrelevant here.

it has no friends left and is a pariah state, for good reason — Manuel

Yep. But don’t tell that to genocide apologists, because it’s anti-semitism to oppose the murder of 15,000 babies.

Trump got roughly the same number of votes this year that he did in 2020– about 74 million. Harris got about 10-11 million less than Biden in 2020. That’s the real story, despite some inroads made among certain demographics by Trump. The turnout for Harris, like for Hillary, was low.

Collapse in Democratic Turnout Fueled Trump’s Victory

There’s no surprise as to why they would be. There was no reason to vote FOR her, and the motivation to vote AGAINST Trump, though still the correct move, wasn’t good enough.

This wasn’t a landslide, and wasn’t a mandate. But that’ll be the takeaway from the cult. But that’s a great thing— I hope they continue believing the whole country has gone “maga.”

So about all that voter fraud…. Haven’t heard a word about it. Guess the democrats “forgot” to steal this one. :lol:

What if it’s just because Harris sucked as a candidate, was never voted on to be the nominee, ran towards the right and away from Bernie, couldn’t talk without a teleprompter and endless coaching, and had no vision or policy to offer other than a pathetic “$25 thousand down payment” for homebuyers and that she wasn’t Donald Trump.

Now she, like Hillary, can also fuck off forever. Along with Biden.

The rest of us need to look at this result with humility. American voters are not always wise, but they are generally sensible, and they have something to teach us. My initial thought is that I have to re-examine my own priors. I’m a moderate. I like it when Democratic candidates run to the center. But I have to confess that Harris did that pretty effectively and it didn’t work. Maybe the Democrats have to embrace a Bernie Sanders-style disruption — something that will make people like me feel uncomfortable.

— David Brooks

Gee thanks David. Glad you’re realizing this NOW.

Him, Bret Stephens, and the rest of the anti-Bernie crowd can just shut up now.

After Trump Took the Lead, Election Deniers Went Suddenly Silent

“Trump supporters spent years fomenting concern about election integrity. On Tuesday, they set it all aside.”

Lol— what a shocker! Who would have thought?! It’s almost as if it is, and always was, complete bullshit.

Maybe I'll be unpleasantly surprised, but I am thinking it's more of the same. — Count Timothy von Icarus

Yep. Extending tax cuts, no national abortion ban, some dressed up nonsense on the border (packaged as something new, but basically continuing what’s been done with some murmurs about a wall), maybe some tariffs on Chinese goods (as Biden has done), and otherwise a bunch of hot air. He’ll be even worse on the Middle East, but will possibly stop funding the proxy war in Ukraine (perhaps the one bright spot).

The real shame will be 4 years of environmental deregulation, and the gutting of science. He’ll try to repeal the IRA, which may be possible now that they’ll have a trifecta (although a lot of republican districts have benefited, and with a slim house majority that may not fly).

Also, and equally damaging, is the free reign of appointing judges, which will further the courts to the right for a generation. I imagine Alito or Thomas will retire, and Sotomayer is in poor health I hear— so he may get another 3. He’ll have a full 4 years of a Republican Senate too, because 2026 there’s no chance Dems take it back, given the map.

But it’ll all likely swing back in ‘28. That is, if the party moves towards Bernie and away from the Clinton-Obama establishment neoliberal crowd.

Lionino was banned — Jamal

It’s unbelievable it took this long. Guess I can take him off my ignore list.

My family gets annoyed with me 'shouting at the television'. — Wayfarer

My family was annoyed that I was calling it for Trump :lol:

But yeah, it’s good to take some time away. Most people I talk to really don’t follow any of this that closely. What they end up with is whatever simple soundbite or slogan happens to make its way into their brains.

Political hobbyism, that’s all this is really. Don’t lose any sleep over it. Use whatever you feel to get involved locally. It’ll reset your perspective a bit.

Bernie. From the establishment's silencing of the right candidate for working class Americans came Trump's possibility to do what he's done. — creativesoul

Yep. Bernie would have won, in 2016, in 2020, in 2024. But the DNC made sure that didn’t happen. So this outcome isn’t surprising— which is why I called it weeks ago.

Trump is still the stupidest choice, but this will come with a lot of good things— like giving yet another “wakeup call” to the Democratic Party and the inevitable infighting and finger pointing. It’ll be fun watching what nonsense excuses they come up with. :lol:

A simple question I ask is: how many times did Harris rally with Bernie?

… and how many with Liz Cheney?

That’ll tell you everything you need.

I was wrong. :zip: — 180 Proof

Yeah, most people were I think. But this scenario wasn’t outside possibility— just sucks when it actually happens.

Medicare for all, $15 minimum wage, Green New Deal, free public college, student debt cancellation, the PRO Act (unions), free child care and child tax credit, raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations, gun control, police reform, etc etc. She ran from all of it. Not only does it energize the base, but most of it has broad appeal. Not to mention she’s a war hawk and genocide supporter like Biden.

Also, for the record: Bernie would have won.

What do you think are the lessons for Democrats here? — Tom Storm

Not to run an empty, establishment candidate who runs away from every popular progressive policy there is, and who has no principles. They played this one by the book— and failed yet again. Didn’t help that she, like Clinton (and, to a degree, Biden), was essentially anointed by the DNC.

It gets tiresome having to exclusively vote AGAINST something— that’s extremely uninspiring. Despite all the gaslighting, I never felt the so-called “energy,” and I imagine millions of others didn’t either. It all felt rather bland and formal and forced and coached. Like Hillary all over again: machine-like; robotic. I still voted against the worst, as we all should, but eventually you have to offer something as well. Biden, pressured by Bernie (as he needed that large cohort to get elected), ran on several of his policies. Kamala immediately ran to the “middle,” which every bozo pundit in their infinite wisdom said to do. You see the obvious result.

What will they actually learn? Nothing, probably. Maybe blame Russia again, or run even MORE to the right next time.

So a reminder of those confidently predicting a Harris win/landslide:

Allan Litchman (“never wrong in 40 years” 13 keys guy)
Michael Moore
Bill Maher
Nate Silver (barely)
James Carville
…anyone else care to add to this?

The polls turned out fairly accurate— still underestimating Trump but not by as much.

Now it’ll be fun watching the Republicans try to govern and yet still blame democrats when everything goes to shit, as it always does under their leadership.