I’ve noticed a difference between the way the political left and right approach this issue - correct me if my observation is off:
Many Republicans get upset if someone says they voted Democratic, but won’t care much if someone voted third party or abstained from voting. As long as you didn’t vote for Team Blue, you’re OK.
Many Democrats, on the other hand, are upset by people* not voting Democratic, *period. To them, if someone votes Republican, that’s bad. If someone votes third party, that’s bad. If someone abstains from voting altogether, that’s bad.
You just can’t take those blinders off, can you? Trump openly colludes with Russia, fires those who investigate, and all you see is liberal whining. Remember when Conservatives thought of Russia as the US’s biggest enemy, Comrade Hump?
Well this latest debacle is right in your wheelhouse then. You can answer the question that nobody at all is asking:
Q. Did Trump commit an illegal act?
A. No, what he did was not illegal because (you fill this part in)
This seems to be the go-to talking point this morning. Of course, nobody I can see actually ever thought that this was an illegal act, but that does not stop them from working this angle.
This way, you can maintain your obligation to defend Trump from the false accusations of illegality (which nobody has made), while ignoring the bigger picture of what Trump actually did, and what this means for national security and cooperation between allies.
No, he’s just a hate-filled prick. One of the nice things about the pit is that it tends to rip the mask away from obnoxious people and expose them for who they are.
Here’s the thing though, and this isn’t really just addressed to you, but what I don’t understand is how the republicans and trump plan to control the electorate.
They tapped into a certain anxiety/fear/anger/rage that is an undercurrent in a large swath of society. And that anxiety is based on a failing american dream.
People are worried about the future. They are worried that their current job isn’t paying making ends meet. They are worried that they may lose their job. They worry about their health, and the health of their family, and have concerns that if they have a major medical problem, they won’t be able to afford to take care of it. They are worried about the future of their children, and the lack of opportunities they see for them.
Most of them are not worried about gay wedding cakes or bathrooms one way or another, few of them actually care about muslims or immigration (except the few who have been convinced that their wages are depressed due to immigration), they care about jobs and economic security for themselves and their family.
I can understand forgiving trump’s foibles if you actually believed him when he said he was going to bring back jobs. I can understand giving him a chance to make a better huger healthcare plan that would cost less and give more coverage to everyone.
What the republicans are not understanding is that this anger didn’t just go away when they channeled it against the liberals to get themselves elected. This anger is still there, still simmering, and it will, until the problems that are causing the anxiety and anger are actually addressed. People who voted for trump because of his promises on healthcare, do you really think that they will continue to support the republicans if they manage to cram through their bill? Do you really think that the people who are waiting for their job to come back will not punish the republicans electorally when those jobs fail to materialize?
You point it out yourself, the republicans have managed to take control over pretty much the entire federal govt and most of the state houses. The ball is in your court. What your party does now, with pretty much no obstruction from the democrats is showing your true colors. You have not had this level of power in living memory, so there is quite a bit of the electorate that believes that you will use it for the good of the country, rather than for self promotion and enrichment. The liberals have not managed to disabuse republican supporters of this notion, but what the republicans are doing now just might do it.
Many rapists get upset if someone interferes with their raping, but won’t care much if someone else doesn’t go out raping. As long as you didn’t interfere in their own rape, you’re OK.
Many anti-rape advocates, on the other hand, are upset by people not stopping rape, period. To them, if someone commits rape, that’s bad. If someone doesn’t commit rape but doesn’t give a shit about stopping those who do, that’s bad.
No, Republicans aren’t rapists (well, not all of them, and many Democrats are too). Point is, “X is fine with you as long as you do Y, but for Y it’s not enough that you don’t do X–you have to actually do Y” is not necessarily an argument for the superiority of X. Because sometimes, X is so awful and Y is so morally obligatory that Y has every right to demand that you join Y against X.
…no! You’re…you’re wrong! That’s just how you play 5D Chess! And Trump is a master player of 7D Chess!! Just wait untill you see where the other rook goes!
[Moderating]
Calling other posters “motherfuckers” is against board rules, even if they have you on ignore. Please avoid doing this in the future.
[/Moderating]
[Moderating]
Quoting someone calling a poster a motherfucker so the target can see is also pretty iffy. Don’t do this, either.