Repeated. No takers???
I agree with this.
Except the “We’re not talking about Republicans” part. On a Venn diagram, there is huge overlap between the sets Republicans and Trump voters. GOP adults like Paul Ryan were tested and found wanting. When White Republicans cast their ballots on that fateful Tuesday, 91% voted for the misogynist child raper whose platform was to ridicule handicapped people. Ninety.One.Percent.
The GOP party was respectable throughout most of the 20th century; McCain and Romney were fine men who I’d have been proud to call “Mr. President.” But the present GOP, like a fetid pile of human shit, needs to be flushed down a sewer to never see the light of day again. Those who scorned us for saying this a year ago now “have egg on their faces.” At this point, anyone who fails to denounce the GOP is contemptible and sub-human.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let me dispose of this little mystery. “26 million” was a conflation from the 26% of Americans who voted for Trump. (44% selected the Don’t_Care_Enough_To_Drive_to_the_Precinct option.) (Yes, my brain may be going — I lost my sense of smell several years ago.)
You know, just because the world takes one step toward the comic book fantasy hellscape you’ve always described it as doesn’t mean you need to twist your hyperbole knob from 11 to 99.
There’s never a time to come together, and there’s never a time to stand apart. There’s always a time to be good citizens, to operate in good faith, and to seek out others who are of a similar frame of mind and work out agreement where possible and keep communicating wherever it’s not.
I will never come together if it means violating civil liberties and the spirit of our democratic republic. At the same time, I will never cover my ears and eyes simply because I don’t want to listen to another person’s perspective.
This is exactly right.
One of the worst mistakes Clinton made was her “deplorables” comment. Though it was most certainly taken out of context and blown well out of proportion, the failure to understand the sensitivities and obvious insecurities that exist among the white middle class portion of the electorate is a glaring example of why democrats not only lost the White House but why they also continue to lose down-ballot elections.
Yes, there were millions of truly racist people who voted for Donald Trump, and that’s disheartening, but that’s also nothing new either. There were millions of truly racist people who voted for John McCain and George W Bush. There are also probably millions of black and Hispanic voters who have jaded views of their white counterparts, which I would certainly understand given the historical context but nevertheless take umbrage to on some level as someone who happens to be white.
I would say that a majority of Trump’s voters are not conscious racists but are instead what I would term ‘racially insecure’. They are living with rapid, visible changes to their country’s culture. They see ‘others’ making advances and inroads and question whether the same is true of them and their own children. And people are wrong to dismiss it entirely as a phenomenon confined to Toledo or Appalachia.
Objection. Arguing facts not in evidence.
The ones you consider respectable were some of the politicians and some of the more intelligent, reasonable grown ups who have a (R) after their name, some of which are on this board. And those people were more than happy to fundraise from and motivate to vote the much greater number of scientifically illiterate, hate-filled, scared, and dumb as fuck rural whites who turned out in droves to elect Trump. These people didn’t just magically appear out of the fetid aether, they’ve been a huge part of the Republican base for decades. And Republican politicians (and talking heads like Rush, Hannity, Coulter, and pretty much all of FoxNews) were more than willing to use them for their own benefits, whether votes or for money, but doing so quietly, with code words. What Trump realized is that these people are a much larger percentage of the Republican party than anyone thought, so he focused his rhetoric to them. And it worked. He played on their hate, their fear, their dislike at being called idiots (which they are), and their -isms, and it got him elected. The real face of the Republican party isn’t McCain or Romney or even Rush or Trump. It’s those people. And it’s really effin’ scary.
IMHO this self-defeating self-righteousness is responsible, in large part, on the current situation.
Are we to be surprised that when told “If you don’t do as I want you to do, you are a racist, misogynistic piece of shit” a majority of people would answer “Up yours”?
Trump is the embodiment of American culture. Vulgar. Thinks everyone loves him. Knows he can do whatever he wants. A win for representative democracy.
Spinning apologia about “the good American” is cold comfort to their victims.
On the other hand, it doesn’t seem sensible to blame populations for the decisions of their rulers. If you wouldn’t blame Soviet citizens for the deprivations of the Soviet Empire then you shouldn’t blame American citizens for the deprivations of the American Empire, whether led by a Bush, Obama, Clinton, or Trump. Over the last hundred years Americans have been exposed to some of the most sophisticated propaganda techniques yet devised. Look at their media or popular entertainment. They aren’t of sound mind. I don’t know how many times since 9/11 I’ve heard or read some variation of “we should just nuke the Middle East into glass.” Of course this culture would elect George Bush twice. Why not Trump twice?
A watered down progressivism fit for corporate sponsors and Sunday morning talk shows. What happened to the days when leftists would meet fascists with force or fight with the Pinkerton men? Guess they all turned into hipster bloggers who take pictures of their lunch.
They are racist misogynists, and refusing to call them that won’t do anything but make them worse. Refusing to admit that they are persecuting and assaulting people won’t make the persecutions and assaults stop; it just makes them worse because the people doing it know that not only will their opponents not stop them, their so-called opponents will actually *shield *them.
Refusing to call them that does however encourage their victims to stay home and not vote, because what’s the point? Do you think minorities and women* like being thrown under the bus like the Democrats are doing with all this "oh no, you can’t call them bigots, that’s mean"* nonsense?
To me it is not the winning party that is to make that statement, but the loosing party, their privilege. The politics don’t matter in this, nor what side left or right, it is not a demand the winning party can make, only a concession the losing party can give - and is the choice of the losing party if they wish to make that statement.
The winning party stating this is not right, and is also problematic.
Some obviously regrettable vandalism and looting at some of the protests doesn’t constitute an armed revolution, so - no worries yet of a musketed insurrection.
Indeed, it would be unfortunate to resort to the same obstructionist tactics that made the GOP so impotent, but then to idly sit by as items like the ACA and gay rights are eroded, is equally untenable.
Slight bind, there.
Hey that’s really useful because lazy Statler and Waldorf!
And far as this quite laughable goofiness is concerned…
Well thanks Spencer Tracy for that homespun rock’em sock’em good advice.
No u.
Um, in case you didn’t notice, a scumbag was just made president, so, uh, no - we’ll be a little pissy about for some time, actually. Guess you’ll just have to suck up our wrath, princess.
Which, for some groups, down the road, may take the odd body-check or two. Already, with much-documented Trump bullying in schools, there are children probably trying to look for some of those “safe spaces” you glowingly mention. Anyway - better than your fucked-up, delusional, rotten-to-the-fucking-core GOP bubble, junior18.
Repetition - sometimes considered one of the more tedious forms of trollery.
Ok - exactly which lawn are you referring to?
Yeah? Do you think if someone is going to run for president, then maybe those already-documented qualities should be brought to light? Maybe? And resorting to fallacious breitbartisms as “crooked Hillary” is getting TIRED AS FUCK now. Are you fucking kidding me? And also - you’re that fucking obtuse that I’m required to post cites disproving such a fuckwit claim?
Look in the mirror dude with all your really super-duper substantive input so far.
Well I guess we can at least rest assured that YOU (oh most definitely!) have not attempted ANY trollery to betray your MUCH appreciated empathy.
No more disgusting and hate-filled than your sad, pathetic attempt at baiting. “America-hating degenerates”? Really? Go back to reading your fucking Saturday Evening Post, gramps.
Oh? Kinda like the Orange One’s friendly Second Amendment “suggestions” from, what, six, seven weeks ago? And then “see what happens”? That kinda thing?
Yeah, gee, I guess we just don’t have it in us to express the gracious comments I’m sure you would have had if Hillary had won, right?
Yes, quite laughable.
Dusting off an oldie but a goody.
My favorite quote from the comments was comparing the USA to a “unilingual medieval Europe”.
Comment attributed to @Bryan_Ekers
Nevermind
Took me five posts to realize the thread was started eight years ago, not yesterday. Would have taken longer were it not for the “BANNED” poster tags.
I’ve never experienced such a Groundhog Day moment as I did just now.
I too thought this was a new thread, except I was sort of like “there are Republican saying we need to come together as Americans? Perhaps I missed it”. These days gloating seems more in style.