US US Politics 2024

[Lou]

Light at the end of the tunnel?

‘Oh thank God’: Democratic swing state voters feel relief after Biden drops out

Michigan and Wisconsin party members are hopeful as some Trump voters also approve of the president’s decision

www.theguardian.com

 

[silva]

Yeah, I calmed down!
I'm actually getting excited

 

[PTree15]

Yeah, I calmed down!
I'm actually getting excited

I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it. I'm still worried that the country isn't really ready for a woman president, though it should be by now!

 

[Jamie in Chile]

Really curious who you have in mind?

Sorry for slow response to the question you asked me some days ago. I don't like it being Kamala Harris because she's polling behind Trump, but I don't honestly know who else it would be.

I suspect there is someone who could poll above Trump, someone centrist and likeable, but I honestly don't know who.

 

[silva]

Sorry for slow response to the question you asked me some days ago. I don't like it being Kamala Harris because she's polling behind Trump, but I don't honestly know who else it would be.

I suspect there is someone who could poll above Trump, someone centrist and likeable, but I honestly don't know who.

You may want to check that again!

 

[Lou]

Ha!

Comments JD Vance made in 2021 questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership because she did not have biological children have resurfaced, testing the young conservative senator in his early days campaigning as part of the Republicans' presidential ticket.​

​

During Vance's bid for the Senate in Ohio, he said in a Fox News interview that “we are effectively run in this country via the Democrats," and referred to them as "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too." He said that included Harris, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat.​

​

Clip resurfaces of Vance criticizing Harris for being 'childless,' testing Trump's new running mate

Comments Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance made in 2021 questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership because she did not have biological children have resurfaced

abcnews.go.com

​

UH OH!

 

[silva]

Vance is nothing but a hypocritical, lying, grifter.
When you discover the truth of his upbringing you find he's just another whiny privileged white guy, and not nearly up to the job of running with the big dogs

 

[Lou]

I want Taylor to throw her Cat in the Ring.
Endorse Kamela.
Childless Cat Ladies need to stick together.

 

[silva]

I have to say I can't wait to hear those tired old white men trip all over trying to keep up with an energized youth!
You know Taylor, and I'd imagine that cat, are gonna be all over this campaign

 

[Lou]

Just finished my morning perusal of the headlines.
Granted that news incorporates some bias, and my NewsFeeder includes my biases as well, I think I'm seeing a shift in how people are talking about the election.

Seems more positive for Harris and more negative for Trump. And Vance.
I also think I'm seeing more info coming out about Harris. One thing that has been a complaint from 2020 is that most people don't know who she is and then where there is a lack of knowledge - misinformation and lies can creep in. But I'm noticing a lot more background stuff in the news for Harris. Makes sense - people want to know who is going to be the next president. Not so much about VPs.

Apropos to nothing:
Have you ever considered rights vs privileges?
I'm convinced that we may have too many rights.
Driving a car is not a right - it's a privilege. So why is owning a gun a right?
and what about having children. We require liscences for owning a pet. Seems like there should be some minimum requirement for being a parent. (Ask any teacher - they all agree with me on this).

But what about voting rights? maybe voting should be a privilege, too. This occurred to me today while I read the news. According to a recent Reuters poll,

About one in four registered voters said they had never heard of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a former Democratic presidential candidate who had the highest favorability rating - 37% - of the potential Harris running mates in the poll.​

One in three had not heard of California Governor Gavin Newsom, with about the same share saying they looked on him favorably. Half of registered voters in the poll had never heard of Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and two thirds knew nothing of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.​

This also reminds me of some of those things you see on late night TV or YouTube where adults don't know 7th grade civics.

 

[Tom L.]

@Lou I think more people drive than own guns. Certainly more people drive each day than use guns; maybe that's why it's more heavily regulated in some ways? I hadn't thought much about this, although I should have.

Then again, there's the second amendment, which states that "...the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed". However, that amendment starts out with a statement about a "well-regulated militia". So... do primarily (or only) militia members inherently have that right, whereas someone like myself would have to demonstrate their need and right to have a gun?

 

[Lou]

@Lou I think more people drive than own guns.

Yes. I do sort of hate second amendment discussions. Really, it shouldn't be so complicated

Number of guns in the us - 500 million
number of cars in the us - 300 million

number of gun deaths in the us 48,000
number of automobile fatalities. 44,000

not sure if these stats support gun rights or the opposite. One can say we already regulate cars and drivers.... so...

Vox made a slide show that demonstrates the need to regulate guns.

America’s unique gun violence problem, explained in 16 maps and charts

In the developed world, these levels of gun violence are a uniquely American problem. Here’s why.

www.vox.com

 

[Lou]

Anyway.... although I think it makes sense (to me) , could you imagine the outrage if we had a party saying we need to eliminate the right to have guns, children, vote....

Ha! what's next? make hamburgers illegal?

Oh! BTW, Trump is already saying that Harris wants to make red meat illegal. Of course she had not said that but I would consider that a plus.

At a CNN climate change town hall in 2019, when she was running in the Democratic presidential primary, she expressed support for changing dietary guidelines to try to encourage Americans to reduce their consumption of red meat, but she also said “I love cheeseburgers from time to time” and that she favored using “incentives” and education to encourage healthy eating.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/25/politics/fact-check-trump-false-claims-kamala-harris/index.html

 

[Andy_T]

Interesting news, my friends.

Trump tells supporters they won’t have to vote in the future: ‘It’ll be fixed!’

Former president implores Christian supporters to vote ‘just this time ... in four years, you don’t have to vote again’

www.theguardian.com

If they tell you what they are and what they plan, better believe them.

This also came in my feed this morning:

Inside the two-year fight to bring charges against school librarians in Granbury, Texas

An 824-page investigative file offers a visceral picture of an officer’s attempt to prosecute librarians amid a nationwide movement to criminalize books.

www.nbcnews.com

I personally think that Ms. Harris is a much better candidate against Dump (to be fair, anybody would be at this point), and the poll numbers already reflect that. Let's hope young people and women go to the polls in November and repudiate Dumpism.

 

[silva]

That rump is allowed to run for president is becoming more terrifying every day. He's literally put it out there that he doesn't need any votes--he's got them already--and when he becomes president he'll make it so you won't vote anymore
He went to the Nat'l Association of Black Journalists and was mad, crazy, disrespectful, as well as spouting lies and bile:

Like he actively doesn't want their votes.

I would think even maga voters may just stay home. This is some of the most vile things I've seen in America.

 

[beancounter]

People either love him or hate him, and those who love him, and other such very fine people, don't care about stuff like that. In fact, they probably like it.

The Evangelicals have their various twisted logic reasons for supporting him, and they won't waiver in doing so. They can always cherry pick a bible verse, or take a story out of context to justify his actions.

And the wealthy just care about tax cuts and deregulation. As long as he delivers on those, they will support him.

So, all of the effort and energy spent on (justifiable) outrage in the media is a waste of time.

 

[Brian W]

whiny privileged white guy

those tired old white men

Why do you feel the need to bring colour into this in this fashion?

 

[silva]

Why do you feel the need to bring colour into this in this fashion?

Because it is a very good descriptor of someone who uses DEI as a reason someone is promoted, as in, they couldn't have been good enough on thier own merit and their color gave them the job. Someone who uses dog whistle phrases to say people of color are welfare cheats, or thugs. That the rare cases of immigrant crime is far far worse than the same committed by white men. That women aren't living their full potential if they don't marry and raise children

The US has been run by white men for ---ever. Largely priviledged.
I find this descriptor is quite appropriate for Vance, Trump, and all their cronies

I also feel the cultural climate in the US is quite different from overseas

 

[Chryssie]

This is a very interesting article. People better wake up!

The Broligarchs Have Arrived. And They’re Coming For Our Democracy.

The disturbing truth behind the tech bros who are trying to send JD Vance to the White House.

open.substack.com

 

[Second Summer]

I also feel the cultural climate in the US is quite different from overseas

Definitely feels different from Western Europe, especially in the way religion influences politics, and the attitude to the welfare state. And the slightly lesser power of big corporations and tech bros over here. Although, it also does feel like Trump was inspired by Berlusconi. And since the Trump presidency the right-wing populists over here have increased their vote shares as well.