Lou
Forum Legend
I like coming up with ideas for signs.
Honk if you never drunk texted war plans
US US politics 2025
- Thread starter Second Summer
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there are some good ones out there, for sure - if you google funny no kings protest signs and then click on images you will see people are very creative
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
So, surprisingly, the Big Bad Burglary Bill was very closely approved by the US Senate.
After 3 Repugnican senators had already voted against it, it was down to the last holdout, Alaska's Lisa Murkawski.
And after long discussions, she finally decided - how surprisingly - to also support it, so that the bill passed with the lowes possible margin.
About as credible as a professional wrestling match.
After 3 Repugnican senators had already voted against it, it was down to the last holdout, Alaska's Lisa Murkawski.
And after long discussions, she finally decided - how surprisingly - to also support it, so that the bill passed with the lowes possible margin.
About as credible as a professional wrestling match.
OP
OP
They probably take turns and do all kinds of dubious backroom trades to figure out who is going to have to support these bills.
Lou
Forum Legend
Well in the case of Murkowski they actually tryed to add admendments just for Alaska to get her vote. but the parliamentarian shot that down. Still she caved. she has a long history of saying one thing and doing another.
Ahimsa24/7
Forum Novice
As we celebrate year 249 of democracy today, I can't say that I know with certainty that 250 is a given. This is not the America I was raised in 50+ years ago.
Bruce Springsteen summed it up really well, regarding the America he grew up in that has disappeared:
My father said "Son, we're lucky in this town,
It's a beautiful place to be born.
It just wraps its arms around you,
Nobody crowds you and nobody goes it alone"
"Your flag flyin' over the courthouse
Means certain things are set in stone.
Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't"
What used to be "set in stone" isn't anymore. Like a peaceful exchange of power. I'd never thought I'd live to see the day when that was no longer a given. It was inconceivable. Or a day when being caught on tape bragging about sexually assaulting women, and being found guilty of the same, didn't automatically disqualify a person from public service.
Bruce Springsteen summed it up really well, regarding the America he grew up in that has disappeared:
My father said "Son, we're lucky in this town,
It's a beautiful place to be born.
It just wraps its arms around you,
Nobody crowds you and nobody goes it alone"
"Your flag flyin' over the courthouse
Means certain things are set in stone.
Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't"
What used to be "set in stone" isn't anymore. Like a peaceful exchange of power. I'd never thought I'd live to see the day when that was no longer a given. It was inconceivable. Or a day when being caught on tape bragging about sexually assaulting women, and being found guilty of the same, didn't automatically disqualify a person from public service.
Lou
Forum Legend
You have a point but you must also keep in mind that nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.
Fifty years ago it was the 70s.
(actually you should hear me roast the 50s and 60s but lets make a quick list of all the things in the 70s that are not better than now.
First off Nixon was president. Need I say more.
Segregation was alive and well. Actually this point is debatable. We still have plenty of segregation - but at least now its not legal
This may be the most important point on the list. Maybe only white healthy males like Bruce remember the 70s so fondly.
Although the EPA was passed In 1970, it took most of the decade for changes to take place. Cities were still smoggy, Waterways were still polluted. The Cuyahoga River regularly caught on fire.
There was no Medicare. The EMTALA didn't exist yet. So lots of people could not get medical care.
And most of us could only get 3 TV channels.
Fifty years ago it was the 70s.
(actually you should hear me roast the 50s and 60s but lets make a quick list of all the things in the 70s that are not better than now.
First off Nixon was president. Need I say more.
Segregation was alive and well. Actually this point is debatable. We still have plenty of segregation - but at least now its not legal
This may be the most important point on the list. Maybe only white healthy males like Bruce remember the 70s so fondly.
Although the EPA was passed In 1970, it took most of the decade for changes to take place. Cities were still smoggy, Waterways were still polluted. The Cuyahoga River regularly caught on fire.
There was no Medicare. The EMTALA didn't exist yet. So lots of people could not get medical care.
And most of us could only get 3 TV channels.
Ahimsa24/7
Forum Novice
I'm not saying the '70s were BETTER. I'm saying there were things in the '70s that were "set in stone", even during the Nixon or Reagan years. There would be a peaceful transfer of power. Nixon's role in Watergate could bring down his presidency (as compared to the current administration, where "dirty tricks" are just accepted as SOP,) and Trump could, in his on words, "kill someone on Park Avenue" and remain president. Democracy has eroded, specifically in the last 9 years.
Lou
Forum Legend
the music Was Better.
yes. and in many alarming ways.
And you don't have to go back 50 years to wax nostalgic. Just 5 or maybe 15.
Also keep in mind the roots of today's problems go back to.... Well I'm not sure when. I was going to say the 50s But there was a Nazi movement in America in the 30s. or the passage of Jim Crow laws at the turn of the century.
It might be bad now, but it's been getting to this point for a long time.
one statistic that might be a good indicator is economic inequity. Which has just steadily been getting worse.
Jamie in Chile
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Now is better that the 70s sure, but what's concerning is the direction of travel. Then things like democracy seem to improve over time, now they seem to get worse.
My view is that this is due to social media, and I explain in more detail here:
My view is that this is due to social media, and I explain in more detail here:
Lou
Forum Legend
Really good article in the atlantic this month.
It's just a little too dense for me but when I read it, I thought it was something some of you might like and want to discuss. If it's a lively discussion we could move it to a different thread.
Although it starts off about Trump it is mostly an essay on Morality. Which some of us vegans like to discuss.
It's at The Atlantic which IS behind a paywall but my library lends out digital versions of The Atlantic. And I'm sure there are other ways to read it for free.
www.theatlantic.com
It's just a little too dense for me but when I read it, I thought it was something some of you might like and want to discuss. If it's a lively discussion we could move it to a different thread.
Although it starts off about Trump it is mostly an essay on Morality. Which some of us vegans like to discuss.
It's at The Atlantic which IS behind a paywall but my library lends out digital versions of The Atlantic. And I'm sure there are other ways to read it for free.
Why Do So Many People Think Trump Is Good?
The work of the moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre helps illuminate some central questions of our time.
Jamie in Chile
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According to this ICE deported someone who came to the US legally and had been here for 40 years, and is 82 ,and sent him to Guatemala, which he had no connection with
www.theguardian.com
Ice secretly deported Pennsylvania grandfather, 82, after he lost green card
Family of Luis Leon say they were initially told by someone he had died, but they found him alive in Guatemala hospital
Lou
Forum Legend
Fake News.
There was this one news story, I think it was about Marco Rubio that was obviously false. For one thing it called him a senator and he is not Secretary of State.
But when I read about how Reprsesntativ Jasmin Crockety wipe the floor with Baron Trump in a debate, I believed it. Sure there were some red flags but the story minimized them. I even repeated the story to some friends. When they expressed doubts I check the story. Fooled again!
www.snopes.com
There was this one news story, I think it was about Marco Rubio that was obviously false. For one thing it called him a senator and he is not Secretary of State.
But when I read about how Reprsesntativ Jasmin Crockety wipe the floor with Baron Trump in a debate, I believed it. Sure there were some red flags but the story minimized them. I even repeated the story to some friends. When they expressed doubts I check the story. Fooled again!
AI-generated videos spurred rumor that Barron Trump debated Jasmine Crockett on live TV
According to the YouTube videos spreading the claim, Crockett left Trump "begging" on air.
www.snopes.com
Jamie in Chile
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Update: ICE has denied deporting him and the Guatemalan government has also denied this. The Guardian's source that he was deported was "according to his family".
The Guardian has been updating its article so you can still click on the link I posted above if you want to read the updates.
"Morning Call" is the source in reality, just I happened to read about it in the Guardian.
I feel like someone needs to do a proper thorough report on this and publish at least one more story.
Jamie in Chile
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Well, this forum is really hidden isn't it? General Forums-Lounge-Culture-General Discussion. Gave you searching for it on the forum and did a google search for it (although now I check using the search box in this forum would have worked). Still, not a criticism. Agree with hiding it a bit as we don't want new visitors to the forum to have it shoved in their face.
Jamie in Chile
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So I saw an interesting map today: (in the Guardian article)
www.theguardian.com
en.wikipedia.org
It shows the countries that have recognized the Palestinian state.
It's a telling map.
Pretty much the whole world has recognized a Palestinian state except the countries that rely on the US for their defense. Eastern Europe (needs protection from Russia), Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand (needs protection from China).
It's not a surprise to see France and Italy talking about recognizing Palestinian statehood (because Russia is arguably not a threat to them) while Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia (need NATO to stay intact with US involvement due to proximity to Russia) haven't yet. Poland did recognize Palestinian statehood, but in 1988, when it was behind the Iron Curtain and not dependent on the US military at the time.
I bet the likes of South Korea and Lithuania would recognize Palestine if they had no dependence on the US.
The first thing I thought when I looked at the map is that Canada (or maybe Portugal) might be next to recognize Palestine as they are not really dependent on the US militarily and Trump is already messing up their economic dependence with tariffs so nothing to lose there. Googled it and yes Canada is considering it right now.
EDIT:
Earlier today, I came up with a theory that the map shows that pretty much every country in the world that isn't dependent on the US militarily has recognized the Palestine state. To test the theory, I predicted that Canada, the most obvious country I could see on the map that isn't dependent on the US militarily, would be the next to recognize Palestine.
News now says Canada plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September, conditional on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year without Hamas.
so proven right already!
Advocates of a two-state solution realise time to act is now
Battle lines between moderate and extremist visions for future of Gaza and West Bank have become much clearer
International recognition of Palestine - Wikipedia
It shows the countries that have recognized the Palestinian state.
It's a telling map.
Pretty much the whole world has recognized a Palestinian state except the countries that rely on the US for their defense. Eastern Europe (needs protection from Russia), Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand (needs protection from China).
It's not a surprise to see France and Italy talking about recognizing Palestinian statehood (because Russia is arguably not a threat to them) while Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia (need NATO to stay intact with US involvement due to proximity to Russia) haven't yet. Poland did recognize Palestinian statehood, but in 1988, when it was behind the Iron Curtain and not dependent on the US military at the time.
I bet the likes of South Korea and Lithuania would recognize Palestine if they had no dependence on the US.
The first thing I thought when I looked at the map is that Canada (or maybe Portugal) might be next to recognize Palestine as they are not really dependent on the US militarily and Trump is already messing up their economic dependence with tariffs so nothing to lose there. Googled it and yes Canada is considering it right now.
EDIT:
Earlier today, I came up with a theory that the map shows that pretty much every country in the world that isn't dependent on the US militarily has recognized the Palestine state. To test the theory, I predicted that Canada, the most obvious country I could see on the map that isn't dependent on the US militarily, would be the next to recognize Palestine.
News now says Canada plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September, conditional on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year without Hamas.
so proven right already!
Last edited:
Kathy Lauren
Forum Senior
Well, we are still, officially, dependent on the US for military assistance if we were ever attacked. At least that is what the treaties say. But lately it is looking doubtful if they are an ally any more, and many think that the US is even the most likely attacker against us. So, yes, recognizing Palestine is timely, and your theory holds.
