Political Digression Thread -- Save UP! Move the politically focused stuff here

[gman430]

4 hours ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Can we just agree that every American president is automatically a scourge on human dignity the moment they take office because the system our nation operates under relies on the exploitation and death of millions around the globe and at home, which is facilitated by two parties that act as two factions of one Duopoloy party that *long ago* squashed any real movement of popular citizen sentiment?

I feel like once we can all have that as our baseline we can all focus our energies properly together.

But maybe I'm an idealist 

Everything is Joe Biden’s fault. That car crash I saw happen yesterday. His fault. Me making a C on my math test instead of an A. His fault. The weeds growing in my yard. His fault. The Panthers never winning a Super Bowl. His fault. Everything is his fault. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by gman430

[LKN704]

7 hours ago, kermit said:

Interesting to live in a world where a sitting president sees declining approval simultaneous with record job growth, record deficit reduction and the S&P 500 at record highs.

Particularly when the previous guy in the office presided over record job loss and deficit growth while being lauded as 'good for the economy.' I guess everyone gets to make their own reality these days.

Indeed. Before I rant, I want to say that I am not saying that we should ignore (and accept) the fact that nearly half of all American families are struggling financially at present. The reality, however, is that Biden is not a policymaker. Sure, the President can make suggestions and opinions about things that should be laws, but the power to make laws and decide how federal money is to be spent is a power reserved for Congress. 

The fact of the matter is that every country in the Global North is struggling with supply chain issues, high fuel prices, rising cost of living, etc, and in the vast majority of all cases, Americans don't realize how good they have it compared to other countries. These are all global issues...ones that in reality, the Biden administration has very little control over. 

I saw this image below on Reddit last night:

Same product on the IKEA website. Left is on IKEA Canada, right is on IKEA US. Once you factor in the conversion rate, the same sofa is being sold in the US for roughly $239 less than it is being sold in the Canada, and that's pre-tax.  I looked at the websites of other IKEA entities, and all are posting some sort of warning regarding supply chain issues, as is seen in this banner posted on the IKEA Malaysia website: 

The same goes for fuel prices. The average price of a gallon of gas right now in Switzerland is around $8. In the Netherlands and near Central London, gas can be upwards of a whopping $10/gallon. I'm sure folks there would love to pay the current price for gas in California. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by LKN704

[kayman]

I'm not going to blame the current person in the executive branch when the legislative branch (Congress) is in state of constant partisan flux.  Also the previous person in the executive branch had intel from late 2019 to prevent the outright havoc from a plague that is still affecting the US didn't do sh*t about because it was seen as a "common cold or the flu". The things are needed to progress and provide needs to the least amongst us is blocked because partisanship.  Things to think about.

Edited March 28, 2022 by kayman

[15895]

I have CNN Brasil on all day while I work. Inflation definitely tops the list of Brazilian domestic issues with prices surging dramatically. 
 

Any political party in power in the world is getting hammered by the opposition Re: inflation. 
 

What would the GOP have done different? Let businesses effected by the pandemic go out of business? A recession or depression would help inflation I suppose. Mass transit, Small Business assistance, Covid education funding, free vaccines, etc not getting money would’ve helped inflation. 
 

If you think Charlotte would be better without the small businesses getting assistance, CATS failing, Lynx light rail being suspended, American Airlines hub disappearing leaving the airport being in a huge financial hole, etc then that’s the world you’d prefer. 
 

Im not saying I know the answer, I’m just curious. Since some feel so strongly, what would have prevented inflation? And if your answer is “not wrecklessly spending money” please be specific on which monies were not necessary and not hypotheticals that haven’t been passed into law. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by AirNostrumMAD

[Nick2]

On 3/28/2022 at 3:47 PM, AirNostrumMAD said:

I have CNN Brasil on all day while I work. Inflation definitely tops the list of Brazilian domestic issues with prices surging dramatically. 
 

Any political party in power in the world is getting hammered by the opposition Re: inflation. 
 

What would the GOP have done different? Let businesses effected by the pandemic go out of business? A recession or depression would help inflation I suppose. Mass transit, Small Business assistance, Covid education funding, free vaccines, etc not getting money would’ve helped inflation. 
 

If you think Charlotte would be better without the small businesses getting assistance, CATS failing, Lynx light rail being suspended, American Airlines hub disappearing leaving the airport being in a huge financial hole, etc then that’s the world you’d prefer. 
 

Im not saying I know the answer, I’m just curious. Since some feel so strongly, what would have prevented inflation? And if your answer is “not wrecklessly spending money” please be specific on which monies were not necessary and not hypotheticals that haven’t been passed into law. 

Sometimes the government increasing inflation is necessary. That's one of the first things I learned in college macroeconomics. 

A global pandemic is probably the best example of when the government should do what they did with regards to "printing money." 

[kermit]

1) Its locally germane

2) Its in the spirit of the day

[davidclt]

Reflecting on yesterday's primary results . . . I'm sad to lose Larken Eggleston on the CC. Interested about the winners for at-large CC (and a little miffed TBH) but glad to see Patrick Cannon finished dead last. Charlotte (Dem and Una declaring Dem for the primary) voters aren't all bad. While sad to see Larken's untimely departure (as well as Eiselt stepping down) it will be interesting to see what happens post-November. Pleased with my new district representation too (from the lowest key campaigner who mailed no collateral and had few endorsements for what they're worth). Braxton for mayor pro-tem?

[kayman]

22 hours ago, davidclt said:

Reflecting on yesterday's primary results . . . I'm sad to lose Larken Eggleston on the CC. Interested about the winners for at-large CC (and a little miffed TBH) but glad to see Patrick Cannon finished dead last. Charlotte (Dem and Una declaring Dem for the primary) voters aren't all bad. While sad to see Larken's untimely departure (as well as Eiselt stepping down) it will be interesting to see what happens post-November. Pleased with my new district representation too (from the lowest key campaigner who mailed no collateral and had few endorsements for what they're worth). Braxton for mayor pro-tem?

Ironically, those who were elected last night demographically reflects the current situation of the majority of newcomers and future of the City of Charlotte. Notice that 2 black LGBTQ persons were in the elected (LaWana Slack-Mayfield and Danté Anderson). I'm excited about the change. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by kayman

[davidclt]

14 hours ago, kayman said:

Ironically, those who were elected last night demographically reflects the current situation of the majority of newcomers and future of the City of Charlotte. Notice that 2 black LGBTQ persons were in the elected (LaWana Slack-Mayfield and Danté Anderson). I'm excited about the change. 

I'm excited for Dante (who now represents me and had my vote where ⅔ of the candidates were LGBTQ)! I wish LaWana the best but not feeling good about her return to public service and know that her presence on Council in the past (not even including her hokey comments) was problematic.

[kayman]

7 minutes ago, davidclt said:

I'm excited for Dante (who now represents me and had my vote where ⅔ of the candidates were LGBTQ)! I wish LaWana the best but not feeling good about her return to public service and know that her presence on Council in the past (not even including her hokey comments) was problematic.

Idk about how what Mayfield's past statements said being problematic. I personally know Mayfield and her wife (partner). Many of those things she said most black Americans including myself have experienced or seen. This society has different standards for non-whites especially black Americans in many ways.  Those things have been all well documented in the peer-reviewed  legal and historical repositories including JSTOR and Lexis Nexis. 

[davidclt]

45 minutes ago, kayman said:

Idk about how what Mayfield's past statements said being problematic. I personally know Mayfield and her wife (partner). Many of those things she said most black Americans including myself have experienced or seen. This society has different standards for non-whites especially black Americans in many ways.  Those things have been all well documented in the peer-reviewed  legal and historical repositories including JSTOR and Lexis Nexis. 

I'm not talking about her statements regarding the police. That said, I do think she is a strong voice for her district. and I'm talking about things like this:

Charlotte City Council member questions if 9/11 was real in Facebook post – Queen City News (fox46.com)

 

And without context, the comment below didn't add to the conversation . . .

[kayman]

1 hour ago, davidclt said:

I'm not talking about her statements regarding the police. That said, I do think she is a strong voice for her district. and I'm talking about things like this:

Charlotte City Council member questions if 9/11 was real in Facebook post – Queen City News (fox46.com)

 

And without context, the comment below didn't add to the conversation . . .

I just read the comment. It sounds like she is saying if one is publicly anti-LGBTQ and works get policy made against said demographic.  Yet on the low a closeted member of said demographic group themselves and doing so on hookup app(s) is hypocrisy.  That sounds like worthy calling said individual to the carpet for being the hypocrite to me.  

The other one is a 9/11 conspiracy theory is spurious at best.  It's weird but I've heard crazier conspiracies than that in conversations at my (black) barbershop from random patrons on that very topic.

I've heard much crazier than that have been bought into by masses of more gullible (white) individuals (who vote) from present-day Big Lie perpetrators, 1/6/2021 insurrectionists, Sandy Hook shooting deniers, Parkland shooting deniers, and COVID-19 deniers.

Edited May 19, 2022 by kayman

[kermit]

^ I would prefer my elected representatives to have sufficient critical reasoning skills to not believe in any conspiracy theory. 

Being able to distinguish the real from the fake or unsubstantiated does not feel like an unreasonable expectation for voters to have for their elected officials at any level of government.

Edited May 19, 2022 by kermit

[kayman]

5 hours ago, kermit said:

^ I would prefer my elected representatives to have sufficient critical reasoning skills to not believe in any conspiracy theory. 

Being able to distinguish the real from the fake or unsubstantiated does not feel like an unreasonable expectation for voters to have for their elected officials at any level of government.

Good luck with that in 2022. You have a whole party (GOP) that lives by slogans based on lies, conspiracy of elections, outright racism & perpetuting racial violence (see the Buffalo massacre of innocent black people), and morality policing of women's reproductive system with no platform.  I'll take my chances with the likes of Mayfield.

Edited May 20, 2022 by kayman

[kermit]

5 minutes ago, kayman said:

Good luck with that in 2022. You have a whole party (GOP) that lives by slogans based on lies, conspiracy of elections, and morality policing of women's reproductive system with no platform.  I'll take my chances with the likes of Mayfield.

"a man's gotta have a code"

Edited May 20, 2022 by kermit

[kayman]

1 minute ago, kermit said:

"a man's gotta have a code"

That makes no sense

[gman430]

Flew on a plane today for the first time since they removed the mask mandate. I know I will be in the minority on this forum but I loved it. 

Edited May 27, 2022 by gman430

[CLT2014]

9 minutes ago, gman430 said:

Flew on a plane today for the first time since they removed the mask mandate. I know I will be in the minority on this forum but I loved it. 

I think you would be in the majority. Even in New York City... maybe 25% of the people were wearing a mask at La Guardia Airport. Less than 20% of passengers on most of my flights have had people in masks. Most flight attendants aren't wearing them. 

[15895]

I can’t wait until people aren’t obnoxious about their views on masking and vaccines and they just wear one if they choose or not. Particularly since there are hardly anymore restrictions left. 
 

 

[JRCLT]

FYI this pandemic has been a great demonstration on the other edge of sword of globalism and air travel. The aviation industry is the goldmine transmission medium for any contagious pathogen. It is certainly a ticking time bomb and this time the virus mostly affected the elderly (given with age weakened immune systems, etc. it was expected). If the situation was inverse and started killing healthy younger people… (which there have been pathogens that do cause this typically due to a strong immune response that damages the body so severely that it leads to possible internal bleeding and thereby death). *Immunology is cool stuff. * anyway- there would probably be more concern. This pandemic is definitely not the last. Let’s not take these years lightly. It could have been much worse if it were the inverse and instead killing healthy children or young adults. The possibility of this is indeed out there, but hopefully someone out there took this warning seriously and is at least trying to figure out better ways to deal with such an event in the future. (Lockdowns were not the answer).

[videtur quam contuor]

Was on a cruise for 12 days last month. PCR testing 24 hours prior to boarding required for all passengers. Crew and officers masked at all times. Crew could not leave ship during 23 day cruise to Hawai'i and return, a few officers were seen in uniform on Maui during two day stop, with masks. Subject to occasional covid testing though I saw and heard of none while aboard. No notice of infection over the course of our cruise. ~ 8-10% of passengers wore masks in public areas. No requirement.

First cruise for ship and crew in 24 months. March 2020 they were stranded in Santiago Chile for two months, no one allowed on or off. Provisions provided, and then passengers and most crew flew somewhere, wherever they were allowed to go to escape ship.

edit: typos

Edited May 27, 2022 by tarhoosier

[kermit]

3 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

March 2020 they were stranded in Santiago Chile for two months, no one allowed on or off. 

A cruse ship was in Santiago? That is roughly the equivalent of tying up to dock in Asheville (in terms of altitude).  Must have been a hell of a trip.

(Nothing in this post matters in the least. I apologize for the pedantism produced by my particular type of brain damage. I’m sure they were in Valaparaiso, and (reasonably) assumed every American to be geographically illiterate and said Santiago for the sake of simplicity.)

Edited May 27, 2022 by kermit

[elrodvt]

1 hour ago, kermit said:

A cruse ship was in Santiago? That is roughly the equivalent of docking a cruse ship in Asheville.  Must have been a hell of a trip.

(apologies for the pedantism produced by my particular type of brain damage. I’ll bet they were probably in Valaparaiso, and just said Santiago for the sake of simplicity. Nothing in this post matters in the least.)

Why would they be in Indiana either? No ports there just flies.

Although I did like their basketball team when they were upset specials.

[videtur quam contuor]

Hoosier here. Val-pur-ray-zo. Not the Spanish pronunciation. Milan=My'-lun, not Mee-lahn'. Versailles=Vur-sails, not vair-sigh'. Also Churubusco pronounced similar to Mexican name. Accidental, likely. City of Brazil pronunciation is no more forked up than any american would notice.

State named for Indians has an abundance of native names for towns and features that you would struggle to pronounce.

[gman430]

Rough week for the liberals I see. Supreme Court dropping the hammer. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by gman430