Warning. Political rant.

"Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh" (andymcbradleigh) 09/19/2016 at 19:50 • Filed to: None

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So... BUSH.. no.. Fuck.. Trump...I’m talking about Trump.

Yup, the misogynistic, the slightly racist douche that seems to be winning the polls in the US right now.

I got to ask all ‘muricans... WHY?

He’s clearly a lunatic, he never gave an answer to anything, he just gives blame.. yet about 50% av the population in the US seem content to vote for him.

I am not convinced that more than half of the US population = idiots...

NinetyQ > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:52

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For some, anti-Hillary sentiment. For others, lack of paying attention and distrust of “the media,” which may be the only real source they’re looking to for information. For yet others, absolute blinding idiocy.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:53

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I am wondering what you are wondering.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:54

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Doesn’t matter. Either one is likely to be impeached. IMHO none of the three were qualified.

jkm7680 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:55

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Because people agree with him. For instance, I agree with his economic policy. I may vote for him, then again I may not. Either way, I’m not voting for Hillary.

Calling people that support Trump idiots isn’t fair.

TheHondaBro > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:55

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he never gave an answer to anything, he just gives blame.

You just answered your own question, unfortunately. This current election cycle is proving that a large percentage of the voting American population don’t care much at all about actual politics. They just want the one who reciprocates their own thoughts and beliefs.

Stephen Hawking called him a demagogue, which is not only 100% accurate, but it’s pretty savage considering it probably took him 15 minutes to type that.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:55

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Why? Because he plays on the fear of the morons

CB > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:57

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I understand why people like him. With a tagline like “make America great again”, demanding to bring jobs back to the country, get rid of illegal immigrants, it seems very appealing. If you’ve lost your job, the fact that there’s no plan in place doesn’t matter, it sounds like someone is sticking up for you. And then there’s the fact that he has someone to blame. People dig that, they want an other to blame for losses, someone to rally against. I totally get it.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:57

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Because not Hillary??

Because not Hillary.

djmt1 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:57

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People are pissed, scared and tired. Only one of those are needed to cause extreme decision making let alone all three.

Signed. A British chap by the name of djmt1.

whoarder is tellurium > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 19:59

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Since it is a two party system, Trump is the only “thing” we’ve got. A vote for a third party is a waste until the playing field evens out.

With allll the questionable background and history of skirting the law... I am not voting for Hillary. Ever.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:00

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I am a wonderful person.

My citroen won't start > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:02

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Idiots.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:02

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So you’d rather vote for a misogynistic douche? A man who claimed Obama was born in Kenya? I don’t know if I’ll ever get the mindset of a “true” american.

ttyymmnn > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:04

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He’s not winning. Though he could, the Electoral College, which basically rigs the election every year, will see that he doesn’t. The math doesn’t work out. Yet.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:04

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That or we can have Clinton turn over all our classified information to the Koreans.

Under_Score > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:04

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The extreme hatred Trump receives is why I didn’t put a really small Trump sticker I got on the back of my RAV4.

whoarder is tellurium > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:04

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Did you read the first part? In general, its a shame I have to vote for the lesser of two evils.

Also, I don’t recall Trump being misogynistic. I am pretty sure he likes his women.

Tristan > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:05

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This.

This is why I’m voting for him unless Johnson can get some real momentum. Trump is a moron. A complete and total moron, but Hillary is terrifyingly conniving, corrupt and evil. Trump doesn’t have the mental capacity to pull of the type of lasting damage she could.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > ttyymmnn 09/19/2016 at 20:05

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The fact that he CAN win scares the shit out of me :(

SVTyler > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:05

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Then what do you call supporters of a virulently racist, sexist, homophobic narcissistic, hateful demagogue who has repeatedly demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of how the world actually works? It’s inconceivable to me that a well-adjusted, logical person will consider anything that’s come out of Trump’s mouth to be anything beyond hateful, uninformed nonsense. Beyond that, he has zero experience in politics or diplomacy or anything that qualifies him for political office beyond being shady and manipulative. He is the absolute personification of the worst aspects of American culture and the fact he has such a large support group is terrifying.

NeedForSwede > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:08

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Well, half of the population doesn’t support him. He does have close to a plurality in polling, though.

As far as the racism and misogyny and everything else goes, yes, it's incomprehensible to you and me, but you have to remember that even the illusion of strength is very, very powerful to frustrated people.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:08

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Honestly I don’t know.

ttyymmnn > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:08

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Me too. But even if he wins the popular vote, he still has to win the Electoral College. And, at least right now, he isn’t. I’m a lifelong Democrat, and I just wish somebody, anybody other than Hillary were running. If that were the case, this would be the biggest landslide victory in the history of American politics. Trouble is, people may not like Trump, but they’ll never vote for Clinton. This is very possibly the worst slate of candidates ever. Seriously, this is the best America can do when it comes to leadership?

nermal > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:09

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So... OBAMA.. no.. Fuck.. HILLARY...I’m talking about Hillary.

Yup, the lying, the slightly racist douche that seems to be (almost?) winning the polls in the US right now.

I got to ask all ‘muricans... WHY?

She’s clearly a lunatic, she never gave an answer to anything, she just dances around the questions.. yet about 50% of the population in the US seems content to vote for her.

I am not convinced that more than half of the US population = idiots...

It goes both ways. The lesser of two evils and whatnot.

Phatboyphil > ttyymmnn 09/19/2016 at 20:12

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Maybe she’ll die from her pneumonia and Mr. Whoever can be pres. I’ll take him over either then without remebering his nsme.

Milky > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:12

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Half of our country knows how stupid “we” are as a collective. The other half wants things to be the way they used to be. There, you have your answer.

TheJWT > Under_Score 09/19/2016 at 20:13

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Tragic.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:14

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You could vote for a third party. Sure, it won’t do much, but it does show up in statistics. As for the misogynistic, Trump have been known to talk about women as golddiggers. And we’ve got when he claimed that thing about a journalist, you know when he thought female journalists could not be trusted because they where bleeding out of they’re wherever.

I’m sorry mate, I’m just fucking terrified of Trump becoming the next president. He seems like the guy who thinks it’d be OK to execute eveyone that’s just slighly to the left of him in politics.

SVTyler > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:14

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Also keep in mind that US primary voting (where we decide the candidates for each party) was less than 30% this election, so only 15% of the country are actual supporters of a racist megalomaniac.

Tristan > SVTyler 09/19/2016 at 20:15

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“Hillary supporters”. Seriously... sniper fire? Chelsea was out for a run around the towers on 9/11? Continuously standing behind her misogynistic, rapist husband? Her consistent stand against gay marriage right up until it became more politically convenient to pivot, and then lying and saying she supported it all along? I can certainly understand pointing out Trump’s faults, of which there are many, but you have to TRY so hard (like, plug your ears, cover your eyes and sing loudly) to ignore Clinton’s glaring disregard for truth and decency.

BorkBorkBjork > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:15

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Misogynistic billionaires make such terrible presidents

I’m being serious.

ttyymmnn > Phatboyphil 09/19/2016 at 20:16

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Well, I wouldn’t wish death on anybody (well, maybe a few of those shitbag terrorists). My biggest fear about this is the way Trump is working to discredit the system. He’s been saying all along that the system is rigged (whether that’s true or not, he hasn’t provided any evidence), so if he loses, he can scream “We wuz robbed!” and all his rabid followers will rise up and protest. For the first time in my lifetime, and perhaps the first time in our history, there is a realistic chance of there being violence with the transfer of power.

Phatboyphil > BorkBorkBjork 09/19/2016 at 20:17

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Kennedy was POTUS for like a year and all he did was escalate vietnam

whoarder is tellurium > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:17

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I was fucking terrified when Obama won and then won AGAIN.

I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.

jkm7680 > SVTyler 09/19/2016 at 20:18

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There will always be people that are bigots who support him.

But then there's sensible people who support him not because they're whatever it was you said.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > ttyymmnn 09/19/2016 at 20:18

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I understand mate, I really do. But from a western (European) point, Clinton = heaps better than Trump. I mean.. we’ve actually got people here in Norway working to make sure Trump does NOT win.

jkm7680 > Under_Score 09/19/2016 at 20:18

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Yup, if I had a lawn sign. It would be stolen instantly and my property vandalized.

DipodomysDeserti > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:19

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According to his first wife, he raped her. So there’s that...

And misogyny has nothing to do with “liking” women.

SVTyler > Tristan 09/19/2016 at 20:20

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Funny how you somehow gleaned I was a Hillary supporter when I mentioned her nowhere in my post. I’m not. I have many problems with Hillary too; while Trump is the personification of what’s wrong with this country’s culture, she’s the personification of what’s wrong with this country’s politics: she is shady, two-faced, and arrogant, with no real convictions beyond when it benefits her, and I don’t want her winning either. Believe me if there was literally any other candidate I would vote for them. I’m just tired of the hateful, angry sentiments this country has for people different than them and Trump is doing nothing more than bringing those views to the forefront and validating them.

Svend > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:20

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The fact that he’s running, scares the shit out of me.

TheHondaBro > SVTyler 09/19/2016 at 20:20

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Milky > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:21

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Why?

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:21

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Obama may have been the best thing that happened to the US since sliced bread though..

TheHondaBro > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:22

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To be fair, we’ve had some pretty consistent economic growth under the Obama administration.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Svend 09/19/2016 at 20:22

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Yeah, same here.

Xyl0c41n3 > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:22

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Liking us and respecting us/seeing us as human beings are two separate things. Trump is as misogynistic as they come.

NinetyQ > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:23

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But surely after almost 8 full years of Obama you can see that those fears were pretty much unfounded. Apart from the increasing political division and racial tension (both of which may have happened even under McCain or Romney), things aren’t so bad. Or at least, they’re not bad in horrifically unimaginable ways. Like, you can disagree with some of the things he’s done, but the country itself isn’t in jeopardy with him at the helm like it very well could be with Trump. Say what you will about Obama, at least he’s intellectual and competent. The same can’t always be said of his detractors.

ttyymmnn > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:23

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The way I see it, they are both liars. All politicians are liars. The difference between Hillary and Trump, though, is that Hillary lies for a reason, for an angle, to reach a point. Trump lies pathologically, without thinking. He lies as the first thing out of his mouth, without giving thought to what he says. The leader of any nation, large or small, should at least take the time to think about what they say, whether it’s a lie or it’s the truth. People like Trump because he shoots from the hip. I’d rather have a president that takes careful aim.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:24

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One is a giant douche the other is a turd sandwich

One is hot air in a cheetos dust fart chamber, the other is a trumpet learning how to talk in a library

One promises bernie based “free college” the other wants to make america great and or yuge again by letting the VP do the heavy lifting.

I’m out this election. But I won’t be suprised if we end up drinking brawndo in the long run.

Svend > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:25

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The fact that when he does give an answer, if it doesn’t go down well, he back tracks or denies it ever happened even though it was in a televised interview.

He is a danger and shouldn’t even be running. All those other candidates and he came out tops. That’s some really scary shit right there, then you see him doing so well in the polls.

Now with the latest bombs, he’s laughing knowing the polls will rise in his favour.

Xyl0c41n3 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:25

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I’m a member of three demographics Trump has actively vilified as evil, criminal and less than human: I’m a female Latina (of Mexican American heritage) journalist. Trump is the scariest political candidate I’ve ever seen, and that’s including the likes of Dick Cheney.

Tristan > SVTyler 09/19/2016 at 20:26

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Vote for Johnson, then! He has no chance of winning, but the more support he can gain, the more viable a future break of the 2-party system becomes. Sorry for assuming you were pro Hillary... :(

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > ttyymmnn 09/19/2016 at 20:28

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*cough 1933 cough*

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:28

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While it may not be fair to call people that support Trump idiots I do reserve my right to call them imbeciles. Trump have never cared shit about anyone but himself. He’s in it to make money, no less, no more. Trump have no fucking clue about politics, diplomacy or how it is the be the average joe. Perhaps much of the same could be said about Hillary, but at least she does not spout prejudice about black people, hispanic people or women.

Flavien Vidal > whoarder is tellurium 09/19/2016 at 20:29

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Why?? His record is pretty damn great when it comes to economical growth, especially considering how he got the country back in 2008. Oil prices are low, Bin Laden is dead, buisnesses are doing very well, the auto industry is back on track after being nearly bankrupt (and following the non-interventionist republican, their would be no GM today, had they been in power). Sure Obamacare is not that great and cops kill more black than ever, but considering the entire was on the edge of a complete economical collapse merely 8 years, he did pretty damn well...

yamahog > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:31

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because that never happens to any other political signage? lol.

ttyymmnn > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/19/2016 at 20:32

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What about it?

SVTyler > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:32

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If apparently “sensible” people support Trump that tells me these people have much more extreme views that they’re keeping to themselves. No normal person with an understanding of how the world works hears someone advocate for leaving NATO, banning an entire religious group from the country, and nuking the Middle East and agrees with it without having some kind of fucked-up way of looking at the world.

Milky > Xyl0c41n3 09/19/2016 at 20:32

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And he literally shot a guy in the face.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Xyl0c41n3 09/19/2016 at 20:33

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I guess you’re on his “list” of liars then. Same as I would be if I ever set foot in the US of A. I’m a bicurious left wing male from norway.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > TheHondaBro 09/19/2016 at 20:36

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You asked for a continuation of the trump parody series sponsored by Brawndo - It’s got electrolytes

“A lot of people call me a republican but this Hawking guy, real lightweight calls me a demagogue. Last time I checked folks I wasn’t a registered democrat from europe. This Hawking guy a real loser who spends his time on physics and big words for crooked Hillary. I prefer my scientists weren’t disabled. I’m going to nominate Charlie Sheen as our lead scientist. It’s gonna be great I tell ya. Yuge cocaine experiments and none of the universe stuff. Tremendous news I tell ya. Also Hawking can’t do wheelies on his chair. Sad!”

OPPOsaurus WRX > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:36

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I call them reality TV fans who don’t realize how real the reality is. We need a reset button with two new candidates

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > ttyymmnn 09/19/2016 at 20:36

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I’m not even sure that Trump is aware that he’s lying.

TheHondaBro > Phatboyphil 09/19/2016 at 20:36

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I don’t know what the fuck Biden has done, but he’s the DNC’s next choice after Hillary, and I’d check that box without hesitation.

jimz > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:37

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I’m staying home. I don’t want either, and since a vote for another party is wasted, there’s no point.

ttyymmnn > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:37

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My point exactly. He believes everything he thinks.

SVTyler > Tristan 09/19/2016 at 20:38

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I’m not even a fan of Johnson or Stein either man, not sold on the viability of libertarianism in such a global political climate and while I like Stein on most everything, her views on science scare me. Honestly there’s not a single person I’d vote for in this election based on their own merit (besides Bernie, and even then his plans were hopelessly unrealistic), though I might just throw in for one of the third-parties like you mentioned just to give them weight. The political system in this country is so broken that might just be the best option now.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > jimz 09/19/2016 at 20:39

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A vote for another party is never wasted. Even if it won’t do anything against or for the result it still counts. Statistics does count mate. Even if it’s just us freaks in Euorpe reading them.

bhtooefr > jimz 09/19/2016 at 20:41

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A vote that pushes another party over 5% of the popular vote gets them federal funding.

Spridget > jkm7680 09/19/2016 at 20:45

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Please vote for Johnson. Republican economic ideals without the racism of Trump and the militarism of Hillary.

Spridget > Tristan 09/19/2016 at 20:47

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I think most people fot Hillary are just like many Trump supporters; they don't like her, but it's better than the alternative.

Spridget > SVTyler 09/19/2016 at 20:48

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A vote for Jill Stein is a vote for the democratic Trump. Fucking illogic based around a loose idea.

jkm7680 > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/19/2016 at 20:49

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I agree.

I dislike both, but I agree with more of what Trump has to say than Hillary.

jkm7680 > Spridget 09/19/2016 at 20:53

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When he lays off the weed maybe.

Gamecat235 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:57

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I can’t comment here without the possibility of having to ban myself. The language which I would use would be correct, and necessary, but is not the sort of thing we need here.

But I’ll try anyway.

Essentially, half of the country has apparently decided that normalizing facist, racist, nationalistic and xenophobic policies is the way to make us great again. Just like we were when these things were in place before.

This is what happens when you drop education standards and funding. You get people who don't know better. When history isn't taught it's repeated.

Xyl0c41n3 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 20:58

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I still don't understand the mental gymnastics required to think that facts which have been accurately reported are, instead, lies.

jimz > bhtooefr 09/19/2016 at 20:58

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there aren’t enough to get another party up to 5%. Gary Johnson is the only notable one, and he’s an idiot (“and what is Aleppo?”)

Gamecat235 > Gamecat235 09/19/2016 at 20:59

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And to add.

jimz > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/19/2016 at 21:02

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it still counts

No it doesn’t. we don’t have things like proportional representation, STV, mixed-member, or instant run-off. basically, if you vote for anyone other than the Democratic or Republican candidate, you’re taking your vote away from the candidate you hate the least.

Elections are well and truly fucked here.

yamahog > Gamecat235 09/19/2016 at 21:13

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https://twitter.com/dfenton/status…

jimz > SVTyler 09/19/2016 at 21:17

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Then what do you call supporters of a virulently racist, sexist, homophobic narcissistic, hateful

I don’t think he’s any of those things. what he IS is the last thing you said, a demagogue. He isn’t saying what he believes, he’s saying what he thinks will get him votes. Donald Trump has built his business on convincing people to give him money. He knows how to play a crowd, rile them up. and get their support.

SVTyler > jimz 09/19/2016 at 21:29

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You’re probably right, I doubt Trump entirely believes in everything he says but that thought honestly scares me as much as if he actually does. The level of psychopathy that it takes to manipulate millions of people for one’s own personal gain (the prestige of being in the most powerful elected official in the world), with literally global consequences in play, is quite frankly terrifying. Trump just sees the world as a game, with the end goal being him winning. That’s someone I don’t want representing our country on a global stage.

SVTyler > Spridget 09/19/2016 at 21:31

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The Green Party’s living a pipe dream but I can get behind a smaller military and more social programs regardless of the party associated with it. That being said Stein’s completely lack of understanding about science is terrifying for someone who holds as much power as she does.

bhtooefr > jimz 09/19/2016 at 21:35

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But if you don’t try, it definitely won’t happen. If you try, it might actually happen! (That doesn’t mean vote for Gary, that means vote for the third party that’s best aligned to your political beliefs - if it’s Gary, then vote for Gary. I’ll be voting for Jill Stein (unless some miracle happens on the Democratic side - Hillary having to withdraw, and the DNC somehow actually deciding to put Bernie back in).)

And, there’s other candidates and issues than the presidency on the ballot. Show the fuck up to vote.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > ttyymmnn 09/19/2016 at 22:37

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http://www.dancarlin.com/common-sense-h…

Return of the podcaster

sums up my thoughts. If DNC had any other experienced candidate this would be so over, they’d be on vacation.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > whoarder is tellurium 09/20/2016 at 07:21

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I mean, he wants to bang his daughter, but in no way does that make him not misogynist

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 09/20/2016 at 07:27

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Can I join you in Norway if he wins? I don’t think his supporters have the critical thinking skills to differentiate Mexicans vs all hispanics, and I’m not looking forward to carrying citizenship paperwork around

jimz > SVTyler 09/20/2016 at 08:19

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I agree completely with your assessment. Honestly, things probably won't get any better until my parents’ generation (the Boomers) is gone.

yamahog > Gamecat235 09/20/2016 at 08:30

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Also:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-…

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > djmt1 09/20/2016 at 08:36

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Gamecat235 > yamahog 09/20/2016 at 09:14

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That was so hugely depressing. My brother and I have talked about this. At length. And the fact that others see the exact same parallels, and still nothing changes, scares me deeper than anything I have ever known on a political level (actually, that’s not 100% true, I hail from Arizona, and our own unconstitutional hate based anti-immigration politicians and proposals have previously evoked this visceral response from me).

This is madness. And unchecked, on this scale, is... Well, it's exactly what was written in the link you shared.

Mercedes Streeter > jimz 09/20/2016 at 16:52

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He may not be, but he’s running on literally the most hateful GOP platform in US history. So while the words that may come out of his mouth aren’t the most hateful crap you’ve ever heard in your life, the platform he’s running sure as heck is.

SVTyler > jimz 09/21/2016 at 03:01

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Sad as it is that’s probably the case, and it won’t happen for a long time considering how advanced modern medicine has become; people are living to be 90+ and still showing up to the polls (I remember reading somewhere that Baby Boomers made up only ~25% of the voting base but accounted for 60% of the total votes in the primaries) to vote for the idiots who stifle progress for the rest of us who will actually have to deal with its long-term consequences. Couple that with the apathy younger voters have for such a dysfunctional system and how many of them are going third-party when they do actually vote, we have a long road ahead of us before we start to see any real change.

Regardless, I really think after this election both parties are going to have to take a long, hard look at themselves and realize they have to get their shit together if they have any hope of long-term political relevance. Hopefully the Dems will realize they can’t keep cannibalizing their own party with polarizing candidates and Republicans will stop supporting fringe extremists with little mainstream appeal to anyone beyond a very small subset of hardcore conservatives, which, ideally, will mean a resurgence of moderates sometime in the future. That’s obviously wishful thinking right now, I don’t see Trump’s support disappearing anytime soon because of how many middle-aged, poor and working-class people make up his voting base, but if they have any sense of self-preservation the leaders of each respective party will need to come up with some plans before the entire system completely breaks down. Might not be the sweeping political change we really need, but hopefully it’ll be a damn sight better than this shitshow circus of an election 2016 has been.

SVTyler > yamahog 09/21/2016 at 03:20

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That Washington Post article was a brilliant read. I’d thank you for posting it but considering how terrifyingly grim it was I’m not sure that’s the proper response...

jimz > SVTyler 09/21/2016 at 06:05

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Funny how you somehow gleaned I was a Hillary supporter when I mentioned her nowhere in my post.

This is why the socio-political atmosphere in this country sucks shit. We want everything to be clear-cut, rigidly black and white. If you don’t support exactly everything I do, then you might as well be my worst enemy. If you don’t support invading Iraq, then you must think Saddam Hussein was just a swell guy.

jimz > SVTyler 09/21/2016 at 06:11

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The problem with the boomers is they’ve convinced themselves that re-runs of Leave it to Beaver are documentaries on life in 1950s America. And they’ve latched onto the idea that we can “go back” to an America which never actually existed. We experienced an economic boom right after WWII because we were the only developed nation which hadn’t had all of our shit bombed into rubble. We benefited from a favorable set of circumstances which is never going to happen again. And even then, America was only “great” if you were a white, upper-middle-class man.

SVTyler > jimz 09/21/2016 at 23:20

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That was perfectly said. Can’t seem to find it now but I once read a fascinating article about the differences between American and European politics; it was a pretty dense write-up but the writer argued the over-arching (and honestly rather over-simplified) difference between us was that European countries generally plan their political strategies with the future in mind while we as a country tend to want to return to the ‘good old days’ of the past, be it when our political party of choice was last in power or how life was decades and decades ago (regardless of, like you mentioned, another period like post-WWII America will never happen). We won’t move forward as a country if we’re not looking that direction, and the blame for that is squarely on the shoulders of the Boomers.

And man don’t get even get me started on the whole “Make America Great Again” thing. I think that’s what bothers me most about that stupid phrase, the insinuation of it. If people want to make America ‘great’ again they could always try something that would actually help out a huge number of people in this country like raising wages, protecting workers’ and civil rights, and taking on corruption and corporatism, but all it’s used for is as a euphemism for “when women, minorities, gay people, and immigrants knew their place and kept quiet”.