Empire in Decline

DrunkenBastard2

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Within a day of the assassination attempt, "Republicans accuse Biden of inciting Trump shooting"; from NBC News:

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio (and vice-president candidate): “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”​

What a vile accusation, just pure political scapegoating. He doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word "directly".

As if all of their rhetoric hasn't been inciteful, a prime instance being the January 6 2021 right-wing thugs' massive mob attack on congress, after Trump's speech to them lying about the election results and telling them directly to "Fight like hell."

Others repugnicans joining the blame Biden bandwagon were Georgia Rep. Mike Collins, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
About that "fight like hell" remark....BBC in absolute shambles after being found to have cut 50 minutes out of a speech and stiched three pieces together to make it seem like he said something completely different....

Screenshot_20251204_193314_Chrome.jpg

 

DrunkenBastard2

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The people working at the three letter agencies are just as Trumpy as everyone else.
No one is coming to save us from ourselves.

I don't believe that a poor showing in 2026 elections will be allowed to stand. I think we're done.
Isnt that the argument that was brought up last election cycle? That Trump would never leave the White House willingly?

Seems he did, and there was no civil war.
 

Mercutio

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The feeble attempt at an insurrection on January 6th was unquestionably an attempt. This time the deck is stacked with toadies who have already put loyalty toTrump ahead of any other oath or reason. The administration has been functionally declared to be above the law and has demonstrated willingness to defy lawful rulings by federal judges. Trump has an army outside the military chain of command and promises to pardon those who do wrong in his name.

Do you see any of that as positive development for the rule of law?
 

DrunkenBastard2

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Well we did have Potato Joe setting the precedent by pardoning his family, which we were told would be what Trump would be doing instead.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens at the end of the term for this administration.
 

Handruin

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One of the fundamental differences as I see it is the two parties are not even close to being the same when it comes to abuse of power or problems. Additionally, I, and many on the Democrat side will call out the abuse of things like the pardon you highlighted and don't support it or entirely agree. I don't approach these issues as a matter of "well, your side did it first so...". No, it's bad regardless.

The vast majority of Republicans won't even acknowledge or criticize their own administration, it's just pure finger pointing and cult following no matter the amount of corruption or even evidence to show it.

I know both sides do corrupt stuff. The difference is how much and how relative it is. The amount of absolute gaslighting and lies that occurs today is insane and the amount of blatant corruption and abuse is far beyond anything of the past.
 

Handruin

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On the continued topic of how those in politics generally suck but more specifically how the two major US parties are nowhere close to being the same in their absurdity...let's take a look at today's dark message from the leader of the United States.

Screenshot_20251215_152028_Reddit.jpg

I've seen this TDS term used numerous times throughout his first term, whenever there would be debates where points are argued but a maga individual couldn't defend, they scapegoat it to TDS. It's just a made-up filler word used as an excuse to not be able to defend an argument and it's complete nonsense.

That aside, there's a ton of really dark and important things anyone reading his message should be made aware of. The entire theme, start to finish, is all narcissistic, zero empathy, made about himself, not the victim. Time and time again it has been pointed out that this man cares about nothing but himself, and through his messages he has told everyone who he is. If you can't tell what narcissistic behavior looks like...there it is.

It's a grave mistake to think that this is only a social personality and that's not his character when it comes to far more important things like governing the most powerful country on the planet and doing good for all its people. His behind the scenes is just the same as we see.

This is a forefront example of this human garage of a person, who got elected to the highest position of power, cares for no one but himself. There's no excuse that makes this behavior make sense. Zero. How anyone can hand wave past this is inexcusable.

Remember when the Right called to action and get people fired or doxed them for comments of Charlie Kirk? Where are those people now? Oh right. Hypocrisy.

The leaded age is upon us.
 

DrunkenBastard2

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One of the fundamental differences as I see it is the two parties are not even close to being the same when it comes to abuse of power or problems. Additionally, I, and many on the Democrat side will call out the abuse of things like the pardon you highlighted and don't support it or entirely agree. I don't approach these issues as a matter of "well, your side did it first so...". No, it's bad regardless.

The vast majority of Republicans won't even acknowledge or criticize their own administration, it's just pure finger pointing and cult following no matter the amount of corruption or even evidence to show it.

I know both sides do corrupt stuff. The difference is how much and how relative it is. The amount of absolute gaslighting and lies that occurs today is insane and the amount of blatant corruption and abuse is far beyond anything of the past.
I would agree some of the things Trump says and does is just crazy. Can't explain it at all.

But ultimately, it was total failure on the part of Democrats to field a viable candidate in 2024 that lead to this. They had Biden locked up with zero interviews, trying to hide his diminishing capacity. After claiming he was only going to do one term to "save democracy", instead of having a convention like normal and choosing some solid candidates he held on hope of going for a second term until absolute disaster of a debate revealed the sad truth. So then at last minute Dems and independents got to vote for Harris who ended up last in 2020 convention by a country mile. Just very unappealing choices all around.

Question is can the Dems get a better candidate pairing for 2028 or will we see a Vance admin continue whats happening now.
 

Mercutio

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Since I have recently exchanged words with my folks on this topic:

I no longer see National Public Radio as a worthwhile news source; since the second Bush Administration and definitely during the Obama Administration, it became increasingly willing to allow unchecked commentary from right-wing sources. It's gotten worse and worse on "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered", such that I can't see it as realistically centrist in its content. The NPR of the 1980 and 90ss would never have allowed some talking head from the Cato institute or Republican Congressperson to spew immediately verifiable untruths without immediately correcting them either in-segment or just after. It's embarrassing how far they fell in the name of trying to appease right-wing politicians.

PBS Newshour is in my opinion much more respectable at least, but Bari Weiss (aggrieved NY editorial columnist who thinks straight white men don't get enough breaks) has been handed control of CBS News; the NY Times and Washington Post have both made dramatic editorial shifts away from any negative coverage of the current administration; Tribune Media and the Wall Street Journal and terrestrial broadcasters NexStar and Sinclair Media have been deeply right wing for their entire history. CNN is very likely going to be handed to David Ellison and the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund if its hostile takeover of WB succeeds; unlike the offer made by Netflix, I believe the administration simply won't approve the Netflix buyout due to made-up antitrust concerns.

Massive cities including Seattle and Atlanta no longer have print newspapers.

In addition to all the other ways that the current landscape sucks, we really are looking at a news ecosystem has been completely dismantled. Disney and NBC have both indicated their willingness to play ball with administration narratives and they're technically the news organizations with greater independence in mainstream operation, albeit unfortunately subject to the demands of local broadcast ownership (see Sinclair and NexStar).

Even Teen Vogue (don't laugh because I am completely serious), a kind of bastion of no BS, left-leaning journalism for about the last 15 years has been gutted by its ownership at Conde Nast, specifically targeting journalists and editors outside Cisgender and Heterosexual norms and acting outside collective bargaining agreements it's had with creative staff in its actions.

The administration has even gone so far as to revoke press credentials at the white house and pentagon from major news organizations in favor of definitely unbiased organizations like Turning Point USA, Gateway Pundit and LindelTV.

I believe Reuters is still at least technically neutral in coverage, but I've been increasingly looking at organizations created and run entirely by journalists. 404 Media, Bellingcat, and ProPublica are all looking increasingly important as Fake News has become reality.
 

Gödel

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Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland will be competing for the title of the 51ˢᵗ state. 😜

I'm guessing that His Royal Highness will find it easier to invade Greenland than Canada.

I hope he can get those annexations accomplished before his next State of the Disunion speech.
 

sedrosken

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Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland will be competing for the title of the 51ˢᵗ state. 😜

Who says we'd admit any of them as a state? They'll be territories, at best, my guess is 'independent' countries that curiously never go against the official line from the God-emperor. He likely has no interest in actually running these places beyond extracting all their natural resources. Never mind the fact that integrating them into the state system would mean giving them a quasi-equal voice in Congress, which is simply not happening -- the House would never, ever, EVER be red again with anything approaching an actual election, and you can't have that. </s>

If Puerto Rico hasn't become a state in over 100 years, we're definitely not turning any of these countries into states anytime soon.

Trump managed to make Quebec call themselves Canadian. There's his real achievement of peace. ;)
 

jtr1962

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Who says we'd admit any of them as a state? They'll be territories, at best, my guess is 'independent' countries that curiously never go against the official line from the God-emperor. He likely has no interest in actually running these places beyond extracting all their natural resources. Never mind the fact that integrating them into the state system would mean giving them a quasi-equal voice in Congress, which is simply not happening -- the House would never, ever, EVER be red again with anything approaching an actual election, and you can't have that. </s>
Besides that given the makeup of these places (i.e. heavily left leaning) that would keep the GOP out of power pretty much permanently. Venezuela would have more electoral votes than any other state except California. Canada would have about the same number.
 
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Gödel

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Yeah, I admit that my "51ˢᵗ state" comment was a bad joke.

But not as bad a joke as the President of the Divided States of America.
 

Mercutio

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He absolutely believes that he's the most popular president of all time. I suspect that his handlers don't allow him to see anything that contradicts that.

It's a cold comfort, but apparently he's been getting regular MRIs and he keeps being given cognitive tests that one might offer dementia patients. I don't think Vance has anything remotely resembling the coalition of interests working on his behalf. Damage has already been done in a lot of places, particularly since Trump is singly responsible for something like 50% of the current federal bench, but Trump currently has the strongest disapproval rating recorded since nationwide survey polling has been a thing. Even the pollsters in the bag for right wing political issues (e.g. Rassmussen) can't hide those kinds of numbers.
 
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