#politics
The reason I keep harping against people who act like Joe Biden is the best president is this:
He isn't.
If we pretend Democrats are heroes for doing mediocreat best, it teaches them that they can keep being mediocre. It teaches them there are no consequences for bullshitting us - that they can be "heroes" for barely throwing us a bone in between throwing the rest of the cow to their lobbyists and big donors.
Less evil is still evil. Less incompetent is still incompetent.
@AskTheDevil He’s A+ in terms of governing.in my opinion.
@misslovelymess I guess you own large stocks, don't have credit card or student debt you can't get away from, are not mass-incarcerated in prison, and like fracking then. And I guess you don't need to buy medicine without insurance. And I guess it's okay for him to seek funding for Trump's wall, and close the border to legal refugees trying to follow the law. Because that's all part of Joe Biden's record.
I don't give A+'s to people who create problems like that and don't want to fix them.
@AskTheDevil With respect, you are devlisplaining me. Governing and politics are not the same. I was crushed by over 100k in student loan debt my entire life, until July 2023. It's gone. We lost our house due to fracking, when our water was contaminated, and I am now chronically ill and that happened in the Obama administration, with laws that were quietly put into place under Bush. The PFAS regulations are huge, and are a workaround to hold companies accountable. 1/2
@misslovelymess And who helped those companies frack and stay giant in the first place? Who helped deregulate the energy industry in the first place? And who protects one photogenic natural area from drilling because people cried about it, but then gives the drill-baby-drill go ahead for larger and just as important areas?
@AskTheDevil
George W Bush.
"Drill Baby Drill" was Bush/Cheney. And if we could all remember, Bush was the guy who was considered family, and considered them as such too, by the Saudi Royal family.
They actually could, and DID, affect world oil prices with a couple of phone calls, cuz the Saudis fully control OPEC, and Bush's "family" was the royal family.
@AskTheDevil
The thing I worry about is what humans tend to do: blame all their recent issues on a singular president because they're in office, That's why I praise Biden.
When he went on Bill Maher in 2007 saying he'd "sock the guy in the mouth" who called his mother's faith "quaint"...I'm not really a fan, but the energy industry's worldwide power as his fault? it's easy to pile on when you're in extremis, but "pile on" is (politically) how the "good guy" ends up losing.
@Usama_Backhair I do not mistake "not as bad" for good. I try not to even _sound_ like I am doing that. : )
But it's one of my things. I mean, I'm designed to test, to accuse, to prosecute, to observe, to question.
It does _not_ make one as popular as one would think. Some people get all cranky about it.
; )
@AskTheDevil
Naw it's alright, you're still the only cause of my darkest nightmares, Dark Prince, I was just tossing in my 2 cents.
I can say the only president who ever managed to change the market from devastating inflation (which sucks the soul of working people almost worse than yourself 😉 )
was Jimmy Carter, by jacking up the Fed Interest Rate, and America rewarded him breaking the back of inflation 2 following generations...by giving him only 1 term as president.
@AskTheDevil
If Biden wanted to do lasting change and lose re election to the guy who WILL end democracy (this American Experiment to fall by the wayside of history) he would massively increase the Fed Interest rate and let whatever happens, happen. The aftermath would likely be a period of long-term low inflation, but then again maybe the "market forces" learned...how to simply...not react that way. And it might all be for naught.
@Usama_Backhair I'm not really sure he wants lasting change or to lose the election, I think he wants his picture up on a wall, and statues of him, and textbooks that say he was wonderful and a great negotiator and statesman.
And ya know what? I'd rather he get that, than Trump get it. It won't be the only thing Trump gets if he takes power.
@AskTheDevil
Fully agreed, you're right. I think that's his Achilles heel. The arrogance of politicians seems to be the only thing that gives them life...he wants to be loved, and I think the way he was wasting after Beau died and his political "star" was fallen, the adoration diminished, I think it was actually killing him. Physically. Remember how he looked?
he doesn't look like that anymore. Almost like the energy of love has some actual, physical power. I know, sounds cray, but 🤷♂️
@AskTheDevil
(sure: the facelifts and medical treatments prolly have a lot to do with it, I'm prolly reading too much into it.)
@Usama_Backhair It's not cray. Those are pretty big hits. I don't think he's a lizard - I know he looked devastated when Beau died.
He _is_ elderly, too (that's not a shot - so am I). There's mileage, and that pain is some of it.
@Usama_Backhair There were a lot of forces arrayed against him, but yes.
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess I praise him whenever I think my praise is deserved, because he's actually done something good.
I don't praise _anyone_ merely because I'm afraid others don't praise them enough. I praise them when I honestly believe they deserve it. Otherwise, I'm lying, and lying is wrong and it harms me to do it.
And it's not piling on to note that he says he's fighting the oil industry, but keeps giving them permission to drill. That's just something that's happening.
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess I think we're already all voting for him _so we don't have to fight a dictator_, whether we like him or not.
That doesn't mean we need to give him credit he has not earned - especially given what he's done to _our_ credit.
That condones bad behavior, and we need less bad behavior.
A president should have extra scrutiny, even if they _are_ good. He can resign if it's too hard.
@AskTheDevil
Well sure, understood, but if he resigns at this stage of the game, we're fucked. all of us.
Anyone who ever managed to get Americans to abandon this nation for an authoritarian dictator like TFG? These people learned from Adolph's mistakes....they've studied & have benefit of hindsight after he failed to rule the world...you think it would ever end from such people? It's funny that you call yourself "the Devil", but I don't think you or any of us has a concept.
@AskTheDevil
I wish the thing's I have been "squawking" or "Screaming" or "truthfully warning" of, since 2015 and before...was just hyperbole.
I wish I couldn't see it, quite frankly.
There's a real scenario where it all goes away forever. Even your hope to one day rise up from your financial straits with pluck and hard work in a free nation and world.
I could be full of sh. I hope I am.
@AskTheDevil
“Hyperbole” tho? That’s not something I usually engage in, except in a clearly joking manner, (only where I it’s gonna be funny). Not on this issue tho.
TFG just became a (real) “billionaire” for (probably) the first time in his life. 👇 and Putin just murdered his only living critic after he slowly stopped being “untouchable even for Putin”.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-media-dwac-sec-approval-spac/
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Donald's trump level of evil does not change Joe Biden's level of competence or character up or down in any way. He is what he is. I'm voting for him because he is not as bad as Trump.
'Claiming that someone is imperfect or you don't think they are suitable for a job is not undone by someone else being wildly more unsuitable for the job. They don't automatically become more virtuous just because the other guy is a monster.
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess After the monster is defeated, we'll still have all the normal corruption and shenanigans our politicians already do. We'll still have the climate fight, workers rights, housing crisis, health care, and all that. And we won't make good progress with "centrists" who are actually corporatists, and who don't really do their jobs well.
If you have cancer and also a heart condition, curing the cancer doesn't cure the heart.
I'm thinking beyond this fight, this year.
Well do that, but heart condition or cancer, first you probably should make sure your house isn't on fire...
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Yes. And we do not put out house fires by pretending that the people standing around pretending to put fires out but doing little work are good firepeople.
We do that by voting against the worst bad guys right now. But in that process, we don't give the less-bad guys presents and trophies for "meh".
I do not understand the disconnect. It's simple. You don't say people are good because others are worse. That's untrue. Lies make things worse.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Almost all mocrats and all Republicans are corrupt.
By which I mean that they accept huge campaign supportfrom big donors and industry and the superpacs funded by them. They then live at the beck and call of their lobbyists.
They strategically vote to make sure nothing much happens that offends our oligarchy. That means things like passing favorable legislation to them, mixed with some crumbs for us, or half-assed partial solutions.
...
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
They also invest in industries they legislate over, and get rich with their insider knowledge, and/o get lcative lobbying jobs when they leave office, to continue the cycle.
The Democrats _you_ vote for almost certainly do this - only a handful do not. So do all the R's.Joe Biden did for most of his career.
We don't fix that by pretending they are honest.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Just because Trump wants to be a dictator murderbeast does not mean the other guys aren't thieves and swindlers. I'd rather be robbed than killed, but I don't pretend robbers are my friends.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess You can tell me as many times as you like how horrible Trump is. I will assure you that you are right, and more.
But it does not change the character of the people on the other side, who are not good guys, they're just less bad.
@AskTheDevil Makes me think of the line "The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy, nothing more nothing less."
@sentientdessert Yes. The 77 Maxims contain a little wisdom.
: )
I am not disputing that is real, although don’t tell me who I’ve voted for, although I will vote for Biden and feel just fxking grand about it as will at least 80 million others like last time, perhaps more of the real numbers of the 2018//20//22 elections are an indicator.
My problem with your argument is that it echoes the “they’re all terrible so vote for Trormp” narrative that’s being dusted off by the MAGA/FSB/GRU psy-op trolls because…
1
It fxkin works on independents and worked well enough in 2016, during the character assassination catastrophe against Hillary that led to her loss, that led to the horrors of AssNeck and the real pain and death he caused on a number of fronts, not to mention how it emboldened fascists in this country and around the world, as well as Putin and his shitworks corp..
So careful who you echo.Your argument while worthwhile are naive and privileged.
2
Sorry Devil, but we don’t have the luxury to not clearly recognize the abyss we’re looking at.
Seriously. There can be no greater goal at this point than to dropkick turnip onto the trash heap of history. Full stop.
Once that happens, if Biden doesn’t and the Dems don’t deliver on addressing the systemic corruption I’l be right by your side criticizing them.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess I believe you will. Thank you.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
Hey there, while you're welcome to your opinion, watch it with tossing around insults like "naive".
That's certainly an assault on my character, or it would be if it wasn't to laugh.
I'm not naive. I've been watching this show for a very long time.
Yeah, that was probably a bit much, my frustration is really with Dems who unwittingly bought into the online algorithm-amplified (via Twitter and FB) psychological psy-ops poisoning of HRC in 2016, creating a kind of archetypal figure of deepest evil -a pedophilia supporting child cannibal of blackest darkest primordial evil who could not be trusted, not realizing they'd been taken in by it on some levels.
I witnessed it firsthand...
Mostly on Twitter (I was never comfortable with FB's horrendously two-faced slimy dark patterns expressly designed to own people's data and usage, even while they promised commitment to data privacy and "community", which were then and still are grotesque lies).
They made HRC's name literally toxic to people simply by mentioning her name in conjunction with murder (Seth Rich) and deep state pedo-cannibalism (Qanon - pizzagate)..
Trump just signaled his full support for Putin's geopolitical goals if he wins ("Putin should attack whoever he wants if they don't pay their NATO dues..) and so giving his blessings and green light (as he did in 2016) to have carte blanche in interfering with the this election as well. He and his campaign are almost slavishly following the 2016 formula that gave him the WH as if it is as magic, and so look for Biden to be "Hillarized" this time.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
Your argument sounds a little like yet another form of "If you're not lockstep with us, you're against us*".
I'm not so naive I haven't heard that one translated into a thousand justifications and platitudes.
I typically wait until the primaries are over, then stop hassling him, though. I'm not new to strategic voting.
After he wins, which I hope dog he does, I'll give him a couple weeks before I start again.
* Like the Right does.
@TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Also... you're seriously asking the Devil to toe a party line? You do know that the opposite of that is _infamously_ my thing, right?
We have been in the grip of corrupt politicians for decades. Saying so does not mean "don't keep Trump out of office".
Telling people to shut up and ignore the emperor's nakedness is what the Enemy does.
My desire is to get Trump, and every other corrupt asshole out of office. Would you prefer we keep some?
Please point out where I said you should " toe the part line" or "shut up"?
Also, hold on to your flaming nipples, but you're not really the Devil, you just play one on TV. 😉 😂
@AskTheDevil @TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess you want a dictator to implement your wishes. Governing is compromising.
@mhsheikh @TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Now I want a dictator?
Let's see.... yeah... I kept saying I'd vote for Biden anyway, and so should everyone else, and that I'd campaign for him even after the primaries... I just said we should not pretend he's without failing.
But okay, that means "I want a dictator".
Do you people listen to yourselves?
Yes, I seriously feel bad, we're piling on you a bit. Sorry Bubzy!!
ATTENTION 📣 :
Could everyone just take a step back and please give LORD SATAN the PRINCE OF DARKNESS some space please ??
HE SAID HE'S VOTING FOR BIDEN!!
@AskTheDevil
Let's back off the Dark Prince, he's a thoughtful and wise mind, underneath the horns
@AskTheDevil @TheAbbotTrithemius @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
Wanting stuff and blaming someone for not doing something that the courts and the constitution will not allow is pointless. It take hard work and grassroots volunteering to make change.
@mhsheikh @AskTheDevil @TheAbbotTrithemius @misslovelymess
I gotta say in my experience questioning a person's motives doesn't endear in political discussions, they're already hot enough as it is, just a suggestion, humbly 🙏
I thought it was a good natured back and forth, but sadly it went a little sideways there...
@TheAbbotTrithemius
Yeah I've done it too, as I said: (very) humbly 😬
from a guilty party 🙄 😂
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Ya gotta laugh, because you can't cry all the time.
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess You are not full of shit. I wish the world were better than what we see, but you're not imagining things.
Just because I don't always agree with you doesn't mean I don't think you're smart and have earned wisdom!
@Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess Oh, I don't think he would resign, unless he was literally dying, maybe. I think he's made of reasonably stern metal. I don't believe he lacks tenacity, determination, and yes, I will admit, bravery.
But again, you keep pointing out that Trump is really bad, when I say Biden is not great. I don't know how that matters, since I'm arguing _for_ voting for Biden as the lesser evil, I just don't want him painted as a greater good. It's not the same thing.
@AskTheDevil @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
We’re fighting for our country in this political war. Our leader is President Biden and from now to after the election, we should support him and not focus on his shortcomings or our regrets that we don’t have our dream candidate .
The criticism, extra scrutiny, deep security checks and full financial investigations into donations, gifts, vacations, houses, et al should be required of every #SCOTUS justice. Now. The court has been compromised.
@QueenOfEverything @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
Nope. That's not how it works. The way it works is we live in a free country with free speech. I'm free to tell people not to vote for Biden. I don't do that.
I'm on the same side. If you think it's important to reject me because I fail your purity test, that's your anxiety to have.
All you're doing is convincing me that we're having our morals and courage tested.
@QueenOfEverything @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
In any case, I've already explained my plan for being more supportive. I've sponsored a hashtag for saying when Biden does something good.
If you think you have entitlement to police my speech, loyalties or thoughts, you're mistaken. I'm going to follow my moral compass, not yours.
@AskTheDevil @Usama_Backhair @misslovelymess
Peace…. I was expressing my own thoughts- I shouldn’t have used the royal “we” - just stick with first person “I”.
Before 2016, I believed in freedom of speech and the election process in America. I marched for Roe v Wade to ensure women had the same rights that men did over their bodies. I worked to support public schools & improving libraries for all grades
I just turned 70- I’ve lost 50 years of rights that were taken away under trump. #Biden
@AskTheDevil
And yeah: I use "good guy" loosely.
no politician is a "good guy", they're only ever "comparatively better than that guy over there", so forgive the expression.
@misslovelymess