Josh, Anna, and M'kids part 18: The Prodigal Son Returneth

[Don'tlikekoolaid]

When Dump ran for President I just couldn’t take it seriously, I thought it was some kind of a joke at first.  But Mr. Kool said “you just watch, he’s going to get elected.” I scoffed, learned that lesson.

[viii]

I'm Canadian, and around my area, everyone assumes that majority of the people vote Conservative, because we're in the prairies. It's actually considered bad taste to ask someone, though. And I am so glad we don't have to support a particular party, because my vote is never the same. I have voted for all 4 different parties at different times in my life, based off their promises. 

[Alisamer]

12 minutes ago, Playagirl said:

And sort of off topic, but why does America have to see itself as number 1? No offense intended to any Americans, I'm legitimately curious as I've come across this mindset so very often when travelling through the States. Isn't a healthier attitude one where all countries work together to ensure equal success for all? Or is that just too optimistic and naive of me.

I'm American, and I don't get this either. It's the sort of thing that's pretty harmless when you're talking about your favorite sports teams, but really makes no sense on a global scale. I wonder if it partly has to do with how divided up we are, into states? 

Honestly at this point anything "patriotic" makes me cringe. Sure, I'm glad I was born in the US. I'm glad I was born in the South. I'm glad I was born near enough to a larger city to not be terribly isolated. But I do not get the "dur hurr USA USA Number 1!!!" thing. No country is perfect, and any country that elects Trump has plenty to be ashamed of, IMO. I've enjoyed all the other countries I have visited. I'd like to visit more.

[Shadoewolf]

I get why *some* people voted for Trump originally, as screwed up as the political climate was, he was a new voice. But as the election heated up, he really started to bother me. Then he got elected and holy shit. While I could sorta see why he got elected, as time went on I couldn't understand how people *still* support him. The lies drive me nuts but the people who make excuses are worse! It's "he didnt say that, fake news".  "Yes, he did here's the video".  "He didn't mean it that way".  "Ok how else could he mean it?"  "He's only human, leave him alone! Hilary lied too!  Obama (insert perceived horror here)!"  There is NO accountability with Trump supporters when he screws up. They're like Duggar supporters, having to maintain their delusions rather than admit they put faith in the wrong people.

Then there's the people he put on staff. How many press people has he gone through? How many indictments and convictions of his people? Betsy DeVos has done what exactly? Things aren't better with the people he picked either. This was an experiment in failure. 

And all he has done is normalize all that is horrible about America. The classism, the racism, the disdain for anyone who isn't a classic southern white male. It makes me sick.

[Playagirl]

40 minutes ago, Mama Mia said:

Every state in the US differs on registration rules. Including how long before the election you must register. Additionally , each party, in the same state, can have different registration rules for the primary election. 

In the general election you can vote for anyone of any party. But when you register ( in most states - I think Vermont and one or two others don’t have any party affiliation registration ?) you register either as Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian, some other third party - or Independent. To make it even MORE confusing - not all parties are eligible in all states. And states use different words for “Independent” . 

For the primary election - sort of the semi-finals - you pick who you like from either a general field or from party candidates. Who you can or can’t vote for varies greatly. For example - in California for the Presidential Primary, to vote for a Democrat, you need to be registered Democrat OR No-party Preference ( California’s term for Independent. But if you want to vote in the Republican Primary, you can be any registration ( IIRC) . You can only pick one primary Presidential candidate though. - BUT- for all the other races in California - Governor, Senate, Congress etc.... the primary is open, so the top two vote  getters of any party ( or none) move on to the general election. So this year, for example we had a Republican and Democrat running against each other for Governor. But two Democrats for Senator. And a Dem and an Independent for Insurance Commissioner. 

That’s just one state. 

All the others are different. It’s a stupid clusterfuck 

Holy Christ on a cracker!!!! It's astounding that anyone bothers to try to sort this stuff out enough to even bother to cast a vote. Canada definitely has its problems but at least it's easy to vote. Show up at polling station, after hopefully doing a bit of research in advance, mark your ballot with ONE 'x,' stuff ballot in box and leave. Done in about 30 seconds if there's no lineup.

[singsingsing]

I am technically a member of the Liberal Party because I more or less support them and want them in power at the federal level. But I've always voted NDP because that's who always wins in my riding, I'm fine with most of their policies, and I don't want to risk splitting the vote and having the Conservatives win.

I can confirm that it's pretty easy to vote in Canada. Even when I haven't been on the voters' list, it's easy to register at the polling station and cast my ballot. And there are no voting machines (some elections have ballots electronically counted, but no voting machines) - thank Rufus, I can only hope it stays that way.

[apandaaries]

1 hour ago, Audrey2 said:

Some liked Trump's brash attitude, and the way he "called it as he saw it".

I think this is ultimately it.  A whole lot of cockroach-like humans heard his racist, sexist dog whistles and that was what they liked about him. He darkened the political landscape, and feeling safe, they crept out of hiding.

They may have had lots of other adjacent reasons, as you listed, which they probably still tell themselves and others,  but I think the opportunity to redeclare white males as the dominant faction in the government was too enticing for people who hold abhorrent views, whether or not they fully acknowledge holding such views.  I think a lot of the population is quite comfortable with varying degrees of subconscious (or fully conscious) racism and/or sexism. 

Honestly, Obama did some wonderful things but deeply unnerved large swathes of the population just by the nature of his skin color.  Those people brooded over their fears for 8 years (aided by Faux news), then elected that walking bag of farts by taking false news on social media completely seriously. 

The Russians exploiting these divisions reminds me of fracking. There were already cracks deep underneath it all; they just took pressurized rhetoric to deepen the divides, encourage earthquakes, and leave a massive amount of filthy waste in the aftermath. 

Whoops, forgot to add today's horror story: these teenagers in Wisconsin all gleefully flashing Nazi signs.  This didn't happen overnight: https://kstp.com/news/baraboo-wisconsin-district-investigation-photo-high-school-students-giving-apparent-nazi-salute/5141821/

 

[Texas Heifer]

2 hours ago, Audrey2 said:

Some voted for Trump because he was a businessman. They felt that the "career politicians" had screwed up the country, and maybe the economy would grow more if a businessman was in charge.

My family, especially my father, claims this is why they voted for him.

But my craziest aunt (his sister) is a reality TV junkie, and I bet you a crisp $5 bill that she is such a Trump bootlicker because she's a fan from watching him on The Apprentice.

I'm an independent voter, but I personally despise Trump, and I posted a lot about how gross he is when he was running...before he was even the Republican pick, to which Crazy Aunt responded, hysterically, "YOUR GOING TO VOTE FOR HILLORY?" (sic--the woman is only slightly more intelligent than Bro Gary). I was certain "Hillory" was indeed going to win, and definitely going to win Washington state (right about the latter, at least). I was so certain that I didn't even bother checking the results until it had already become obvious that she had lost. 

I remain shocked. Every day, I am shocked anew. It feels like a terrible joke. Two years later, I still cannot believe it's President Trump. I can't. It's so unbelievably embarrassing.

I should note that Crazy Aunt has been married to an outspoken racist for close to 50 years. So she's definitely racist herself, even if only quietly. She also posted some ridiculous shit about "partial birth abortions" on one of my statuses about forced birthers, and iirc, said something about "killing babies" in regards to Hillary...even though she has to know her brother practically forced me to abort in 1995. I was nearly second trimester at the time. But hypocrisy is rampant with Trumpites. Even my father posted something about abortion equalling killing babies that sent me into a sobbing breakdown because I never would've had an abortion if he and my mom hadn't strong-armed me into it.

[Rachel333]

The conservative Christians I know hated Trump in the primaries and didn't trust him to stay pro-life given that he had previously said he was pro-choice. Once he won the nomination and chose Mike Pence most (but not all) of them got fully on board, which was bizarre to me knowing how much they hated him. (Also bizarre is how the few conservative Christians who have been consistent on Trump, like my aunt, now sound like liberals on Facebook even though they're the ones who haven't changed.) I really think his appeal to bigots, many of whom aren't even necessarily especially religiously motivated, is what won him the nomination.

Re: parties: In Arkansas I was an independent, which is what I prefer, but the state I'm in currently has closed primaries so I registered as Democrat to vote in them. That's the only time party registration has mattered in voting.

[SassyPants]

I get why some (not religious, conservative voters) voted for Trump, I truly do. Desperate people do desperate things, and often times to their own detriment.

I do not get how 2 years in many, and if not most of these people are still supportive of Trump. Besides giving tax breaks to the wealthy and ballooning our debt, he has not done anything magnificent. He is merely smoke and mirrors, and the vast majority of those blue collar, lower middle class and below wage earners, the bulk of his supporters, are no better off than they were under Obama. These people are entrenched into not "being wrong" about Trump, and will vote for him again. I loathe uneducated voters and people who become entrenched.

 

[Rachel333]

Also, I just realized it hasn't even been a week since the midterms, which is hard to believe given how much has happened since then.

[Boogers]

I found this Twitter thread by a data scientist to be an interesting perspective for those of us who don't understand how Trump's language is so successful with his base:

An ex of mine went from Feelin' the Bern to MAGA in just a few months early in that election cycle, and I've never understood.

 

Edit: Sorry if this thread has already been linked in the conversation, haven't read thru the whole drift to check.

[apandaaries]

Just found the perfect quote about this, from Dave Chappelle: "Trump is not creating a racist wave in America. He's just surfing it."

[AliceInFundyland]

Oh The Apprentice. Dear Rufus. That is a large part of why I cannot look at him. Or use the word President when referring to him. I watched that nonsense casually for quite some time. Various other reality people would be on. I’d tune in. Then it was a HUGE what the fuck is happening here. My brain cannot make that cognitive leap. Still. 

[AtlanticTug]

Why they still support him?

Gorsuch and Kavanaugh and an ancient RBG with 3 broken ribs are why.

This SCOTUS will shape America for a generation. As a lawyer this is as certain to me as the sun rising in the east tomorrow.

[BernRul]

11 hours ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

Whooooo-boy. You'd better not get in my car with me when I'm driving then... 

Okay, okay, you caught me: I curse like a sailor in the car. We could probably go to toe to toe when it comes with cursing out drivers. I just don't curse so they can hear me. I heard a rumor a few years ago that someone from my city pulled out a freakin crossbow during a road rage incident, so I try not to piss off strangers lol. 

[apandaaries]

8 minutes ago, BernRul said:

Okay, okay, you caught me: I curse like a sailor in the car. We could probably go to toe to toe when it comes with cursing out drivers. I just don't curse so they can hear me. I heard a rumor a few years ago that someone from my city pulled out a freakin crossbow during a road rage incident, so I try not to piss off strangers lol. 

Holy crap. A crossbow?!

I just saw an incident of pedestrian rage yesterday. This guy, who looked like he’d finished a Sunday brunch shift, crossed the street against a do-not-walk sign. A truck with the right of way came by and honked at him. He turned around, adjusted his stance so he seemed taller, and flipped off the driver. When they honked again, he hit the truck three times as it drove away. 

The next car through the intersection also honked at him but drove away before he made physical contact. He also flipped them off with an aggressive stance. 

My mom and I watched while commenting that testosterone is a helluva drug.  But also, people seem extra inflamed and violent these days.

[Boogers]

1 hour ago, AtlanticTug said:

Why they still support him?

Gorsuch and Kavanaugh and an ancient RBG with 3 broken ribs are why.

This SCOTUS will shape America for a generation. As a lawyer this is as certain to me as the sun rising in the east tomorrow.

I once asked my super-Catholic roommate how she justified voting for him, and she confirmed this. He promised super conservative SCOTUS justice(s). Roe v Wade.

[BernRul]

16 minutes ago, apandaaries said:

Holy crap. A crossbow?!

I just saw an incident of pedestrian rage yesterday. This guy, who looked like he’d finished a Sunday brunch shift, crossed the street against a do-not-walk sign. A truck with the right of way came by and honked at him. He turned around, adjusted his stance so he seemed taller, and flipped off the driver. When they honked again, he hit the truck three times as it drove away. 

The next car through the intersection also honked at him but drove away before he made physical contact. He also flipped them off with an aggressive stance. 

My mom and I watched while commenting that testosterone is a helluva drug.  But also, people seem extra inflamed and violent these days.

To be fair, the cross bow story could be complete bullshit. It's a rumor I heard, but at the same time, I'm going to be careful just in case lol. 

[Shadoewolf]

I don't know about a crossbow but I've incidents where someone has heard me cursing or I've flipped them off and swerved at me. One lady I cut off completely by accident and she followed me for like 10 miles then got out of her car in the parking lot and started slamming her hands on my window and screaming at me. And in Detroit you just look straight ahead, not risking getting shot at!

[Sops2]

The prodigal son has got a permit for plans to bring his car lot business " into compliance with local regulations"

I'm a bit confused as it is a different street number from the one I thought was his- 14871  not 14969 on the same road - is it the same one?

I had a look online and saw another car lot business further east along the road, on W. Henri de tonti blvd - had a look at that and read the google reviews.  Both car businesses have glowing 5 star reviews from..........David Waller and Caleb Williams....

Do the Duggars own that too?

 

[Audrey2]

2 hours ago, Sops2 said:

Both car businesses have glowing 5 star reviews from..........David Waller and Caleb Williams....

 

I can only imagine David Waller's review... The car that I purchased from Josh has lots and lots of space to put pecans in and it goes from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds, enough to make a quick getaway if you are stealing pecans.

In all seriousness, I can see possible pressure being applied to David, since Anna and Priscilla are sisters. It wouldn't be the first brother-in-law pressured to make a very positive review of his brother in law's new or newly expanded business.

[SamuraiKatz]

The prodigal son has got a permit for plans to bring his car lot business " into compliance with local regulations"
I'm a bit confused as it is a different street number from the one I thought was his- 14871  not 14969 on the same road - is it the same one?
I had a look online and saw another car lot business further east along the road, on W. Henri de tonti blvd - had a look at that and read the google reviews.  Both car businesses have glowing 5 star reviews from..........David Waller and Caleb Williams....
Do the Duggars own that too?
 

I think Duggar Corp. Owns several McCarlots. Though just down the road from each other seems a bit strange. Saturating their own market can't be good for business..AND both of those addresses are just a few minutes from the Tinker Toy house. Hmmm trying to Keep Josh out of trouble??

[marmalade]

I thought Smuggar had a lot in Siloam Springs.

[Sops2]

"Great team to work with in purchasing our minivan.I have recommended him to many friends and they also were very pleased with the integrity and honesty in each situation. Highly recommend  this used car dealership

David's recommendation of Josh's integrity and honesty would impress me too. Anyone looking for a used car in the Tontitown area?