Branch Trumpvidians 3: Too Many Deplorables

[JMarie]

Now that Christmas is over, there's lots of commercial time to be had on tv. That stupid Trumpy Bear commercial is invading my favorite Hallmark reruns.

[fraurosena]

This interesting Dutch article is not about American politics per se. But it does give an insight into why people vote against their own interests, and I wanted to share this author's insight. 'De Volkskrant' is a prominent left-leaning newspaper. The author is a well regarded scientific journalist.

Translation in the quote:

Quote

There is an Asian fable, or maybe a Turkish saying that is based on the work of the Greek Aisopos, that says: "The forest kept getting smaller, but the trees kept voting for the axe. Because the axe was smart and had persuaded the trees that he was one of them, because he had a handle of wood."

I saw a number of Brits recalling this fable after the elections last month in their country ended so disastrously for the leftwing Labour Party. Their axe is Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who presents himself as a man of the people, whilst the policies he promotes mainly help the rich and large companies. And that in a country where, to name just one thing, about 4 million chill live in poverty.

Something has changed, wrote Guardian columnist George Monbiot. Not only in Great Britain, but earlier also in the United States, India, Brazil, Australia, Hungary, Poland, Turkey. The axes of this world have perfected the formula that convinces the poor to vote for the interests of the very rich.

It got me thinking about the situation in our country. I would like to nominate the VVD as the head of ages: a party that praises the average hardworking Dutchman, but on which mostly the rich of the earth can always count. It's also the party that, with the exception of two governments, has been in the cabinet. That might explain the status of our forest: it groans and squeaks and rattles.

There are four subjects that citizens almost uniformly find important: healthcare, education, housing and climate. After almost four decennia of almost-always-VVD-turning-the-knobs these things, at best, are held together with tape and superglue. At worst, there is only a smoking little pile of ash - see: social housing, see also: children's services - without a phoenix in sight. There are too few teachers, nurses, police. The number of homeless has more than doubled since 2009. There is no real plan for a CO2 neutral future. Rightwing politicians have succeeded in demolishing that what the cared most about, whilst in the meantime the richest profiteered. And yet the VVD is still by far the largest party. FvD, a smaller but much sharper axe, is growing the most.

How is this possible? Maybe, I pondered, it's because left and right not only have different [political] views, but also a different view of people. On the right they jubilate the neo-liberal ideal: those who work hard, can achieve anything. Success is makable, failure is your own fault, you need to fight for it. The government must above all ensure that makability isn't frustrated by people who the right considers profiteers, like refugees or people on disability or dole. On the other hand, on the left, people see poverty and disadvantage mostly as the result of circumstance and not the individual themselves. The government, above all, should combat inequality and must ensure sufficient collective resources for all.

This also means a different view on who is in control. According the the rightwing ideal the individual has control over their own life, misery and prosperity; or that is what they promise. Therefore the government can pull back. That is exactly what administrations have done in the past decennia, with the VVD as loudest cheerleader: they left healthcare and housing up to the market. It's clear now what a mess that has actually resulted in. 

The left ideal lays control not mainly with the individual, but with the government. And in doing so, the left always asks for more trust than the right. The left asks citizens to lay their lot for a large part in the hands of the government.

But, I wonder, after so many years of demolition, would citizens still dare to give over the control of their lives to an administration that has destroyed so much in the past? Why would you swap the promise of makable success for trust in a government, even a leftwing one, when previous governments have repeatedly diminished you and your needs? And could it be, how paradoxical it may seem, that the longer and the more destructive the right is in power, the more difficult it will be for the left to win?

When so many trees have been chopped down in your forest, can you even discern the difference between the axe and the forester any more?

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by fraurosena
riffle

[GreyhoundFan]

I think I lost a few IQ points listening to this:

 

[JMarie]

4 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I think I lost a few IQ points listening to this:

 

Not those two again. Don't they have jobs?

[GreyhoundFan]

Another manifestation of Dumb and Dumber:

 

[Xan]

3 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Another manifestation of Dumb and Dumber:

 

Oh, wow.   That's a whole lot of stupid for just two people.

Did you see the link to Deplorapalooza in March?  They've got Juanita Broderick, "real mini AOC", and these half-wits above who call themselves "The Deplorable Choir" - although I don't think I've seen a two-person choir before this.

[GreyhoundFan]

1 hour ago, Xan said:

Oh, wow.   That's a whole lot of stupid for just two people.

Did you see the link to Deplorapalooza in March?  They've got Juanita Broderick, "real mini AOC", and these half-wits above who call themselves "The Deplorable Choir" - although I don't think I've seen a two-person choir before this.

I wholeheartedly agree. The one thing in which they excel is stupidity. Yes, I saw the link to the event. Definitely something to avoid.

Don't insult half-wits! Even combined, they barely register on the wit scale.

[GreyhoundFan]

What a lovely woman /sarcasm

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Another prince:

 

[47of74]

On 1/17/2020 at 8:37 AM, GreyhoundFan said:

Another prince:

 

Yeah sure. I’m guessing he’s trying to compensate for something. Can’t and definitely don’t wanna put my finger on what. 

I’m guessing the father here is a BT 

Quote

Dear Amy: My father is a stubborn man. He has a lot of energy and many strong opinions. We do not have a close relationship. He has recently retired, and now spends much of his time on social media, posting long-winded political rants, and engaging in emotional arguments with anyone who dares to comment on his posts.

These "conversations," unsurprisingly, often devolve into name-calling and petty insults.
 

I am disgusted by this highly public airing of false information and closed-minded views. It was getting to the point that merely opening the social media app was giving me anxiety, with the anticipation of a new bigoted diatribe from my father.

I deactivated my account, and I've never felt better!

She goes on to say he’s embarrassing the entire family. I’m guessing he doesn’t care how much his orange butt plug support makes him and his family look foolish. 

[AmericanRose]

Everyone else: cites 10 reputable sources, provides video evidence, witness testimony, paper trails, etc.

BT's: FAKE NEWS YOU JUST HATE TRUMP

I'm sad to say it took me 3 years to realise this... silly me, thinking facts belong in a discussion!

[47of74]

Fuck Face attracts the finest people

Quote

More than 15,000 Americans were losing their jobs each day in June 2009, as the US struggled to climb out of a painful recession following its worst financial crisis in decades.

But Jay Sekulow, who is now an attorney to Donald Trump, had a private jet to finance. His law firm was expecting a $3m payday. And six-figure contracts for members of his family needed to be taken care of.

Documents obtained by the Guardian show Sekulow that month approved plans to push poor and jobless people to donate money to his Christian nonprofit, which since 2000 has steered more than $60m to Sekulow, his family and their businesses.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Epic eyeroll time:

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Interesting thread from Pat Bagley:

Spoiler

 

[GreyhoundFan]

I think these Q idiots should stop wasting our oxygen:

 

[JMarie]

On 1/26/2020 at 3:42 PM, GreyhoundFan said:

I think these Q idiots should stop wasting our oxygen:

 

What does she have against Gretchen Wieners?

[47of74]

Steve King (R-Fuck Knob) might be getting sued pretty soon. 

Quote

Meme baby’s mom sics lawyer on Steve King after campaign uses her son’s image without permission.

If you’ve spent time on the internet in the last decade, you’ve likely come across a viral meme sometimes described as the “success kid.” The meme features a little boy at the beach who looks extremely pleased with himself and appears to be making a celebratory fist. It’s adorable, wholesome, and as GOP Rep. Steve King likely just learned, copyrighted. When the little boy’s mother, Laney Griner, discovered her son’s face was used in one of King’s campaign ads, she was, as she told The Washington Postin an interview, “filled with rage.” Now, she says she’s working with a legal team to make King and his campaign take down the image and apologize.

“I don’t want anyone thinking I was willing to accept any amount of money for them to use it,” Griner, who told the Post she’s a liberal, continued to the news outlet. “There’s no amount of money I would take for that. … We stay away from negative attachments, and this is about as negative as you can get in my mind.”

According to what Griner’s lawyer told the Post, King has until Wednesday, Jan. 29, to take action. Otherwise, Griner will move forward and sue both King’s campaign and his fundraising site.

 

[AnywhereButHere]

My cousin is a die hard Fucknut fangirl. She road trips to his rallies, takes selfies with Fucknut in the distant background, posts photos of the (oh so not) personal Christmas cards he sends her every year, and posts rambling odes to his greatness on multiple occasions.

Today, she posted a YouTube clip of Fucknut, sitting at a piano, serenading Putin with Camila Cabello's song, Senorita. From the caption she included, I'm pretty sure she A; thinks this is really him singing and B: doesn't know it's making fun of him.

I'm pretty sure she won't realize on her own that it's not a complimentary thing, and her Fucknut posts are met with complete radio silence from her friends, so I don't know if I should say something or just see how long she leaves it up. (Who am I kidding. I'm saying nothing...)

[GreyhoundFan]

I can't stand Joe Walsh. He's so shocked that the BTs are a cult:

 

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[JMarie]

On 2/1/2020 at 3:15 PM, GreyhoundFan said:

 

I'm sure Mitt is crying in his Cocoa Puffs.

[47of74]

Another one of fuck head’s fine people

Quote

An Arizona man indicted in October for threatening to kill Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told police he was likely reacting to a Fox News segment when he left the alcohol-fueled voicemail, according to newly filed court documents.

Jan Peter Meister, a convicted sex offender with a long rap sheet, was indicted on Oct. 23, 2019 for leaving the voicemail with Schiff’s Washington, D.C. office. After a search of Meister’s residence, prosecutors also charged him with illegal possession of firearms, including a loaded .380 caliber handgun, a 9mm handgun and an American Tactical Rifle, along with 700 rounds of ammunition.

A motion filed late last week by Meister’s attorneys revealed a portion of his interview with police during which Meister apologized for making the call and said that he may have been reacting to commentary on Fox News.

“Meister responded that he watches Fox News and likely was upset at something that he saw on the news. He stated that he strongly dislikes the Democrats, and feels they are to blame for the country's political issues,” according to the police summary of the interview. “Meister stated that he likely Goggled [sic] the congressman’s office number to make the call.

 

[candygirl200413]

So last night I went to my congresswoman's town hall and I live in one of the most democratic districts. So she had a point when she asked questions and this one guy (who I'm 90% sure is a former friend's dad who is a former friend due to her Trump support) started yelling at her about how Trump can't do illegal things but Obama can put money on a plane and I guess he was explaining how money was delivered to Iran on a plane? Which a nice woman next to me said that it was a Fox talking point. But it was actually pretty terrifying how angry he was about a fake talking point.

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[GreyhoundFan]

I feel bad for the poor cat, who looks like WTF?