this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2024
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President Joe Biden on Sunday ticked through a list of reasons he says a second Donald Trump presidency would be a “nightmare” for the country as he urged Nevada Democrats to vote for him in the state’s presidential primary this week and for his party at large in November.

Biden opened a campaign swing with a fundraiser where he focused on Trump’s ample history of provocative statements — his description of Jan. 6 rioters as “hostages,” his musing about a former top military officer deserving execution, his branding of fallen soldiers as “suckers” and “losers,” his wish to be a Day One “dictator,” his vow to supporters that “I am your retribution,” and more.

Then it was on to a community center in a predominantly Black section of Las Vegas, where he told his crowd of several hundred that “you’re the reason we’ll make Donald Trump a loser again.”

Biden said the stakes were huge when he took on Trump in 2020 — “what made America America, I thought, was at risk’ — and they are even larger now as a likely rematch looms.

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[–] balderdash9@lemmy.zip 62 points 9 months ago (5 children)

I don't think Republicans care about what Trump did. Trump is the favorite to win the republican nomination and its not even close. And Republicans sure as shit aren't voting for Biden.

[–] Poxlox@lemmy.world 44 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I think he's trying to get swing and less like to vote votes, not appeal to the loony party

[–] MyPornViewingAccount@lemmy.world 34 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Youre correct, this message isnt for the GQP, this message is for those that dont want to go out and vote

[–] Szymon@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Enormous divisions are showing within the GOP as the unreasonable forces are gaining ground, but the old guard knows how insane and fascist this path is.

That part of the GOP is sizable and realizing they don't need to follow along the same path as the fascists. Give those people a soft landing, not a harsh criticism, and they'll join your decision that they don't want the future presented to them.

[–] MyPornViewingAccount@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago (2 children)

What a fancy way to say, "please dont punish us for spending the last 8 years supporting a rapist who our members of the House voted to support in an attempt to overthrow democracy!"

[–] Poxlox@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Punish? Where'd that come from

[–] MyPornViewingAccount@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Youre assuming punish in the most direct sense of the word.

Im not talking about beating people in the streets.

[–] Poxlox@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Yeah I didn't take issue with the definition or literal use, it's that what that person wrote doesn't correspond with what you said with any interpretation of "punish".

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe 3 points 9 months ago

His point is that they FEAR punishment. 🤦

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe 2 points 9 months ago

His point is that they FEAR punishment. 🤦

[–] Szymon@lemmy.ca -5 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Are you interested in a better future for everyone, or punishing the spectrum of those who you feel were led to make decisions you don't agree with?

You can't have both.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

How can we trust they won’t turn around and do it again immediately?

Like I agree in principle with you, but I have no trust left

[–] Szymon@lemmy.ca 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The point is to wear each other out. They're just people, talk to them and give them education and safe spaces to discuss ideas.. it's not the fair idea, but it's the idea that breaks the system of hate keeping us at each other's throats, too busy with an ideological war to fight the class war that'll free society.

[–] prole@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

If you think there exists a "safe" space to discuss fascism, and overthrowing democracy, then you really have no concept of what's happening in this country right now.

Last time we went easy on traitors, they built memorials to their traitorous scum leaders and created the "lost cause" concept that is ruining our country to this day.

[–] Szymon@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 months ago

The safe space needs to exist for them to bring it up and not feel threatened into defending their position, but allowing them to question their beliefs in a way to helps them see the hippocracy of their positions.

A black guy got dozens of KKK members to stop being racist by talking to them. I'd argue that his methods can be utilized here.

[–] prole@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

Kind of like that we did with the south after the Civil War?

How did Reconstruction end up going again...?

[–] prole@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

Lol fuck off

[–] TimLovesTech@badatbeing.social 18 points 9 months ago

There is a growing group of never-Trump Republicans that have already stated that they will vote for Biden if Trump wins the nomination. The party at the top though is on board 100% though as they see Trump as their ticket to power, and none of them actually want to believe he will gut the party if he wins since he will no longer need them post election.

[–] snownyte@kbin.social 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It's Bush Syndrome.

Where, Bush is just simply the dumb puppet who's allowed to do and say whatever he wants. All the while, the Republican crooks do their work behind his back.

[–] Wrench@lemmy.world 19 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Trump was supposed to be a puppet like Bush. While he was for things like appointing judges, he definitely went off the rails and hijacked the party. The senior leadership certainly didn't want Jan 6th happening.

Trump is no puppet. He lashes out randomly, and sicks his mob on anyone that opposes him.

[–] Pretzilla@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

He's pootin's puppet

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Well that's exactly the point. Why waste time and energy on a lost cause? It's equally as absurd that there are swing voters to me, but hey, some people don't even know an election is happening soon.

[–] Szymon@lemmy.ca 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Elections are decided by swing voters.

40% will always vote down their line regardless of what is presented to them. Those few thousand people willing to switch sides will always determine the path of the country, which is why such enormous resources are sent to court them.

[–] Kase@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

I would say it's a combination of swing voters and voter turnout. Some people can be convinced to switch sides, and others just need to be convinced to participate.

[–] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

Trump is the favorite to win the republican nomination and its not even close.

Trump is also leading against Biden in poll after poll now, so they don't see any reason to switch horses.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 54 points 9 months ago

Also trump is a rapist and directly convinced voting officials to forge documents and mail them in.

Not a great look for American democracy, which boy, doesn't need any more dirt on its nose.

[–] go_go_gadget@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The rail union contract expires this year meaning they can strike in 2025.

If Biden is serious about how dangerous Trump is he should promise to back the rail unions and veto any legislation which would block their ability to strike. That's a small price to pay for democracy and would cement his legacy as the most pro-union president in history.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe 17 points 9 months ago (1 children)

They should really just strike anyway if that dumb fuck does win.

Everyone should.

[–] Pika@sh.itjust.works 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

honestly they should just strike anyway, "lol you put a ~~law~~ block against striking? good luck training scabs for the entire industry"

[–] go_go_gadget@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The problem for rail workers is they're not eligible for social security. They're provided pensions which can be seized if they strike because corporations are fucking disgusting. I support them striking anyway but I totally understand why they're reluctant to try it.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe 3 points 9 months ago

Why can't rail workers get social security?

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 12 points 9 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


Biden opened a campaign swing with a fundraiser where he focused on Trump’s ample history of provocative statements — his description of Jan. 6 rioters as “hostages,” his musing about a former top military officer deserving execution, his branding of fallen soldiers as “suckers” and “losers,” his wish to be a Day One “dictator,” his vow to supporters that “I am your retribution,” and more.

He told donors at the private home in Henderson, Nevada, that if they came to Washington, he’d show them the White House dining room table where Trump, according to ex-aides, sat transfixed for hours in front of the TV as the rioters he’d fired up with his rhetoric stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded in kind, saying Biden “has been a nightmare for this country in just three short years in the White House, and no amount of gaslighting will make Americans forget about all the misery and destruction he has brought.”

Nevada has a stark rural-urban divide, with more than 88% of active registered voters — and much of its political power — in the two most populous counties, which include the Las Vegas and Reno metro areas.

The president also has championed the defense of abortion rights, recently holding his first big campaign rally, in Virginia, where the issue energized Democrats who won control of the state’s House of Delegates.

As early voting began a week ago in Nevada, Trump asserted without evidence during a campaign rally in Las Vegas that he was the victim of the Biden administration’s weaponizing law enforcement against him.


The original article contains 929 words, the summary contains 268 words. Saved 71%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] GilgameshCatBeard@lemmy.ca 7 points 9 months ago

One headline to anger both the youngest and oldest generations.

[–] doctorcrimson@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

If Biden took a hard stance against the Palestinian Genocide with serious consequences, and if Biden put through an Executive Order on Marijuana or at least replaced the DEA officials who are taking his entire term to reschedule it, then Biden would probably be polling at least 20 or 30 percentage points higher than he is.

Somehow 44% of US Citizens in some polls will say Republicans are better for the economy, despite the mountain of evidence otherwise, but only 36% would say Democrats are better for the economy. With Economy consistently polling as the biggest political issue to the general public. He could improve his polling by simply walking around with a picket fence sign that has one of many economic charts on it showing that he reversed the negative trends brought on by the Trump Admin and the Pandemic.

[–] Pika@sh.itjust.works 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

If he wins over trump again, I really hope they at least attempt to block the "omg x is so bad vote for me" political campaigns. Imagine, campaigns would have to actually say why the everyday voter should vote for the candidate instead of "lol orange man bad" or "blue man will keel over mid campaign" I vaugly remember presidential campaigns used to be that way, but I could be misremembering as I didn't have the ability to vote then.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world -5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I really hope they at least attempt to block the “omg x is so bad vote for me” political campaigns.

Why? It'll be a proven winning formula.

I'm more annoyed because "Don't vote for the other guy, they're the worst!!!" campaigns basically never succeed. If you've got nothing in your platform, screaming about the opposition being the Antichrist mostly just turns your own base off voting entirely.

At some point you have to deliver the goods to your constituents. Trump's people know that if he takes office, he's going to start handing out treats to them left and right. They're enthusiastic.

Biden voters are utterly depressed. They know if he wins they'll continue to get ignored and denounced as insufficiently loyal. They know they'll get blamed for his loss no matter how hard they work (just like Bernie got blamed for Clinton, after busting his ass on her behalf).

If Biden can win on that platform, what is the take away? Abuse your idiot voters. Only take. Never give. They'll love you for it anyway, because you're not the Other Guy.

Only by losing do Democrats realize they actually have to produce something for their base.

[–] Pika@sh.itjust.works -3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

That's more or less what I'm saying. I don't vote because I don't like the other one, I vote because I believe that the candidate has the potential to do things that are more invested towards my values.

So if your entire campaign is about shunning the other guy it doesn't mean I'm going to vote for the other guy but it also sure as hell doesn't mean I'm going to vote for you. If I see no value in the candidate I'm just not going to vote or if there is a party that does represent my values then I will vote for that one. I believe that a good portion of my generation feels the same. This current cycle I believe will be the last one that's able to adequately use this tactic because the concerns are absolutely real this time around so it's dangerous to not participate but I can foresee if this ends up being the campaign strategy during the next cycle that it's not going to work

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I vote because I believe that the candidate has the potential to do things that are more invested towards my values.

Okay, sure. But then at least one of them has to do at least something productive.

2006 kicked the legs out from under Bush Jr because he stopped doing Cool Cowboy War on Terror shit and started talking about privatizing Social Security and opening the border to Evil Immigrant Hordes. He lost, in no small part, thanks to an insurrection in his own party. John McCain and Mitt Romney suffered a similar fate (although McCain mostly just drowned in a sea of enthusiastic minorities and young people rallying around the Hope And Change guy).

This current cycle I believe will be the last one that’s able to adequately use this tactic because the concerns are absolutely real this time around so it’s dangerous to not participate

I lived through 2016 and I lived through 2004 and I lived through 1996 and 1988. And I gotta say, the "you have to vote for my guy because the other guy is SO MUCH WORSE!" line never really bore out in any case. Trump, at his worst, simply wasn't doing anything that Obama and Bush and Clinton had already been doing. The tax cuts, the racism, the shitty Federalist Society SCOTUS picks, the police brutality at home, the resource-snatching wars abroad... What's new?

If Jan 6th proved anything, it proved that the folks who think they can do a civil war or a coup are a bunch of fucking attention seeking clowns. Meanwhile, the people we actually need to worry about - the Greg Abbots and Ron DeSantises and Josh Hawleys - aren't being obstructed in any meaningful way by the current administration. Electing Biden won't save democracy, because Joe Biden has demonstrated no interest in saving democracy. Letting Trump have a second term won't protect us from another round of tax cuts and deficit spending, followed by the gutting of education and health care and social security followed by more nightmarish wars across the Middle East and coups in Latin America and tin pot dictators in The Philippines and Indonesia, because these are things Democrats have already sponsored at home and abroad.

This current cycle is going to be more of the same. Its Bush v Gore all over again, with Democrats saying "We need to do something to save social security and stop climate change!" on the campaign trail while they sell all this shit down the river in the Senate cloak room.

[–] Pika@sh.itjust.works 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I hard agree with everything you stated, and if there was a better alternative I would go for for it however I don't think it's possible this time around so you can only be optimistic for next time round

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

if there was a better alternative

The White House campaign team and the DNC made a very deliberate effort to prevent anyone with a serious shot of challenging Biden off the primary ticket. I have no idea what they needed to trade (although I suspect its a fist-full of cabinet positions and a ton of fundraising money), but I guarantee there were better alternatives waiting in the wings. Even Gruesome Gavin Newsome and "Look out she's got a stapler" Klobacher aren't completely senile, and they're both still very hungry to try for the Top Job.

How do I "save democracy" by voting for this guy when he's done such a spectacular job of demolishing the institution at the primary level? How do I save democracy from a guy who insists there is only one valid choice in an election cycle?

I could say this about Biden, but lets be real. I could say this about practically anyone in the Two-Party Duopoly. I'm being told I need to defend democracy while living in a gerrymandered district who routinely watches his red governor strip tens of thousands of names off the voter rolls in my bright blue city. How the fuck does supporting this asshole do that?

you can only be optimistic for next time round

I've been optimistic since my first presidential election in 2004. This is the fifth time I've been told to "just be optimistic about next time". I'm out of optimism. These people suck. This party sucks. Its a suckers game to keep supporting them.

[–] EatATaco@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

aren’t completely senile

You completely lost all credibility at this point. By no metric is Biden "senile." He has been running a very competent administration. It's just some stupid propaganda that he isn't mentally fit to serve, based almost entirely on the fact that he's old and has a speech impediment.

How do I “save democracy” by voting for this guy when he’s done such a spectacular job of demolishing the institution at the primary level?

This literally never happened. The party always protects the incumbent, because they have tend to have the best chance of winning. Just because you think there are other better candidates doesn't change the benefit of being the incumbent. The party, of course, is going to protect itself and push to keep legitimate challengers off the ballot by telling them not to run but there has been no demolishing-the-primary going on. This is just made up nonsense.

How the fuck does supporting this asshole do that?

Who do you think is more likely to do something about gerrymandering and protecting voting rights?

Its a suckers game to keep supporting them.

If you are actually serious, the problem is that you have fallen into the typical pitfall of "it's a top down" game. That's not how it works. If you want real change, you should be working locally. Expecting to elect a president and then all of your problems are solved is just pure naivety. This doesn't mean that a POTUS can't really harm you (just look at how the election of Trump led to a drastic rightward shift of the COTUS and how it has stripped individual rights and is likely going to strip the executive branch from the ability to regulate) but if you want change, you have to work for it at the local level, and then work to help it trickle up.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

By no metric is Biden “senile.” He has been running a very competent administration.

So competent he's getting heckled out of his campaign events by the base of his party? So competent he's lost 20 approval points since October in a gangbusters economy?

Who do you think is more likely to do something about gerrymandering and protecting voting rights?

At this point? Trump does appear to be a guy who will bust up the system if it gets in his way.

Biden just rolls over, for fear of upsetting his fellow House octogenarians.

Expecting to elect a president and then all of your problems are solved

Donald Trump as president is an existential threat

Joe Biden as president is a useless lump.

What a curious way to view the office.

you have to work for it at the local level, and then work to help it trickle up.

Fuck right off with that nonsense. The party doesn't want help. They want to take your time and your money, then leave you used up when they've won.

This is a party of social climbers, not socialists. They aren't your friends and they have no interest in doing you any favors.

[–] EatATaco@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

So competent he’s getting heckled out of his campaign events by the base of his party? So competent he’s lost 20 approval points since October in a gangbusters economy?

You base a person's competency on public perception? Wow. Also, how does him getting heckled prove he is senile? You are basically saying "well, other people are falling for the propaganda! So that makes it true!"

At this point? Trump does appear to be a guy who will bust up the system if it gets in his way.

Wait, you're arguing that the guy who we have, on tape, trying to get someone to overturn an election they lost, is the one more likely to protect your right to vote? And you think they'll do this by "tearing it all down" and magically put something back in place that doesn't favor them? Holy shit.

Joe Biden as president is a useless lump.

You can see nothing between "solving all your problems" and being "a useless lump"? Again, wow.

This is right in line with the level of critical thought I normally see from "muh both sides!"-ers.

Fuck right off with that nonsense.

Of course, you don't want to work. You just want to complain.

This is a party of social climbers, not socialists. They aren’t your friends and they have no interest in doing you any favors.

I understand this, but I'm also smart enough to think on my own and actually see that the shit they are doing is thousands of times better for us all, especially in the long run, and not caught up in the doomerism propaganda that you are slurping down.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You base a person’s competency on public perception?

In a democracy, you kinda have to. That's the entire premise of the system.

You are basically saying “well, other people are falling for the propaganda!"

The most effective forms of propaganda are simply restatements of obvious truths that support your view.

Wait, you’re arguing that the guy who we have, on tape, trying to get someone to overturn an election they lost, is the one more likely to protect your right to vote?

No, I'm suggesting the guy we've got on tape trying to strong arm governors into overturning an election is the guy mostly likely to strong arm legislators into changing election laws.

Biden couldn't even deliver on DC Statehood. If the DC has been a free two Senator / six House Rep pickup for the GOP, Trump would have passed that bill on day one.

Of course, you don’t want to work.

Sisyphus fails because he is too lazy.

[–] EatATaco@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

In a democracy, you kinda have to. That’s the entire premise of the system.

Lol literally nothing about a democracy that requires you to hold such a dumb position as measuring competency on public opinion.

You're either incredibly dumb, or just incredibly disingenuous. Either way, I'm done.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

While it is nice he did that, there is no use in listing reasons why, because the people who would need to learn them are exactly those who cannot cope with reason from the start.

[–] _number8_@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

trump is so scary that we're re-animating the corpse of cy young to pitch against him. this is good strategy