American Politics

[shionoro]

I mean, if you take a wishful thinking approach to law while simultaneously ignoring the past 9 years then sure, this is pretty sound reasoning. Republicans are what they are, democrats are craven, unprincipled hacks. Even if this miraculous impeachment process got carried through to the end it would take months anyways, more than enough for the damage to be already be long materialized. And even then, after threading the political needle god knows how many consecutive times the only thing the world would end up with is JD fucking vance. Along with the downside of turning trump into a martyr for lunatics (not that he isn't already but this would only make it worse).

That is not wishful thinking. That IS the law. It really isn't like Trump doesnt give enough openings for a credible case, anyway.

My point also wasn't that the real impeachment is going to get through, Republicans might block it again. But if they do in an environment in which Trump and his actions are increasingly unpopular and is seen as a madman by very many Americans, that helps to rally everyone against Republicans (especially if the Impeachment fails in the House or Senate due to Republicans).

Republicans do not want to be forced to defend Trump's economic actions, as it goes against all of their evergreens of fiscal prudence and open markets. It will be very helpful for democrats if republicans have to spend months defending unpopular Tariffs while democrats can shout about rising prices.

 

[Sanity Check]

...

This includes the story of how Trump acquired Mar A Lago in 1985.

Which some may find amusing.

 

[M3J]

I think this is the moment. Democrats should call for an impeachment soon, because this time, they cannot start it themselves. Republicans would have to keep defending Trump and they would definitely not like it, while democrats could play attack.

Republicans are more than willing to defend Trump if they have to, because it means they keep the power. They're not going to impeach their own as long as he does what they want, for the most part. Plus, to go up against Trump could be bad for their careers if they want votes from the right, so unless Trump loses popularity with the majority of the voters, he's safe from his own party.

 

[shionoro]

Republicans are more than willing to defend Trump if they have to, because it means they keep the power. They're not going to impeach their own as long as he does what they want, for the most part. Plus, to go up against Trump could be bad for their careers if they want votes from the right, so unless Trump loses popularity with the majority of the voters, he's safe from his own party.

That would be great. Have them defend every security breach, every botched natural disaster relief and evere doge bullshit. That is gonna rally democrat voters just like Democrats defending weapon deliveries discouraged people from voting them.

 

[M3J]

It might, but it still won't get rid of the problem

 

[ninjabot]

So why is Ukraine being tariffed but Russia isn't?

I mean I know why I guess I'm just making conversation at this point :/

 

[shionoro]

I do onder if the Trump administration knows their own endgame with the tariffs. I increasingly feel like they don't.

There are many ways to imagine why they might do this, but there is also the idea that they just drank their own cool-aid by now and just make up reality not only as propaganda for their followers but also for themselves.

 

[M3J]

I think they do, probably. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if stocks go down, more of the politicians can buy it, and then something passes or doesn't pass that increases the values of stocks. Didn't that happen, stocks going down because of the tariffs Trump threatened to put in place, but then when he delayed it, stocks went back up?

 

[kkck]

Hmm, but the stock market had been cooling down a bit for the past couple months and it's not exactly back up yet. Overall volatility is pretty high (there's indexes for that and the one I keep track of is roughly at the highest I've ever seen it). I do look forward which politicians conveniently sold their stocks just before trump's tariff announcement though.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 7, 2025, Original Post Date: Apr 7, 2025 ---

So why is Ukraine being tariffed but Russia isn't?

I mean I know why I guess I'm just making conversation at this point :/

TBH I am surprised that that by this point trump isn't bombing ukraine. US sanctions against russia are already in effect so I suppose this could play a role here. A quick google search does not suggests tariffs are at play but both US and EU have trade restrictions with russia. Apparently US can still buy rare minerals from russia so I am guessing tech overlords are still getting their money's worth from supporting trump.

 

[Sanity Check]

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Presidents as bikers.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 8, 2025, Original Post Date: Apr 8, 2025 ---

I think they do, probably. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if stocks go down, more of the politicians can buy it, and then something passes or doesn't pass that increases the values of stocks. Didn't that happen, stocks going down because of the tariffs Trump threatened to put in place, but then when he delayed it, stocks went back up?

Yes.

Its known as insider trading.

 

[Raven]

The best thing about Trump that he is openly and actively ruining America.

 

[ninjabot]

That's unironically true. I keep saying, Americans would rather vote against what they don't want than vote for something that they do. And Trump, and the Republican establishment, are quickly becoming unwanted by the American people, leaving a void to be filled by Democrats.

 

[kkck]

That ignores just how unpopular biden was. How disliked kamala harris was. How clinton lost to trump in 2016... Biden's presidency (though in fairness being a potato didn't help) demoralized the country to the point trump won a crushing victory over kamala. Trump of course is not exactly popular but democrats in their current form are not a party anyone would bother defending, they stand for nothing. Whereas trump's maga base would rabidly defend trump even if he ate all their babies like apples. If democrats put another biden/kamala/hillary in power then the next election cycle will have another trump in power.

 

[ninjabot]

That ignores just how unpopular biden was. How disliked kamala harris was. How clinton lost to trump in 2016... Biden's presidency (though in fairness being a potato didn't help) demoralized the country to the point trump won a crushing victory over kamala. Trump of course is not exactly popular but democrats in their current form are not a party anyone would bother defending, they stand for nothing. Whereas trump's maga base would rabidly defend trump even if he ate all their babies like apples. If democrats put another biden/kamala/hillary in power then the next election cycle will have another trump in power.

On the contrary, it perfectly takes into consideration how unpopular Biden was, how disliked Kamala was, and how Clinton lost to Trump. People voted AGAINST more Biden policies because they were afraid that's what resulted in their economic woes. AGAINST a candidate that didn't move them, in the form of Kamala Harris, for fear of her being too similar to Biden, being pro-genocide, being unlikeable or whatever. And AGAINST a candidate they learned to hate over their career in the form of Hillary Clinton thanks to past actions and her status as a career politician.

As for the bolded: I'd bet my left nut that you're wrong. All we need is someone that doesn't give us more of what the current presidency is giving us to motivate Americans. Remember: it was voters voting to get rid of Trump that made Trump lose in 2020. Not voter's having some overwhelming love for Joe Biden and his policies. People just wanted change from what was causing their pain, which was viewed as Trump at the time. That's happening again, right now. Globally. For good reason. I just hope it carries long enough to extend that pain long enough to leave voters traumatized into action.

 

[kkck]

On the contrary, it perfectly takes into consideration how unpopular Biden was, how disliked Kamala was, and how Clinton lost to Trump. People voted AGAINST more Biden policies because they were afraid that's what resulted in their economic woes. AGAINST a candidate that didn't move them, in the form of Kamala Harris, for fear of her being too similar to Biden, being pro-genocide, being unlikeable or whatever. And AGAINST a candidate they learned to hate over their career in the form of Hillary Clinton thanks to past actions and her status as a career politician.

As for the bolded: I'd bet my left nut that you're wrong. All we need is someone that doesn't give us more of what the current presidency is giving us to motivate Americans. Remember: it was voters voting to get rid of Trump that made Trump lose in 2020. Not voter's having some overwhelming love for Joe Biden and his policies. People just wanted change from what was causing their pain, which was viewed as Trump at the time. That's happening again, right now. Globally. For good reason. I just hope it carries long enough to extend that pain long enough to leave voters traumatized into action.

Yeah, people were tired of trump by the 2020 elections. But what happened immediately after that? Biden was already less popular than trump ever was even before his mind checked out. And then he went on to age like milk and spent the last two years of his presidency being an embarrassing and confused old man that should have been 25thed. There's isn't an amount of punishment trump can deliver that will make people like democrats because democrats don't do jack shit for the middle class. Trump doesn't either but he at least speaks to their grievances.

 

[shionoro]

As for the bolded: I'd bet my left nut that you're wrong. All we need is someone that doesn't give us more of what the current presidency is giving us to motivate Americans. Remember: it was voters voting to get rid of Trump that made Trump lose in 2020. Not voter's having some overwhelming love for Joe Biden and his policies. People just wanted change from what was causing their pain, which was viewed as Trump at the time. That's happening again, right now. Globally. For good reason. I just hope it carries long enough to extend that pain long enough to leave voters traumatized into action.

But it was then voters in 2024 deciding that Trump wasn't so bad after all. Let's say you are right and America keeps flip flopping between leaders that everybody hates, one liberal and one right extremist. That is not a sustainable state. Every time it happens the amount of people willing to defend democracy will diminish. At some point, people will long for a dictator so at least the political line keeps somewhat stable.

What democrats need is a Claudia Sheinbaum, a leader who is able to get the goodwill of even those people who did not vote for her. Winning with 51% and being hated by the other 49% will lead to demise.

 

[Sanity Check]

I admire Melania's parenting skills.

Her kids seem almost normal.

Impressive achievement for raising kids of a billionaire.

 

[shionoro]

They deported Mahmoud Khalil without him being guilty of a crime. just like that, for saying things that a judge ruled are "against American core values".

With this ruling, no non-citizen is safe when he expresses his opinion.

 

[kkck]

Wasn't he on a student visa? Visa holders have some rights but i am not sure there's much of a way for him to fight this. I recall on my student visa days thinking I'd rather stay out of political protests and stuff to avoid issues with a visa the US had zero obligation to give me.

 

[xi0]

Wasn't he on a student visa? Visa holders have some rights but i am not sure there's much of a way for him to fight this. I recall on my student visa days thinking I'd rather stay out of political protests and stuff to avoid issues with a visa the US had zero obligation to give me.

Pragmatic I guess, but would you feel the same way if you were the son of refugees from your home country that they/you weren't allowed to return to even if you wanted? I imagine that most people could be opinionated enough to state as much publicly, especially in a country that has something like the first amendment.