Are We Distracted Yet?

1. 71

   Ken Burgessposted 11 months ago

   
   Bread and Circuses for all...
   
   We have the wonderful many various Court Cases against Trump.  As well as anyone foolish enough to stand by him and try and defend him... felonies for them, one and all.
   
   To some, that says more about how corrupt our system has become than the people who are charged.  For others, they wonder why only those who support Trump are charged with their crimes, while the accusations arrayed against the Clintons or Bidens have been swept under the rug for many years now.
   
   While we are focused on these hyperbolic sideshows, as well as focusing in on Pride Month, Trans Rights, DEI, CSG, CRT and who knows how much else to divide us into various competing groups... no one pays much attention to the escalating conflicts and how they are being egged on by the actions of ourselves or our allies.
   
   As we attempt to focus on how unfit both Biden and Trump are for the Oval Office...
   
   We neglect to consider where things are with Ukraine and Russia... the war that Russia couldn't sustain to 2024 according to Biden Administration experts just a couple years back... the war that would cause the Russians to revolt against Putin and overthrow him... except it didn't and he is more popular than ever with his people.
   
   We hide the growing difficulties to maintain any semblance of control in the Middle East, the Houthis attack ships going through the straits, Western ships only, those from China or Iran or even Saudi Arabia, whom they were at war with for over a decade, pass unmolested.
   
   Israel is on its seventh month(?) of slaughtering people who have no army as it hunts down a terrorist organization that has most likely gotten all of its important members out of the region entirely.  Not very good optics... I can see why the focus on the circuses is so important.
   
   BRICS... not a threat many like to say... so what if the UAE and Saudi Arabia has joined them and is leaving America and the Dollar behind.
   
   The focus on Trump and all his 'crimes' is to deflect from the horrendous, destabilizing, debilitating job the Biden Administration has done... because if you tally up all their failures and the harm they have done this nation... anyone at all would be considered a better alternative than continuing down the road they have us on.

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   1. 83

      Readmikenowposted 11 months agoin reply to this

      "the war that would cause the Russians to revolt against Putin and overthrow him... except it didn't and he is more popular than ever with his people.
      
      I don't know about putin being popular as much as he is feared by his people.
      
      "There are eight main reasons why people aren’t protesting.
      
      1. Being arrested is only the start
      Dissenting Russians don’t see any opportunity to protest, and not only because they are afraid of spending time in a pre-trial detention centre (15 days is the norm for a first arrest). They are afraid of beatings, violence, humiliation, long prison terms, having their children taken from them, losing their job, and confronting authorities who refuse to issue passports and other essential documents.
      
      This situation is aggravated by the fact that after mobilisation was announced last September, Russia’s already demographically skewed gender ratio has worsened. Many men were either drafted or fled the country, while women remained – so they are now responsible for looking after both children and the elderly. If they protest, it will cause major problems for the whole family.
      
      Also, mass protests of various kinds have been held in Russia every year since 2011 – to little effect. There have been demonstrations against the 2021 legislative election results; a series of large-scale rallies demanding the end of government corruption; environmental protests; and marches in support of regional governor Sergei Furgal and opposition leader Alexei Navalny (both of whom are now in prison), to name just a few.
      
      After 2018, public demonstrations became almost impossible due to increased repression, but still continued. Now, those who protest on the street face a high probability of imprisonment, torture and cruel treatment, as well as dismissal from work and indirect reprisals against loved ones.
      
      2. Electronic tracking systems
      Interviewees said it’s not that they can’t or don’t want to go out to protest, but they’re unlikely to even get there: they will be stopped on the way, recognised by cameras in the subway, phone operators will give information on their movements to the security forces, and so on. Even if they’re not stopped and arrested immediately, they face a high probability of delayed consequences. Video recordings and facial-recognition systems allow law enforcement to track down participants after the street action has ended.
      
      The pandemic allowed the authorities to perfect the tracking and control of their citizens under the guise of fighting Covid – digital totalitarianism, in other words. They also increased the use of artificial intelligence and facial-recognition technology, further restricting the freedoms and rights of the population.
      
      From the outside, it may seem that in the modern world, with the widespread use of social media and other ways to connect online, it’s simple and straightforward to organise a protest and encourage people to take to the streets. But not in Russia.
      
      Here, messaging apps are hacked and read by the security services, so people avoid relaying sensitive information on social media. Or they switch to what we call ‘Aesopian language’ – a term that became particularly prevalent in Soviet times and means to encrypt language to evade censorship.
      
      This makes it more difficult to coordinate protests or fully inform people about upcoming events. Any steps against the state, even virtual ones, are effectively suppressed, thanks to the increased control allowed by digital technology. All this affects daily life, and the behaviour of dissenting Russians who have remained in the country since the invasion last year.
      
      3. No one will help
      This state of intimidation is not about apathy or a lack of willingness to protest. The lack of examples of victory over the system matters. Look at Alexei Navalny – he is famous around the world, but did anyone manage to release him from prison? No. If no one comes to help public figures, what will happen to ordinary citizens? How will their loved ones survive? People try to hold on to a feeling that their life is acceptable and not to lose what little they have.
      
      4. Protests don’t change anything
      The people I interviewed said in today’s Russia, protests are useless. The security forces are huge (according to estimates by independent Russian media outlet Proekt, some 2.6 million people are employed by law enforcement agencies). Without the ability to unite, out of fear of becoming an outcast or ruining their own life, people choose to stay at home. You can hold a protest, but it will not lead to anything changing, except for serious consequences for the individual.
      
      5. Feeling isolated
      It’s not easy to leave Russia, which is partly why so many have stayed. And those who tried and returned have experienced problems: their bank card has been blocked, they have been denied a visa or residence permit or they’ve lost employment and therefore their means of subsistence.
      
      Because of the difficulties they faced when abroad, some Russians feel abandoned by the outside world. It seems that all that remains is to hold on to their life in Russia, however imperfect it may be. The majority of the people I spoke to do not think their life can be improved by protesting, but it can certainly be completely ruined if they do protest.
      
      6. Dependence on the state
      The number of Russians dependent on payments from the state, as employees or beneficiaries, totalled more than 60 million in 2021 – 42% of the country's population. If someone participates in a protest and is sacked from their job as a result, they will be left without work and without the possibility of finding work, since the non-state sector is in dire straits. The supposedly independent businesses that do remain, as a rule, still depend indirectly on the state budget.
      
      7. Departure of the most active protesters
      A significant number of people who used to take part in protests have left Russia. This has changed things. No one knows for sure how many hundreds of thousands have left, or how many have returned. But those who have left include people who attended protests about freedom, self-expression and upholding democratic values. Their absence in the country is making itself felt.
      
      8. Distrust of the opposition
      The Russian authorities have systematically destroyed opposition leaders: imprisoned them, killed them or forced them to leave the country. Independent journalists have also been locked up or killed. Russians don’t have much confidence in those who remained and survived, since there are no fully fledged political processes in society or a free press.
      
      People don’t see and don’t understand what the remaining opposition is planning, and can’t assess their strength. This means that they believe that, if they attend a protest, they risk becoming one just more vain and senseless victim.
      
      https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/uk … rotesting/

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2. 74

   abwilliamsposted 11 months ago

   I agree with this assessment Ken, with the exception of Israel. Israel has their foot on the neck of those whom have terrorized them for ages. Those whom have stated that they'll not rest until Israel is blown off the map; they live for it! Israel cannot/must not, remove their foot now.

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   1. 71

      Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

      Right... as I said... not very good optics for 'current times'...
      
      You know, the whole, anti-colonization, anti-western, movement within our own country... which the Democrat party has benefited from, until now.

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      1. 74

         abwilliamsposted 11 months agoin reply to this

         I caught up; I am with you now.

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         1. 71

            Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

            My forte is not politics... my interest and experience is geared more towards foreign affairs and general economics.
            
            If you are going to invest in a company, you might want to know a little about the business, who runs it, who supplies it, etc.
            
            If you are going to purchase a property, you might want to understand the local market, the trends, tax laws, and changes incoming (IE - Home Insurance companies bailing on the State).
            
            Politics is an extension of that, for me... what choices will make groceries cheaper or more expensive, what choices will likely add to the taxes I pay or lower them.
            
            The 'moral' implications hadn't really been an issue until recently... there was no concern that EO was going to go away, for instance... today there is Trans rights, Sexualization of Children, Open Borders... many issues have arisen that are divisive and have serious implications on where we are going as a society that were not issues less than 10 years ago.
            
            What I do know is this Administration has put us into WWIII.
            
            What I do know is this Administration has wantonly supported Open Borders... any change in tune by the Biden Administration is for optics only for the coming election, they will revert and amplify Open Border policies if re-elected.
            
            What I do know is this Administration is spending 1 Trillion dollars of Debt every 100 days... that is going to bankrupt our economy.
            
            Based on the decisions the Biden Administration has made, is making, will make in the future... I would not invest in them if they were a business... I would not buy them if they were a property... and I damned sure wouldn't want them running the country for another 4 years.

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3. 71

   Ken Burgessposted 11 months ago

   OK Mike, but then there is alternative viewpoints about Putin and Russia like this video shows:
   This is Serbia the media won't show you |
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJb5AaxUi38
   
   But that is not the point... ... the point is escalating a war with the country that has more Nukes than anyone, how dumb is that?  How does that forward our national interests?

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   1. 83

      Readmikenowposted 11 months agoin reply to this

      You do know that Serbia is separate country from russia.

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      1. 71

         Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

         Yes, I do, and isn't it amazing that Putin T-Shirts and Putin posters are for sale on street shops.
         
         That was the point of that link... seeing what other people think in a country that isn't being bombarded by our media-sources but isn't Russia.

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4. 71

   Ken Burgessposted 11 months ago

   Apathy... the current belief that no matter what choice you make, you are doomed.
   
   This is brought about by the huge effort to villainize one side while ignoring/burying the crimes and mistakes of the other side.
   
   The great unknown of the 2024 election: voter turnout
   https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house … r-turnout/
   
   Eligible voters are done with politics. Why voter apathy threatens democracy
   https://www.stlpr.org/show/st-louis-on- … -democracy

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   1. 83

      tsmogposted 11 months agoin reply to this

      "This is brought about by the huge effort to villainize one side while ignoring/burying the crimes and mistakes of the other side."
      
      Sounds like this topic forum - Politics and Social Issues. Alas, such is the culture.
      
      Gallup Organization on May 13, 2024 says;
      
      Thought Given to Election Portends High Turnout in U.S.
      Democrats and Republicans highly engaged; independents less so
      https://news.gallup.com/poll/645101/tho … rnout.aspx
      
      Worth at least a peek at the three graphics offering perspective. There 'Bottom Line' conclusion is;
      
      "A broad majority of Americans say they are thinking a lot about this year’s election. The current level of attention is identical to a similar point in the 2020 election when the same two candidates squared off against each other. Engagement is now on the high end of similarly timed readings since 2000 and would be expected, based on historical patterns, to increase as the election gets closer. High voter attention has typically led to elevated voter turnout, but it remains to be seen whether voters will ultimately be as motivated to vote this year as they were in 2020, when more voters cast ballots than in any other election in the 21st century. Another wild card this year is the 29% of Americans who say neither candidate would make a good president and might therefore be less motivated to vote.
      
      I read in another article there are more voters that are
      
      Running away from a candidate
      Voting against a candidate
      And, thinking of not voting
      
      [Edit: If interested a deep dive by Pew Research published April 24, 2024 gets into the the nitty-gritty of voter sentiments.]
      
      In Tight Presidential Race, Voters Are Broadly Critical of Both Biden and Trump
      About half of voters say that, if given the chance, they would replace both candidates on the ballot
      https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/20 … and-trump/
      
      Also, The Hill Election Center has Trump up by 1.1% through June 5, 2024.
      https://elections2024.thehill.com/natio … p-general/

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      1. 71

         Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

         Interesting. 
         
         From my first link:
         "With so much of the vote taken by absentee ballots, 2020 was a huge outlier; 62 percent of eligible voters participated, the highest turnout since 1960. And even that understates the case — when John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon, the country was almost half its current size, the age limit for voters was 21 and Jim Crow laws denied many Black Americans the ballot. Since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1972, only Barack Obama’s 2008 victory saw a vote total as high as 57 percent."
         
         A reminder of two things... that the 2020 election should indeed have been an outlier... but I don't think it will be... now that absentee ballots have been released, for those states that now allow it, it won't be until we recognize (like France and every other 'Democracy' has realized that has tried it) that this allows for significant fraud and abuse... we will be stuck with elections that are ripe with claims of fraud, ballot harvesting, and untrusted results.
         
         There is serious cash coming from sources intent on sowing chaos in America... from China to Soros all are likely suspects who see some form of benefit from America's internal strife and discontent with its government.
         
         Then of course, there is the establishment itself... those who have been at the controls of power in DC for 50+ years (IE - Biden) or 40+ years (IE - Schumer, McConnel) these corrupt, callous individuals stay there until they die or are otherwise incapacitated (IE - Feinstein) they have no business making the decisions for this nation... they have no clue about today's world, technology, or the American people for that matter, they are disconnected and disinterested in the plight of the American people.
         
         The other thing that quote reminds me of, is just how different things really were in the 60s... and many people have been marked by those events... many people are driven by those times and that too is fed upon by people who do not have the best interests of Americans and America in mind.

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5. 74

   abwilliamsposted 11 months ago

   I hear you, I am with you.
   My latest article is a plea to women, in particular, to truly get involved (and invested) in this Country!

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   1. 71

      Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

      Women is where it is at...
      
      58% of them voted for Biden in 2020...
      
      Only 43% of men voted for him...
      
      Perhaps this is why the Democrats have pushed Child Mutilation, Transgender rights, Open Borders... soft hearts and empathetic minds support these things... rational and responsible minds do not.
      
      Women Voters’ Pivotal Role in Electing the Next U.S. President
      https://www.cfr.org/blog/women-voters-p … -president
      
      They know they cannot get the majority of men to support the suicidal nonsense the Biden Administration peddles.
      
      Once again, it looks like women will vote for America's demise:
      "In that poll, Biden captured 58 percent of the women’s vote, a five-point gain over the last Quinnipiac poll in December."
      From the linked article.

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      1. 81

         Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

         Cmon, Ken, more misogynist bias? I am counting on the women to run Trump and his entourage out of our lives.
         
         43 percent of White Men supported Biden, is that to be unexpected?
         
         Why give us just the half-ass of the story? The real reason Trump and Republicans are losing with women is over reproductive rights issues, not all the soft stuff you refer to that was not touched upon in the article. And they will deserve the thrashing that they will get....
         
         What makes you so rational and responsible instead of just biased?  Rational and responsible people do not like to have important rights curtailed. And There are plenty of men like me who believe that Trump is a tyrant  and MAGA sucks. So, your problem is not just with "women"

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         1. 74

            abwilliamsposted 11 months agoin reply to this

            He was responding to my comment. I brought up women, Ken didn't, but he is spot on.
            I am doing everything  within my power to get through to women and change these percentages.
            
            It would be nice if a fellow female conservative would chime in right about now, but they are as scarce as hen's teeth around here. I wonder why!?!

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            1. 81

               Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

               That is fine, AB, I am doing everything I can to keep the reproductive issues front and center for women this fall. That is how we can be sure to beat Trump....
               
               As for conservative women, where is Sharlee?

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               1. 74

                  abwilliamsposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                  Got it! Keep abortion alive and kicking...so to speak!
                  
                  As far as I know, she has been banned.

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                  1. 81

                     Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                     She has been missed as a sparring partner, thanks for the info AB....

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                  2. 75

                     wildernessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                     And another very valid issue, one that is right now transforming our country, becomes little more than yet another political tool to defeat Trump.  Outside of that all important event the issue holds little meaning.
                     
                     Am I the only one to find that a very sad thing indeed?  That if something fails to damage Trump then it isn't worth discussing?

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                     1. 71

                        Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                        I have had a hard time putting to type what Trump is and means for literally half the country or more now... the best I came up was, to quote:
                        
                        Trump has been a part of Americana for almost a HALF CENTURY.
                        
                        Trump Tower, the Taj Mahal, he owned a USFL football team, he was in Movies (cameo appearances), on TV he had his own series.
                        
                        And then he was our President.
                        
                        And he presided over a peaceful time and good economic time... until the Pandemic... which also reminds people of what came when he left... and all the things going on now, from wars, to inflation, to criminals being released right after committing horrendous crimes.
                        
                        And now Americans are watching how trumped up ridiculous charges are being brought up in NY to attack him over, and over, and the ruling against him are outrageous... fining him 450+ million dollars???  fining him 90 million dollars for a woman who admitted she was never raped, made it all up???  And now finding him guilty, on the word of a convicted felon, who admitted to stealing money from Trump and wanting to get revenge???
                        
                        This is going to make him an Icon for every non-rich non-indoctrinated American out there.  Even for many who didn't like him or his tweets just a few years back... the illusion that he was a Russian conspirator has or that he is an Insurrectionist is wearing off.
                        
                        But... this really nails it, very insightful:
                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dHNwIpdzRI

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                     2. 71

                        Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                        Someone who has keen insight into the political field, this interview brought to light some interesting information:
                        
                        Steve Bannon: Lying Tories betrayed Britain, World War 3 & how to destroy the Left
                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoUO4Lx1JeU

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                     3. 81

                        Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                        Let's not befuddle the issue, Wilderness. Trump and MAGA are simply advocating from the wrong side relative to women's reproductive rights. Trump and MAGA would have to expect  retribution from larger numbers of women through the polls next November.
                        
                        Trump and MAGA damages itself by being on wrong side of an important issue for women and he will lose ground because he will deserve to.
                        
                        Who are you to say that the issue has little meaning?

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            2. 71

               Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

               I'm a misogynist according to Credence.
               
               Sorry, not, just like to deal with reality.
               
               I don't think a misogynist would have been pushing for Tulsi Gabbard for President in 2019... or for that matter, still think she is the best option America has available to it (that I am aware of):
               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__fLvDwdRhM

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               1. 81

                  Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                  “I'm a misogynist according to Credence.”
                  
                  No, you are just expressing misogynist bias in your description of women and their “weaknesses”

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                  1. 71

                     Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                     Based on your interpretation of the definition.
                     
                     The definition is "a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women."
                     
                     I see a difference in the sexes.
                     
                     I don't believe men who have mental issues should be allowed to compete with women in sports, or impose themselves in their showers.
                     
                     In short... I do not accept the derangement and insanity being forced upon our society today as normal.  That does not make me someone who despises or dislikes women... on the contrary the positions you take in regard to Trans and Women appear more Misogynistic than my own, IMO.
                     
                     If you used the word chauvinistic I could understand the point you were attempting to make... an attitude of superiority toward members of the opposite sex would be male chauvinism.
                     
                     I would still disagree... I see what is... what always has been.
                     
                     Women give birth... not men... it is not acceptable to say that in today's society... tough crap, it is reality.
                     
                     Women are not as strong as men... that is not acceptable to say today... tough crap, it is reality.  In reference to physical strength (testosterone) it is a fact.
                     
                     You can support the lunatics (Biden Administration) pushing this insanity down our throats... I'm not.
                     
                     I say NO to Open Borders... NO to war with Russia... NO to men being women or addressed as women or allowed to compete with women.

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                     1. 81

                        Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                        "The definition is "a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women."
                        
                        I consider stereotyping in my world as a form of prejudice.
                        
                        Yes, there is a difference in the sexes, physiologically. But, I consider nature not nurture.
                        
                        Maybe, chauvinism is a better word as being different does not necessarily mean being less or inferior.
                        
                        You are really hot to trot on all of this "trans" stuff. We are not all on this insanity trip, men should not be in women's showers or compete in women's sports as the xx chromosome is difference from the xy, just as hedgehog is different from an eagle, yet, no one has said one is better than the other, just different.
                        
                        The point that so many of you conservative types are just waltzing around is that the GOP is going to lose ground over a issue substantive to women, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTs and like I said, the MAGA, Trump coalition to include the entire GOP is going pay dearly for ignoring its significance. There is nothing "emotional" or soft about it. It is the Achilles Heel we will take advantage of to stop the Trump juggernaut.
                        
                        So, what positions do I take regarding this Trans matter that you would consider misogynistic?
                        
                        Because of the biological differences women are generally not as strong as men, true, but can I say that every man is stronger than every woman? probably not.

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                        1. 71

                           Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                           I concur, as I have before, the Abortion issue is something that is going to cost any Republican candidate a lot of votes.  Which is a shame because many women will not look past that to the other issues which can be far more harmful to our future as a people & nation.
                           
                           I believe many women consider that THE Women's issue and do not look past it... especially since the Supreme Court decision, which didn't make it illegal it just kicked it back to the States, but that is another argument.
                           
                           Where you are wrong is continuing to label me a Conservative or Trumpster.  You like to throw labels on people who do not hold your position on matters... but I do not support Party... in fact I don't think there is a real difference in the 'Parties' today, enough politicians on both sides of the aisle have sold themselves out to corporate and foreign interests as to make Party immaterial to getting real change.
                           
                           There are Republicans and Democrats that are "Globalists"... "Corporatists"... and just good old fashioned corrupt sell outs.
                           
                           In fact I would argue that today we have those who are intent on the Globalist, NWO, Agenda 2030, Open Borders - Open Society as the majority in Congress and throughout DC.
                           
                           Those that don't fall into that grouping are known as 'Nationalists'... America 1sters... and are being prosecuted and persecuted far more than anyone who is opposed to their views want to admit. 
                           
                           Beating them through fair elections is one thing... persecuting them through strong arm tactics using the FBI, the DOJ and IRS is wrong.. hopefully Americans realize this and wake up to what is really going on... or being an American won't matter at all in the near future.
                           
                           As for Party and your labeling of me... I liked what Tulsi Gabbard had to say when she was a Democrat and I supported her then... I like what she has to say now, despite no longer being a Democrat.
                           
                           That shows I am not committed to a Party, right or wrong, I am committed to the things I believe are right... regardless of Party.
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           Always struck true to me... Marvel Comics has changed a lot since then, so has the country.

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                           1. 81

                              Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                              "I concur, as I have before, the Abortion issue is something that is going to cost any Republican candidate a lot of votes.  Which is a shame because many women will not look past that to the other issues which can be far more harmful to our future as a people & nation."
                              
                              That is easy for you to say as a man who is not affected by draconian anti abortion laws. Of course, it is not important to you.
                              
                              Trump was the impetus of all of this by appointing Right wing cretins to the court to overturn Roe vs Wade as the authority was passed down to the states, what did the states do? They pass laws that virtually tie and bind women by their umbilical chords. Yes, Trump, MAGA and the GOP establishment will pay. My job is to remind women of this all the way up to November.
                              
                              I say that if it walks like a duck and looks like a duck, it is not a polar bear. The positions you take on the issues of the day define who you are and what you support, so it goes beyond mere labels.
                              
                              Tulsi was never a Democrat in the definition.  Anyone invited to any CPAC is not an Democrat. 
                              
                              I am not convinced that Rightwingers would find any election that they lose as fair. The lies of your fuhrer from 2020 and many of his followers is the case in point.
                              
                              This American First stuff is just a slogan used by racists, misogynists and xenophobes. Conservatives types like this have been beating the same dead horse for some time and their ultimate objectives are still hard to fathom.
                              
                              What You believe to right may very well not be, is that a possibility?

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                              1. 71

                                 Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                 Fair enough point.
                                 
                                 And in addition to that, it would be hypocritical of me to have been someone who willingly and wantonly volunteered to take life on behalf of his government, to turn around an say to someone else it is wrong to take the life of an unborn child.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 I disagree, it deters conversation and debate.
                                 
                                 Labeling someone generally ends any consideration for their perspective and positions and relegates them to someone who should not be listened to.
                                 
                                 I have for a while tried to refrain from that, however, it is a good tool to use to discredit someone for other readers who, upon reading the labeling, may automatically reject the "republican" or "conservative" or "white" or "black or "liberal" or "progressive"...
                                 
                                 [EDIT] It is different when they label themselves, however, and argue for those specific political viewpoints, Arthur is an example of one who does this.
                                 
                                 I reject most Progressive ideals and positions of today... but I would/did support what were considered Progressive ideals and positions of 30 years ago. 
                                 
                                 What was considered right & wrong, Progressive or Conservative, has changed far more than my positions have.
                                 
                                 [EDIT] But perhaps that was my own naivety, as I didn't understand the long term efforts and goals of those propositioning change. IE:
                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1EA2ohrt5Q

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                                 1. 81

                                    Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                    Ken, I can't allow anyone to sit on the fence either.
                                    
                                    You take views consistent with those of the Rightwing, what else do I refer to you as? Independent?
                                    
                                    Arthur is honest enough to confess where he stands and why, there is nothing wishy-washy about it. His system works for him and other British subjects and has avoided so much of the turmoil here in America. Who can slight him for it?
                                    
                                    The hard right has become more strident and obscene in my opinion. Yes, we have the loony left, but as you will see the vast majority of Americans will resist MAGA and Trump as nothing more than a dangerous rightwing turn.
                                    
                                    And now you show me a 40 year old video interview taken at a time when the iron curtain was up. I will always say that fascism is always more dangerous than socialism and there is nothing washy-washy about that.

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                                       Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                       Great paragraph, grabs just the right thread.

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                                    Readmikenowposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                    ", it would be hypocritical of me to have been someone who willingly and wantonly volunteered to take life on behalf of his government, to turn around an say to someone else it is wrong to take the life of an unborn child."
                                    
                                    I would have to say being a soldier on a battlefield is a bit different than an abortion.  A soldier didn't create a life and then decide to kill it to make their life easier.  On the battlefield you are trying to survive and defeat an enemy.
                                    
                                    Shame you can't see the difference.

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                                       Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                       I disagree with the framework you are trying to put this in.
                                       
                                       I wanted to become a 'weapon' for my Country, I wanted to be trained to become an expert at eliminating life and being able to evade and avoid enemy detection so I could continue to eliminate life...
                                       
                                       And when you are in that world, you are dealing with enemies that have no regard for women, or children... they are just tools for the enemy to use to deliver their attack... they are used as weapons.
                                       
                                       So then it becomes necessary to kill anyone that may be a weapon... and when you are in enemy territory that is EVERYONE.
                                       
                                       So no... I don't really see a difference at all.
                                       
                                       Take a look at the slaughter going on in Gaza and tell me there is a difference.
                                       
                                       Take a look at the slaughter of Ukrainians... who are now sending their women into combat.
                                       
                                       Tell me where the difference is again?

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                                          Readmikenowposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                          Wooosh.

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                                             Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                             As I said, hypocritical...

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                              Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                              If "Assman" does not move, we will cut the tree down.

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                                 Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                 It won't hold... it never does... you may destroy the nation but you will never get what you want.  Your 'revolution' is only going to bring subjugation onto the ones you profess to want to 'liberate'.
                                 
                                 There was no better system than the one America built, it was what allowed people to own their homes, to reach new heights no matter what class they were born into... it did away with slavery in a world that ran on it... it did away with racism and created equal opportunity at the system/government level.
                                 
                                 Without accepting ALL of the Constitution... the right to say things that hurt people's feelings... the right to property... the right to protect yourself... you lose ALL of it... and that is what Socialism is... that is what the New World Order... Globalist Agenda 2030 is... the loss of freedoms and liberty to the State... even if it is a State run by international authorities that answer to no one.
                                 
                                 It is only going to end in disaster for America... one way or the other.

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                                 Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                 Sorry to come off as so brusque. But, Is Captain America so sure that he is right over the opinions of the majority that says otherwise? There may be millions who stand up for what they believe in and it may be contrary to the views of Captain America. So in the forest there may be many trees that can be considered immovable.
                                 
                                 His truth may not be my truth. It is the mantra of conservatives, right out of Animal Farm, "some are more equal than others."

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                                    Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                    You have to stand for your truth.
                                    
                                    Credence the reason why I treat your views/posts with respect is you have shared enough of your experiences with me that I recognize that you speak your truth.
                                    
                                    You are not echoing what you heard on CNN today (though you may be influenced by it)... you are not some brainwashed imbecile that can articulate and regurgitate the propaganda pumped into you in well formulated sentencing.
                                    
                                    You are real... not some clueless wonder that had a trust fund to live off of, who never had to screw his courage to the sticking point to find out what he is really all about.
                                    
                                    You had to struggle... you had to live with systemic racism supported by societal institutions (something that has been done away with today IMO) it isn't something you were taught in a University or read in a book... you lived it.
                                    
                                    Unlike some in these forums that argue even more vehemently than you do about things they can never really understand and have never experienced.

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                                       Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                       Your reply is most appreciated.
                                       
                                       You have to stand for your truth. As you must stand for yours, understood.
                                       
                                       Systemic racism was not quite as systemic as it once was and it is not as insurmountable as it was at one time. I am not terribly old enough to have lived through the worse of it, but saw its remnants during the first decade of my life.
                                       
                                       I am cantankerous, people resist the experiences I speak of out of denial, it is acidic at times. My world view is different, not necessarily any better or any worse than yours, but definitely different.
                                       
                                       And it can be said that one man's news is another's propaganda I believed in our exchanges, we have learned a little bit about each other, the why behind the what and wherefore.

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                                          Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                          No more cantankerous than I can be, and you have the excuse of being older than I am. 
                                          
                                          I recognize other perspectives and positions, but I do try to shift conversation to the larger picture when possible.
                                          
                                          It may be that the Biden Administration has better policy on a particular subject or two that is close to your heart, but if in the bigger picture he is destroying the Nation's future, putting us into a WWIII scenario, or dooming the American economy to facing a crippling Depression... is it worth it?
                                          
                                          This is typically the argument I am trying to make.
                                          
                                          However, things are getting even crazier, the cases against Trump are manufactured BS that can only be pushed through a corrupt system like NY.
                                          
                                          The hushed fact that every lawyer that presented cases in court as to the fraud found in the 2020 election are in jail or have had their licenses revoked... Guiliani, Bannon, are heading to jail as are many others who supported Trump rather than turning on him.
                                          
                                          These are clear signs of a corrupt system, you do not destroy the political opposition through the court system if you have a free country where the People are really deciding who their leaders are.
                                          
                                          Principles are being torn to shreds, the Constitution is being trampled on, and we are heading toward a war that if not averted by a change in who is at the helm come 2024 (and I don't mean Niki Haley who will follow the same script that Biden is following now) as a Nation I am pretty sure we are going to suffer the types of hardships we have visited on other nations in past global wars.

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                                             Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                             "It may be that the Biden Administration has better policy on a particular subject or two that is close to your heart, but if in the bigger picture he is destroying the Nation's future, putting us into a WWIII scenario, or dooming the American economy to facing a crippling Depression."
                                             
                                             Yes, it is worth it, I am more concerned about my own backyard over the backyard of someone across town. You look closely, now. Trump is just an empty suit, he is a symbol for so much of the radical rights agenda, only because he accommodates them. Trump really doesn't "believe" in anything as the finest example of an amoral person as has ever lived. Trump,while complaining about lawfare, said in no uncertain terms that he would use federal agencies to exact revenge on his enemies. That is not the sort of attitude I want from my President but one of a dictator.
                                             
                                             He has no solution for the inflation other than to bash Biden. He encourages the GOP lemmings in congress not to legislate a solution to the immigration crisis as needing a point on which to attack Biden. I am sure he will reconfirm my "empty suit" analysis in the debates, which from what I have heard, he would try to avoid.
                                             
                                             I don't care what the Rightwingers say, Trump tried to overrun the Government through fraud and attempted insurrection. That is not the example I want from my President.
                                             
                                             He had a criminal record longer than many arms. He has avoided being tried for what I consider legitimate charges and that does not make him innocent. He has been a career criminal all of his life, and you would be looking for a needle in a haystack if you seek to find anything virtuous about him.
                                             
                                             He has denigrated military service and sees military personnel as a his own Praetorian Guard. As former military, I take extreme offense at that. He has no concept of leader's understanding of heroism and sacrifice. I never got over the way he treated John McCain.
                                             
                                             No, I don't like him, brimming of racism and race baiting going back several decades, a man of natural dishonesty, that is not my example of a leader.
                                             
                                             You Trump people seem to wanting to inaugurate a new world moving the democratic process aside as "inconvenient".  Many voters in the coming month will ask the question whether to retain the democracy here or go marching into Trumpian New World Order?

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                                                Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                Yup, they have created the near perfect Boogey Man.
                                                
                                                For those who lap up American Propaganda and believe Biden is an old but great guy.
                                                
                                                The truth is there isn't a more corrupt Politician in DC today, and Biden was that long before he became President, his son is a shadowy reflection of Joe and his corruption.  His daughter in court admitted what was in her diary is true, you know, the taking sexual showers with her dad part.
                                                
                                                And if his past doesn't turn you off... the fact that he has shown to have lost control of his mental and physical capacities should.
                                                
                                                Don't tell me Trump is a lump of crap... and then point to an even bigger lump of crap and tell me this is the better option.
                                                
                                                So lets get to real issues... since we more or less agree that neither option (Biden or Trump) is our ideal option.
                                                
                                                WWIII ... stop trying to dodge it.  It is bigger than an elephant in an elevator yet you don't want to address it.
                                                
                                                This isn't two years ago... you cannot tell me I am being hyperbolic, or that you will 'wait and see'... now is the time to open your eyes and really see what is going on in the world.
                                                
                                                Because it is NOT going to stay over there... it is going to come home to roost here in America, violently and economically.  If Biden is re-elected and the country continues to march to the beat of this Administration's drum, we are going to suffer immensely as a nation... this is as sure as it was when I said two years ago that the Biden Administration was intent on escalating the conflict with Russia. 
                                                
                                                Actually I am more certain of my facts regarding this, than I was regarding where things were going with Russia... it took inside information and a lot of research for me to feel comfortable that I was correct, and even then, there is always uncertainty... there is always a chance someone rational will change our course... but I have no faith there will be rational heads making the decisions with this Administration, they are as extreme in their views and beliefs as the types of people who turned Germany into the Third Reich... if they remain in power this will prove itself out.

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                                                   Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                   Trump has created himself as a problem and is responsible for whatever befalls him.
                                                   
                                                   It is still a matter of opinion who is the bigger lump of crap. My "big picture" is that I neither like nor trust Trump or his henchmen to improve anything over what Biden is currently doing.
                                                   
                                                   And I don't see WWIII yet.......and you won't convince me until bombs fall in our back yard and only then would I grudgingly acknowledge that you said it first. But until then..... so, you still have no proof of the coming end of the world to date and that an "empty suit" can really fix it.
                                                   
                                                   Funny thing, Ken, this so called "America First" movement spoken of by Trump and MAGA remind me of a period during the late 1930s when there was also a movement called "America First" that promoted isolationism, accommodating Hitler and turning its back to the forces of fascism rising in the world. Charles A Limburgh was its biggest proponent. But foresight by Franklin D. Roosevelt, a real leader and not just an empty suit, foresaw the danger during a period when people were still quite isolationist. That is until Pearl Harbor reminded us all that sometimes you are involved whether you want to be or not.

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                                                      Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                      The bigger concern is not getting Trump elected.
                                                      
                                                      The concern is getting someone, anyone, in there that will derail where the current Administration is taking the Nation.  That will find compromise with Russia, not escalation.  That will starve Iran of money, not supply them with hundreds of billions so they can fund global terrorism.
                                                      
                                                      Someone who will not agitate for war, will not saber rattle against any who do not want to accept the dictates coming out of DC.  Someone who will compromise and find common ground, not excuses for war.
                                                      
                                                      That is what is needed today... and if it comes in the form of a repugnant Orange Man I will take it.  If it came in the form of Tulsi Gabbard in 2020 I would have been overly ecstatic.
                                                      
                                                      The Biden Administration is a collection of incompetent suck-ups and zealous neocons and disconnected decades-in-DC politicians and autocrats running the country into the ground. 

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                                                         Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                         “The bigger concern is not getting Trump elected.”
                                                         
                                                         That is my answer, Ken, my final as they say on the game shows.
                                                         
                                                         Trump doesn’t know a damn thing about the Government.
                                                         
                                                         I neither like nor trust any Republican but at this point anyone will do except the lily livered De Santis as long as it is not Trump.

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                                                            Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                            You dump Good'Ol Joe... 
                                                            I'll dump Trump...
                                                            
                                                            "I neither like nor trust any Republican but at this point anyone will do except the lily livered De Santis as long as it is not Trump."
                                                            
                                                            The majority would take it... they would buy into a Nikki Haley over going back to Biden for sure, if Trump were out of the picture.
                                                            
                                                            The only thing keeping Biden as popular and up in the polls as he is... is that the alternative is Trump... MSM propaganda has its impact...
                                                            
                                                            Haley would probably crush Biden... there are a lot of people who are solid Democrats that dread Biden being re-elected.

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                                                               Credence2posted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                               "The majority would take it... they would buy into a Nikki Haley over going back to Biden for sure, if Trump were out of the picture."
                                                               ------
                                                               I said that I could live with Nikki Haley, I would not vote for her over a Democrat. I still prefer Joe Biden over the other choices that includes RFK or Tulsi.
                                                               
                                                               But Republicans are joined to Trump at the hip, it may well be their downfall.

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                                                                  Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                                  Which is why they will take Trump out of the picture... its not hard seeing what is to come so long as you consider all the options and realize they are willing to use all of them and have had plenty of time to plan for it.

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                                                      Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                      I don't think I will be checking for your acknowledgement when we have reached that point, I will be otherwise occupied or dead.

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                                                   Willowarborposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                   "And if his past doesn't turn you off... the fact that he has shown to have lost control of his mental and physical capacities should."
                                                   
                                                   Every time Trump opens his mouth,  it is an assault on intelligence. Every time he opens his mouth, 10 lies fly out.  He lobs accusations without facts, evidence, or logic. 
                                                   
                                                   Just the other day...
                                                   
                                                   “Low INSULIN PRICING was gotten for millions of Americans by me, and the Trump Administration, not by Crooked [President Biden,]” Trump said in the Truth Social post. “He had NOTHING to do with it. It was all done long before he so sadly entered office. All he does is try to take credit for things done by others, in this case, ME!”
                                                   
                                                   Let's recall that Biden's  inflation reduction act capped insulin at 35 dollars.. the very same act that Trump is vowing to repeal if he wins the election.  Does Trump not understand this?
                                                   
                                                   Demented? A liar? On drugs?

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                                                      wildernessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                      No, just a politician saying whatever he thinks will gain him votes.  Just like Biden claiming the southern border is closed, or that inflation is only 3%, or that crime is down.  Whatever they think people want to hear, and will grow their voter base.

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                                                         Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                         One has to look at ACTIONS not words... that would seem a common sense way of approaching it.
                                                         
                                                         And while looking at the ACTIONS taken, one has to consider how much support or resistance their efforts received.
                                                         
                                                         For instance, when Trump tried to restrict immigration from countries considered a terrorist threat, this was used as a way of painting him a racist, and lower courts challenged the Office of the Presidency in ways that had never occurred before to limit the President's ability to enforce his policy.
                                                         
                                                         During Trump's four years, the Lower Courts and the DOJ worked against his efforts on many fronts.  The Republican controlled Congress worked against him on repealing the ACA on reforming taxation, on most fronts, then during the mid-terms there was an exodus of Republicans that opened up their seats for Democrats to gain control.
                                                         
                                                         So we can't just look at Trump's actions... we have to look at what changes he ATTEMPTED to make that were derailed.
                                                         
                                                         Biden on the other hand, has had very little resistance in comparison, the Supreme Court being the only roadblock currently to the State going completely off the deep end and railroading all of us.
                                                         
                                                         Still, there are things we can look at.
                                                         
                                                         The Ukraine war was delayed because of Trump, what has occurred during the Biden Administration was most likely meant to be pursued during Hillary Clinton's Administration... Trump would not pursue confronting Russia over Crimea or the Donbas Conflict... instead the Minsk Agreements were pursued, it was only after Biden was in office that French and German leaders stated it was merely a delaying tactic... delaying until they could get Trump out of office?
                                                         
                                                         Lets look at Iran and the Middle East, Trump brokered a peace deal, Trump put a stranglehold on Iran with sanctions and freezing of assets.  Biden reversed those decisions and chaos ensued shortly thereafter.   
                                                         
                                                         Biden also left billions of dollars' worth of military equipment in Afghanistan that has since made its way to being used against ships in the straight and against Israel.
                                                         
                                                         Then there is the Border... Biden reversed Trumps efforts on day one, nullifying the agreement with Mexico to stop or detain migrants, he ended all efforts to build a better border.
                                                         
                                                         If one takes the time to look at the actions... not listen to the rhetoric, the differences between the two... the differences as to what was going on in the world... the differences to our economy, to our ability to buy groceries or walk down the street without fear in a city was very different during Trump pre-2020 and Biden post-2020.

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                                                            wildernessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

                                                            In general, and especially with politicians, one must look at actions rather than words.  A politicians words mean nothing at all - they are 90% outright lie and 10% exaggeration.

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            Ken Burgessposted 11 months agoin reply to this

            A growing number of women are paying to confront their privilege – and racism – at dinners that cost $2,500
            https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ … cism-women
            
            Its old news, I know, but it points to why women vote overwhelmingly for those things that speak to them on an emotional level (empathy) or that they sympathize with.
            
            Men are more direct, more rational, more callous even... speaking in terms of reason especially.
            
            It is what it is.
            
            Men will look at the Ukraine war and think more along the lines of... this is BS, I have no interest in fighting for Ukraine or seeing nuclear war happen.
            
            A woman will think, oh, those poor people, how cruel and evil Putin is.
            
            Men will look at Trans men competing with women and think, that is BS, we are supposed to protect women, not beat the crap out of them.
            
            A woman will think, oh, that poor woman, she doesn't deserve to be discriminated against, it must be terrible being stuck in a man's body.
            
            Just giving some examples, a broad stroke of the brush... it of course is not all inclusive.

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   Ken Burgessposted 11 months ago

   As a continuation to my last post.
   
   You have to give the likes of the Open Society Foundation a lot of credit, they supported the campaigns of radical individuals to become AGs and then used those offices to hinder the efforts of higher offices, and as we can see with Trump, an entire campaign for the Oval Office.

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